Do you say Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays ?
By snoopy04
@snoopy04 (718)
United States
December 5, 2007 3:09pm CST
I thought people were supposed to be jolly during the holiday season, boy was I so wrong. I was at Walmart with my husband and my daughter finishing up our Christmas shopping while my sons were in school. So my husband and daughter walked away to go get something and I was looking at some toys for my sons. Well I found a toy I really wanted but couldnt reach it. A man walked by me and he asked if I needed help, I said yes and he reached up and grabbed the toy for me. So I told him thank you and I wished him a merry Christmas. That was the wrong thing to say but how was I to know that. I have alot of people wish me a Merry Christmas and I dont get upset. Well he told me that I offended him because he doesnt celebrate Christmas and would rather have me said happy holidays. He made a big deal about it and caused a big scene in Walmart over it. I thought my husband was going to go balistic over the way the guy was screaming at me. Well an employee came over and escorted the guy out and I was able to finish shopping in peace.
But do you make a big deal over somebody saying Merry Christmas or do you prefer Happy Holidays?
5 people like this
10 responses
@UnselfishShellfish (1306)
• United States
5 Dec 07
I say Merry Christmas.
I'm a Christian. America was founded on Christian principles. CHRISTmas not X-mas is a part of Christianity and therefore, Merry CHRISTmas applies.
So, Merry Christmas. I do not say Happy Holidays and it really chaps my hyde to see everything changing from Christmas. No longer is it Christmas break at school, it's "Winter break" to be PC.
Eff PC.
If you don't like it, tough.
4 people like this
@caroliewrites (205)
• United States
6 Dec 07
YES!!! AND HOORAY FOR YOU!!! I agree Unselfish... If someone doesn't like the phrase 'Merry Christmas'...THAT'S JUST TOUGH!!
2 people like this
@nelly5 (1424)
• United States
5 Dec 07
I prefer to say Merry Christmas, because I believe Christ is the reason for the season and his name should be included...BUT, I don't make a big deal about it if someone tells me Happy Holidays, Happy Hanukkah, shalom, or whatever it is that they say for the holidays...it is all meant in a nice manner and most generally is well wishes for a happy holiday season. So I just accept it and say Merry Christmas back to them. I think people get too worked up over crazy things.
@megumiart (3771)
• United States
5 Dec 07
No, I'm not really sensitive about holiday greetings.I say "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Hannukah" only to the people I know for sure celebrate th holiday. To people I don;t know, in public, I'll say "Happy holidays."
3 people like this
@errielle (442)
• Philippines
6 Dec 07
It really depends on what you are used to. Here in our country, we rarely say "Happy Holidays". We say "MErry Christmas". It's our culture of greeting someone during the christmas season. But i don't mind being greeted with Happy Holidays. For me,it's the thought the someone greets you counts hehehe
Happy Holidays!
@fanji008 (775)
• China
6 Dec 07
Hi,there! Well,I think that's somehow strange.I have never seen sb like that. Usually I just say Merry Christmas to people.That doesn't mean anything bad and I don't think it offends anybody.That's just a good wish that sb'll be happy on Christmas Day.Why is it wrong? I don't get it.For the fixed holidays,we usually don't say happy holidays but refer specifically to the holiday.Thanks for the discussion and sorry to hear that you met such a guy.Hopefully you're doing all right now:) Best wishes and have a nice day^_^
1 person likes this
@makatas (1098)
• Greece
6 Dec 07
where i live, most usual wish in such occasions is "Many and happy years".Thats used when someone has birthday, name-day celebration, and at big holidays like Christmas, New Years Eve. We never use the wish Merry Christmas, but we use Happy Holidays, if we wanna greet someone and it isnt yet Christmas.What i mean is, Happy Holidays is used like 1-2 weeks before! This way we wish to the others to have one or two weeks of fun and nice moments, because holidays isnt only the Christmas Day, but also a week before and a week after.
2 people like this
@missybal (4490)
• United States
5 Dec 07
That's so terrible. Really everyone says Merry Christmas. And even some people who don't attend church and don't believe in Christ will celebrate christmas in some way. To me Christmas doesn't just mean celebrating the birth of Jesus but it celebrates family and joy. I was wrong for him to yell at you. He could have still made his statment without being cruel. You meant well.
1 person likes this
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
5 Dec 07
I say Merry Christmas. I can't believe that people get so upset. Why would it offend someone? What is wrong with just not saying nothing in return or saying happy holidays back and letting it go. That is so wrong of him. I would not quit telling people that either.
1 person likes this
@krowbar (79)
• Philippines
6 Dec 07
Merry Christmas of course! It would be weird to say Hanukkah since I myself do not know what that means (I only know that Jews celebrate it). I should not also say Happy Holidays since I do not know where that line originated (who was the guy who first greeted Happy Holiday on December and why did he use that line?) What I know is Decemeber is Christmas so I can only greet people with a greeting that I fully understand (I am a Catholic by the way). Chinese greet me with Happy Chinese New Year when I meet them on a Chinese new year and I do not mind. They're celebrating and they're just telling me what they are celebrating, and I respect their celebration. Now unless otherwise you hate what they are celebrating and they greet you with it... then you should be pissed off
1 person likes this
@natalie123 (21)
• United States
6 Dec 07
wow! i am sorry you had to go through this! its one thing to SAY your opinion and antoher to SCREAM it. thast pretty rude. ill say meery xmas if someone tells me that or if i know they celebrate it. now-a-days though, there are so many different type holidays celebrated that i just stick to "happy holidays". although the man should have been more sensative... you meant well! :-)
1 person likes this
