Happy Holidays vs. Merry Christmas.

I refuse to say "Happy Holidays" to anyone. For me, it's "Merry Christmas," and only "Merry Christmas." I'm so sick and tired of people chickening out and falling about on the politically correct "Happy Holidays." What about Christians? Do you not think that we're offended every time someone rebukes for our use of term "Christmas"? Liberals aren't the only ones allowed to be offended by anything.

Christmas and the holiday should be considered as Christmas and Christmas Holiday only . The holidays are giving because of the Christmas. So it should be Christmas Holiday. For other occassions we can name the holiday for the same occassion.There is a difference between Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas.

There are a whole load of different feelings I have about this: Firstly, it IS Christmas whether the nay-sayers like it or not, if it were still 'yuletide' or some other pagan festival, we would NOT be celebrating it would we?? Secondly, I could not care less what the retailers call it because it is our gadget-driven, ridiculous society that has made Christmas into a reason to over-indulge and over-stretch our pockets. Thirdly, the birth of Christ is a personal celebration, and whilst it is comforting to see the decorations and trees and hear the carols, the reason for the season is almost invisible. So, I prefer the holiday to be thought of as Christmas, but only by those who really know what Christmas is about, without that, it may as well be Winter Solstice...

chelsgrrl69 well saying Happy Holiday instead of saying my name and just calling me the woman,its the same thing. generic, no warmth, no caring, so to me it is always Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, a lot of people text so much they cannot stand real words, maybe they forgot the real words, and they are lazy so just lump everything together and its Happy Holidays yuck. if you do not see the difference then Merry Christmas maam instead of chelsgrrl69 Merry christmas. I will not, I repeat will not go Happy Holidays. I was never one for bein politically correct. for one thing I hate politics.

While some people may assume 'Happy Holidays' means 'Merry Christmas,' I think Christmas should be referred to as such. It's been good enough for hundreds of years, so why change it now? Here in Spain, we say 'Feliz Navidad,' loudly and proudly. The Spanish are much less commercially orientated than the UK and America. Shopping doesn't start in earnest until the middle of December, and the emphasis is on the nativity, although it's also a time when families get together. No self respecting Spanish son or daughter would spend Christmas Eve (Nochebuena) away from home unless they were forced to. Now there are so many English expats here, Spanish children have enthusiastically embraced the concept of Santa. Traditionally, gift giving in Spain happens on the night of 5th January (3 Kings Night). However, children get a small gift on 25th December, and the main presents on 5th January, so as far as the children are concerned, the influx of expats is a good thing!

I don't let it bother me one way or another. I have not realized till you mentioned it. I say happy holiday's over saying Merry Christmas. People don't all go for the Christmas holiday so it's just easy this way.

So your friends like being rude? That's what it boils down to. Happy Holidays is more polite because other people may celebrate different holidays around that time instead of Christmas. There's also the winter solstice ( Yule ), Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Bod-hi day, Modranect, Inti Raymi, Pastafarian Holiday, Yalda, Saturnalia, Festival of the birth of the Unconquered Sun, Festivus, HumanLight, Karachun, & probably several others from other religions that deserve respect & occur about that time. That's a lot & it doesn't even include the ones closer to New Years. Of course "fanatical" Christians have a problem showing respect for any other religion. They have to insist on their Merry Christmas!

Hello! How are you doing? Basically, it is the holiday season so if we're going to wish people we should be able to do say Merry Christmas (as well as using other holidays, too). We shouldn't have to become stagnant and say "Happy Holidays". It's a freedom of speech, really, and as well freedom of religion. To be honest, it doesn't offend me either way. We should be able to express us either way. Thanks for the discussion. Happy myLotting!

hi chelsgrrl69! in my own opinion, since christmas day is a holiday for most employees, happy holidays is being used because even to those who do not celebrate christmas still they experience holidays at work. here in our country we celebrate 3 holidays on that holiday season; christmas, one of our national heroes day and new year. merry christmas to you or should i say happy holidays to you chelsgrrl69

