Posted on 07/13/2004 2:01:55 PM PDT by rrstar96
LOS ANGELES — It isn’t exactly the season for “Jingle Bells” and Santa Claus, but one man is on a crusade to save Christmas anyway.
Manuel Zammarano has formed the Committee to Save Merry Christmas [(155 Judah Court, Folsom, CA 95630)] to protest the fact that big retailers profit from Christmas shopping dollars but refuse to mention the holiday by name.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
I read the article. I did not encounter a single store where employees did not return a "Merry Christmas" greeting last Christmas season.
This is a silly campaign, IMO. Just say "Merry Christmas," and folks will respond.
Yes, some people say "Season's Greetings" or "Happy Holidays." Not everyone celebrates Christmas as a religious holiday. Not everyone is a Christian.
Celebrate as you choose.
Christmas is being stamped out by the looney left and needs to be defended.
I remember Christmas parties, Nativity Plays, Nativity displays, Christmas lights, public Christmas Trees, Caroling, and Christmas shopping when I was a kid.
Now they have all but disappeared and been replaced by "happy holidays" in what is an 80% Christian population
bump
Good Friday is now being called April Day too. I saw this on a school marquee and couldn't figure out what April Day was until I remembered the next day was Good Friday.
Sad.
And some years it will be March Day----how silly!!!!!
"Celebrate as you choose."
Indeed. A Festivas for the rest of us, as Frank Costanza would say.
Good point. PC silliness has no business denigrating the Christian essence of Christmas. How can we help?
My husband was making fun of the April Day also. He wondered why there wasn't a February Day, March Day, etc. Anyone who doesn't observe Good Friday can call it anything they want in their own minds. It's still going to "coincidentally" land on Good Friday, so it's silly to call it anything else. The same as Winter Break coincidentally landing the same week as Christmas.
I had just the opposite experience last Christmas. In almost every instance, my wish of Merry Christmas to store clerks, bank tellers, phone callers, and, yes, at work, among other places, yielded a muttered Happy Holidays or Season's Greetings.
What surprised me most was that many of these same people were members of the Church choir I play along with, or members of my church, and the generic greetings were issued at the Church. I live in a small predominantly Catholic/Christian town where many people know one another. I've been greeted with Happy Holidays and Happy Chanukah at work, and I respond in kind. Not unusual at all and celebrates with others the secular aspects of the season and the faiths of others.
But in church by other church members, a 'Happy Holidays' is a nice enough greeting but one that falls flat, especially at the Christmas Eve vigil (that one really surprised me). I do believe that is what he is trying to save.
I first noticed it about 10 years ago when some ditz on a commercial said "I didn't have any idea what to get everyone for the holidays."
The "holidays?" To which "holiday" was she referring? Does it have a name? Flag Day, maybe? Or maybe she was out buying Bastille Day presents? Because the commercial ran during the second week or so of December, I assumed she was referring to Christmas, except that Christmas is a singular "holiday," and to refer to it as "the holidays" is factually incorrect.
If a store actually uses the dreaded "C" word in it's advertising, I will shop there for Christmas. Likewise, if a store uses all the PC euphemisms instead, I absolutely will not do any Christmas shopping there.
I buy Christmas presents, NOT holiday presents.
About half the people I buy gifts for are Jewish. Happy Holidays is OK in my book.
Sorry. You have to go and find refuge in places like 2% Christian Japan and 45% Christian South Korea these days to experience ANY of those wonderful, old reminscient things, out in the open, without apology or nervousness, on private AND public property, completely devoid of any trace of secular political correctness enforced by liberals, atheists, nihilists and other assorted scrooges.
"I did not encounter a single store where employees did not return a "Merry Christmas" greeting last Christmas season."
Not surprised with your comment based upon your tagline.
Two immediate reponses:
1. You don't get out much, do you?
2. You don't have school age kids.
Yes, this is a Christian holiday and everything Christian is systematically being removed.
This is an open question but, you are aware of the removal of any references to 'Christian' in Christmas music, aren't you? We choose to celebrate Christmas music as we know, not the PC version.
Interesting, for one to say gleefully, 'Celebrate as you choose' and yet are either voting for or supporting with one's that are incrementally removing 'God', 'Christ', 'Jesus' and nativity scenes from society.
You're right, leave it alone, say, 'Merry Christmas' and let us celebrate as we choose.
I know you won't be offended, since you believe we all should celebrate as we choose so, I celebrate and choose to say 'God Bless you' to yourself.
