"Happy holidays" is bullshit Christian normativity.

[Not_Mafia]

Merry Christmas means Moderately Drunk Christmas, which I think we can all agree is a good thing

[Shaziro]

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, folks

[vonflare]

Glory to God in the highest

And on earth, peace to people of good will

[Kublai Khan]

I would like to use this thread to complain about the word "merry". It's archaic and only used with relation to Christmas. From modern usage, "Merry Christmas" effectively means "Christmassy Christmas". Switch to a better holiday greeting, switch to "Happy Christmas". Or "Happy Holidays". Both are good. But stop using "merry", it's an archaic word and should just be forgotten.

Also Happy Christmas Mafiascum.

Have a gay Christmas, Who.

[Alchemist21]

I would like to use this thread to complain about the word "merry". It's archaic and only used with relation to Christmas. From modern usage, "Merry Christmas" effectively means "Christmassy Christmas". Switch to a better holiday greeting, switch to "Happy Christmas". Or "Happy Holidays". Both are good. But stop using "merry", it's an archaic word and should just be forgotten.

Also Happy Christmas Mafiascum.

Don't they already say Happy Christmas in Britain?

[Who]

They do. One of the many reasons why Americans should have payed their taxes.

[Davsto]

As a Brit I have heard happy Christmas but merry Christmas tends to be more common, at least where I'm from

[Not_Mafia]

As a Brit I have heard happy Christmas but merry Christmas tends to be more common, at least where I'm from

[Majiffy]

Ugh this necro every friggin year

[BROseidon]

I find it strange when people change lyrics to Christmas music to make it more inclusive.

Growing up, my school had a Kwanza song we would sing as part of the holiday season. It was a pretty bad song (like all holiday songs TBH), but hey I know the principles of Kwanza as a result.

[Korts]

Oh look this thread again.

Happy holidays Shea!

[Firebringer]

Kwanza is a weird holiday

[Mina]

Since people refuse to let this die, can I coopt this thread to complain about something that actually annoys me on a similiar topic? (I actually kind of prefer happy holidays to merry Christmas, honestly.)

The Tesco Christmas commercial featuring people in hijabs and turbans celebrating Christmas.

It seems like all the backlash is from right-wing xenophobes and "keep the Christ in Christmas" types, and the official left stance is that it's amazing and inclusive. But I find it pretty condescending.

Maybe practicing British Muslims or Sikhs will prove me wrong by coming into this thread and say, "Actually, most of us do decorate our houses for Christmas and invite our whole families over for a turkey dinner," but in my experience, most people who practice religions other than Christianity do not give a shit about Christmas. Atheists who go, "Christmas is for everyone, because it's become a secular cultural tradition" generally have Christian ancestors, so it's a cultural tradition

for them

. It's not "inclusive" to erase people's differences instead of celebrating them. At least a token hanukkiah feels like an actual acknowledgment of other cultures, rather than, "We know that all non-Christians are just dying to celebrate Christmas like we do."

[McMenno]

merry holidays

[Vijarada]

so what does everyone think about god.

he's good imo

[Firebringer]

Since people refuse to let this die, can I coopt this thread to complain about something that actually annoys me on a similiar topic? (I actually kind of prefer happy holidays to merry Christmas, honestly.)

The Tesco Christmas commercial featuring people in hijabs and turbans celebrating Christmas.

It seems like all the backlash is from right-wing xenophobes and "keep the Christ in Christmas" types, and the official left stance is that it's amazing and inclusive. But I find it pretty condescending.

Maybe practicing British Muslims or Sikhs will prove me wrong by coming into this thread and say, "Actually, most of us do decorate our houses for Christmas and invite our whole families over for a turkey dinner," but in my experience, most people who practice religions other than Christianity do not give a shit about Christmas. Atheists who go, "Christmas is for everyone, because it's become a secular cultural tradition" generally have Christian ancestors, so it's a cultural tradition

for them

. It's not "inclusive" to erase people's differences instead of celebrating them. At least a token hanukkiah feels like an actual acknowledgment of other cultures, rather than, "We know that all non-Christians are just dying to celebrate Christmas like we do."

Ur rant here doesn’t even make sense

[SleepyKrew]

made sense to me?

[Mina]

What part of it are you having trouble understanding, Firebringer?

I don't think the ad was horribly racist or anything--it was just trying to show they cared about diversity but felt a bit tone-deaf to me.

[Firebringer]

made sense to me?

I had to reread it a few times.
I am exceptionally slow today.

I haven’t seen this commercial so no comment

[Davsto]

Since people refuse to let this die, can I coopt this thread to complain about something that actually annoys me on a similiar topic? (I actually kind of prefer happy holidays to merry Christmas, honestly.)

The Tesco Christmas commercial featuring people in hijabs and turbans celebrating Christmas.

It seems like all the backlash is from right-wing xenophobes and "keep the Christ in Christmas" types, and the official left stance is that it's amazing and inclusive. But I find it pretty condescending.

Maybe practicing British Muslims or Sikhs will prove me wrong by coming into this thread and say, "Actually, most of us do decorate our houses for Christmas and invite our whole families over for a turkey dinner," but in my experience, most people who practice religions other than Christianity do not give a shit about Christmas. Atheists who go, "Christmas is for everyone, because it's become a secular cultural tradition" generally have Christian ancestors, so it's a cultural tradition

for them

. It's not "inclusive" to erase people's differences instead of celebrating them. At least a token hanukkiah feels like an actual acknowledgment of other cultures, rather than, "We know that all non-Christians are just dying to celebrate Christmas like we do."

Brit here. Not Muslim or Sikh, am white and Christian etc but, going to a college which has a decent amount of Muslim students, I have definitely seen some play some part celebrating Christmas as a holiday. I think it's celebrated a bit more non-secularly here, as I've never met an atheist who doesn't celebrate and I've met people of other religions who do celebrate. At the very least, one would assume they got Muslim and Sikh actors to play the roles and them agreeing is a strong sign that they celebrate Christmas outside of its religious beliefs.

Not going to speak further because I'm not, yknow, Muslim or Sikh and I don't wish to come across as speaking for any others' culture, but just my view and observations as a British person who knows plenty of non-Christians.

[Mina]

@Firebringer: I am pretty verbose!

@Davsto: how religious are the ones you know? I mean, I know people who like using it as an excuse to throw a party or give presents or wear a funny sweater. My manager at work was raised Muslim and loves Christmas, but she's non-practicing and married to a Christian--she doesn't wear a hijab. I don't deny that non-Christians celebrating Christmas is a thing. I just don't like the implication that it's common, I guess. It doesn't jive with my personal experience.

Canada is probably a lot more secular than the U.S., but I don't know about the difference between Canadian and British Christmas.

[Davsto]

They seem fairly religious - I'm know some that at least fast in Ramadan, which is a sign of strongly following (especially considering it falls on exam season). I also think it's probably not "common" as such, but probably more common over here than in USA and definitely existent enough for them to be recognised in an advert, particularly when the other thousands of Christmas adverts don't recognise them.

[hiplop]

most of the muslims i know (decent amount?) celebrate christmas. all the sikhs do

[Fluminator]

This thread always gives me a laugh.

[Mina]

I've heard Jesus is recognized as a prophet in Islam, so maybe I'm projecting here. The ad annoys me based on my personal experiences surrounding Christmas, but might resonate with others.