I always say Merry Christmas. I have grown up as a Christian, and I have never really given any thought to saying anything else. It just comes naturally for me to say Merry Christmas. I have never had anyone tell me they were offended by my telling them Merry Christmas. This whole argument continues because people want to take Christ out of the Christmas holiday. The retailers are scared that they are going to lose money because people get offended by someone telling them Merry Christmas, so the stores are starting to use the term HAPPY HOLIDAYS instead. It may sound cold, but I don't really care if people are offended by this. Christmas is about the birth of Jesus Christ, and it should be remembered as such. It is not about Walmart making billions of dollars, and it is not about Santa Claus. Christmas is about Christ, and if you don't believe in Christ, you have no need to celebrate Christmas. I think the stores using the term HAPPY HOLIDAYS instead of MERRY CHRISTMAS shows how much people value money over their beliefs.

So long as multiple holidays are celebrated in the same time frame as x-mas is (drawn out), it's HAPPY HOLIDAYS! Plural. as in MORE THAN ONE holiday, more than one religion. The X-mas "season" is now the entire time span between Halloween and New Years...It's just TO DAMN LONG....

Can't really comment, the "happy holiday" saying isn't really used in the uk. So its merry christmas all the way. Merry christmas to you chelsgrrl69, hope you enjoy your dinner and get lots of nice presents.

The holiday is Christmas and I prefare it to happy holidays. It may be right when dealing with customers at a shop but among famil and friends, I say merry christmas

Merry Christmas!

I don't think that the other 'holidays' such as Hanukkah or Kwanza would even be a consideration if there was not Christmas. I used to work with people that were Jewish, I would try and remember to tell them to have a Happy Hanukkah but if I didn't they knew that i just wanted the best for them. If someone tells me to have a happy whatever, I would say thanks, you too...I would not be offended by anyone of any religion wishing me good. I think in trying to be politically correct, we have offended a whole lot of people. So Merry Christmas to you!

In America, where we are such a mixture of cultures, if one knows who is who, then Merry Christmas is great, but for the sake of other friends who may be celebrating Hanukkah or Kwanzaa instead, I see nothing wrong with happy holidays. Besides, happy holidays, could just as well include Christmas and New Year, since they come so closely together :) I am fine with it either way. Karen

I think it's dumb to change it to happy holidays. It is Christmas, so I don't understand what the problem is. I don't have a problem with people saying happy holidays, but I think it's dumb when a store will require it's workers to say happy holidays instead of merry Christmas. First of all, Christmas is a holiday, not holidays, so to say happy holidays in December doesn't make sense. You're already half way through all of the holidays, why start saying it then? It's just dumb. Now, if the people who owned the store don't celebrate Christmas, let's say they celebrate Kwanza, then they should say happy Kwanza. I think that makes sense. Why can't people say what they celebrate without censoring it down to "Happy Holidays?"

I celebrate Christmas, and I think 90% of all the people I know do, but I am very open-minded and sympathize for those who do not celebrate Christmas. I am for saying "Happy Holidays" when talking to people in general. I just feel better acknowledging the people who celebrate Hannukah, Kwanza or something else. :o

As fine as I'm concerned the term "happy holidays" is the better way to go. It is gerneric and doesn't observe one particular holiday. For americans who celebrate Christmas, it goes for both Christmas and new years which are litterly a week appart. For other religious holidays such as chonica kunza etc, it pays tribtue to them too without singeling out a cirtin race, relegion, or perferance. I seriously don't know what the big deal is.

Personally I prefer that people start acknowledging the reason why this holiday is being celebrated. Christ came to this world and a Saviour was born to redeem humanity from their sinfulness. The significance of this event that literally marked the Saviour's entry into the history of human kind has been etched ever since. It's just that media and society has tried to put the focus and emphasis away from Christ to avoid the discussion about religion and all that stuffs. But actually Christ came not to establish a new religion anyway, He came to reconnect humanity to God and have a personal relationship with everyone who accepts Him as Lord and Saviour. So I say Merry Christmas to you all!