I'm not a Christian in the believing sense of the word, but I was raised in Christian culture. I don't think it would be too much to ask for businesses that profit from it to acknowedge "the reason for the season", as they say. Heck, even those of us who don't particularly believe can appreciate the message of Christianity and share the sentiment at Christmas. Even the faithful Muslims I work with are more than willing to toss out a hearty "Merry Christmas" at that time of year.
Then we moved to upstate New York. A fellow in Saratoga was running a very successful auction. His wife, who is Jewish, and he, very publicly objected to a Christian painting, painted by a VietNam vet, hanging in the local public high school. The kids who attended the high school liked the painting and had no problem with it. The painting was removed, but they are no longer in business.
My husband and I are very strong supporters of the State of Israel, but will never understand liberal, Jewish Americans.
Exactly! That's what I was thinking, too. One of the heartiest "Merry Christmas'" I receive each year are from a Jewish co-worker in a different office. And he enjoys that I remember to greet him with a Happy Chanukah during Chanukah. And Happy Holidays and Seasons Greetings have a place, too, but not as replacements for Merry Christmas and all hints that the holiday has a religious aspect.
The Cross offends. Christ offends.
Face it. When He came down here as a humble, little baby, and then grew up into a man, He turned a lot of things topsy-turvey and absolutely upside down in the world. He came to really shake up things, which He has done a pretty good job of that now, for what, 2000 years?
It was predicted and even written about. It is simply being acted out as it has always been predicted. These people who are offended and do what they do, as sincere as they may be, are simply fulfilling their pre-destined roles, whether they even realize that or not.
Every year, I make a point of buying greeting cards where the word "Christmas" is used and avoiding the generic "season" and "holiday" varieties. This is something defenders of "Merry Christmas" may want to bear in mind.
May your days be merry and bright.....
I do that, too, and some years the search is more difficult than others. I occasionally find next years selection in the January sales!
I truly think that we should make every effort to only support businesses which honor Christmas and/or Hannukah. They big box stores have decided that religious holidays are offensive. Those of us who are offended by their offense should purchase our gifts from small businesses who need and appreciate our support. Many skilled and clever Americans create and sell unique items. Many of these folks will wish us "Merry Christmas".
Ummmmm, it is a Christian holiday. Non Christians who celebrate it are goofy.
Celebrate as you choose.
How do you celebrate Rosh Hashana? Ramadan? May day? Cinco de Mayo? Boxer day?
(Excuse spelling errors if I have made them)
Holiday = Holy day. Holy = separate, apart, different.
Furthermore, some of us who are Christians don't celebrate it as a religious holiday. I don't view it as a "Christian" holiday since there is no scriptural mandate for such a thing. I just observe it as a secular holiday like the 4th of July.
Also true that the words "Merry Christmas" used to not make people's ears bleed. Speaking from personal experience, my company last year at the Christma---er HOLIDAY party had a representative from Human Resources stand with the DJ and only select songs that would not mention of the words "Christmas", "Holy", etc.
BTW, I don't work for a government agency.
None is required. It's Christian because it is something Christians celebrate. The birth of the savior. The gift of salvation from God.
People who don't believe in salvation or that Jesus of Nazareth is the savior have nothing to celebrate.
I just observe it as a secular holiday like the 4th of July.
It has a different meaning and importance to most Christians. Those who think their salvation and God's kingdom as more important than the day a group of people signed a document in which they announced their decision to no longer concider themselves under the control of the King of England.
It ain't secular, despite what you view it as.
Exactly right. BTTT.
True
I wish others Merry Christmas some wish me Happy Hanukkah, etc.
It makes sense for you as a jew to wish me a merry Christmas if you truly mean it, but it makes no sense to me to wish you a Merry Christmas if you are a jew. Happy Hanukkah would be more appropriate for me to say to you.
Not always knowing the other person's persuasion or anything about their holiday, I stick to my own holiday and hope they take it the right way.
OK. But it's nothing that God has asked for. And it has certainly become a secular holiday, regardless of the origin, which is partly pagan, anyway.
"One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it." - Romans 14:5-6
If one does not not know what holiday a person celebrates, why feel compelled to comment one way or the other? I never wish Merry Christmas to people unless I know they are Christians. I never would wish someone "happy" Ramadan unless I knew they were moslem and knew if it was appropriate to do so.
Celebrating someone else's holiday is well,,,goofy. Wishing them well on the one they celebrate makes perfect sense if it is genuine.
Spreading cheer! Hopefully persons who do not celebrate Christmas are not so insecure in their beliefs that they take offense.
God asks for people to be happy and give thanks to him for gifts he has given. He didn't bother to pick a date, that is up to you. He did set aside one day a week, the sabbath. He actually asks that you do it continually, but particularly on the sabbath. Setting aside a special day to do so is perfectly legitimate.
And it has certainly become a secular holiday, regardless of the origin, which is partly pagan, anyway.
Non believers and pagans have co-opted a religious holiday, Christians have allowed it. They have recently been exerting their rights to express their opinion to these goofy people that they are tired of being insulted by the attempt to secularize a joyful religious holiday.
So you think it would be cheerful for me to wish you a happy Boxer day? LOL, thats a good one.
Hopefully persons who do not celebrate Christmas are not so insecure in their beliefs that they take offense.
It's not a matter of offence, it's just a goofy thing to do. If someone walks up to me and wishes me a happy Ramadan or passover, I would just look at them funny, raise my eyebrows and say thanks. As I walked away I would say to myself, "that person must be goofy", and forget the whole thing, it's no big deal, it's just goofy.
Which is great. I'm just pointing out that there are reasons for some of us to not use Merry Christmas that aren't attempts to make it a secular holiday. It's a time of giving and celebration, some of the folks we give to and celebrate with might be of other persuasions. When I'm cycling in purely Christian circles I stick to Merry Christmas, but most of the time I'm in mixed circles.
That's great. Stay in the shallow water.
What does that mean? Please explain.
Forget the whole thing, it's just goofy.
Great, I'm glad we agree.
"I know you won't be offended, since you believe we all should celebrate as we choose so, I celebrate and choose to say 'God Bless you' to yourself.
"
Why would I be offended if you say "God Bless You" to me? If that is your belief, then why would you not say it. I'll thank you, even though I don't share your belief. Why? Because you mean well for me when you say it.
"How do you celebrate Rosh Hashana? Ramadan? May day? Cinco de Mayo? Boxer day?"
It all depends. Normally, I do not celebrate these at all. However, if I am in company which does celebrate one or another of them, I am happy to participate in their celebration, just as I do at Christmas with my church-going family and friends. I am respectful of their beliefs, even though I do not share them. My atheism doesn't come up at all unless someone asks me directly.
When table grace is said, I lower my head and close my eyes, out of respect of the beliefs of others. I needn't believe as they do to show respect.
"Not everyone celebrates Christmas as a religious holiday. Not everyone is a Christian.
Ummmmm, it is a Christian holiday. Non Christians who celebrate it are goofy."
The thing is that the end of December and the first part of January is a period for many holidays. Christmas is just one of these. "Happy Holidays" is quite a good and respectful greeting for this period, since one doesn't normally know the beliefs of the person being greeted. Same with "Season's Greetings."
A person who is not a Christian is unlikely to greet you during this period with words which have meaning only to Christians.
Too much is being made of all this, IMO. Why do we not just let everyone say whatever they want to during the season?
Or...do you believe that a Jewish clerk in the store you visit should wish you a "Merry Christmas?"
You are not participating, you are attending. Big difference.
I greet people by saying hello.
A person who is not a Christian is unlikely to greet you during this period with words which have meaning only to Christians.
That works for me. I have no need of affirmation from anyone. I greeet my brothers in Christ by wishing them a nice celebration of our savior's birth. The rest of the people are of no special concern to me as far as doing anything different than any other day of the year. I wish them well.
People who celebrate something they don't believe in just to fit in, or to "have it all" are goofy IMO. I'm not talking about going along with others, I'm talking about people who go around pretending it is their holiday, doing all the things that the Christians do. Some say Merry Christmas to each other even though neither is a believer. I even know of some Jews who said they went to midnight mass to watch. They thought it was a great "show". They even got there early to make sure they got a "good seat". That was goofy, disrespectful even.
Too much is being made of all this, IMO. Why do we not just let everyone say whatever they want to during the season?
Who said they couldn't? Say what you please, but don't expect others to respond in the way you expect them to. They might respond by thinking it's goofy, like I do. Wish me Merry Christmas, I say thank you and mean it, say Happy Holidays and I say, which holidays?
Or...do you believe that a Jewish clerk in the store you visit should wish you a "Merry Christmas?"
I believe he would be correct in saying, "how may I help you sir?" Why does he feel the need to make assumptions about my faith?
"Why would I be offended if you say "God Bless You" to me? If that is your belief, then why would you not say it. I'll thank you, even though I don't share your belief. Why? Because you mean well for me when you say it."
You, my friend, are rare in these circles.
However, I stand by my convictions that many people become offended by 'Christians' celebrating Christmas or why would the dismantling of everything associated with Christmas and the christian religion continue to occur?
Bless you and others that share your viewpoint. As for those that don't, your well-meaning viewpoint may be enlightening to them.
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