Posted on 12/04/2005 5:24:15 AM PST by Behind Liberal Lines
"Hubby and I went to Toys-R-Us yesterday to shop for grandaughter. Checking out, I looked up and saw several signs that said, "DONATE HOLIDAY TOYS for the Toys for Tots". Then the cashier asked: "would you like to donate a holiday toy for the Toys for Tots?" I said, "No. If you were collecting Christams Toys I would donate, but I won't donate for a generic holiday. Merry Christmas!""
Wow. Justifying a lack of charity as being an ultimate expression of Christianity. For your sake, I hope Jesus was only kidding about the sheep/goat thingie at the end of days...
Yeah. I noticed that a lot of the packaging uses "holiday" .Stores may not have a lot of control over that this year. I collect Christmas Teddy bears. I didn't think the Walmart one was as nice as the pair last year but it was cute. On the tag it said "seasons greetings" No need to get upset over that. I opened the gift card and on the inside it had something like "seasons greetings and a very merry, happy holiday. It read to me like someone was having a hard time substituting Christmas :') Anyway, I put it back. I want to look around first.
We should start saying "Happy Holy Days" That'll show em!
What a butthead act. Why don't you just use the expression that best suits your version of "holiday spirit": BAH, HUMBUG!
As long as you do it in the right spirit, I see nothing wrong with explaining to charities why you can't donate. I have no problem with telling the Texas Department of Public Safety, United Way, Red Cross etc, why I can't support them. They need to know. I wouldn't donate a "holiday toy " either but I do donate Christmas toys. Not cash but toys. I take the little ones to pick out a toy they would want to give to a child that might not get one. They love it :')
I haven't been Christmas shopping per se, so have not paid much attention. Though I did notice in the supermarket the central candy display had Christmas Candy on one sign and Holiday candy on another.
I made sure to tell them 'Have a nice day'. If I got Merry Christmas in return, I would return that. If I didn't so what. But at least I tried to make sure every customer had a good experience at the store, even if they came in upset. You can call that spreading Christmas cheer in a small way, you can call it being kind to my fellow man. I am quite sure that's a bit more important to the intent of Christmas and to the spirit of Christianity than whether or not in a retail job one is allowed to use the 'right' salutation.
And as a former retail worker, I would ask that those that shop this year take a moment to be kind to the salesperson. Don't go off on a rant about how a company is not allowed to say Christmas. Wish them one anyway. Do it with a smile (instead of the constant scowl I am envisioning on some 'conservatives' and their feeling of being slighted). If you can't do that, at least tell them to have a nice day. It may not pay off for you, but it will for the next customer. Take a minute and exhibit the spirit of Christmas even if some store can't say the right words.
Hilarious, thanks.
"Take a minute and exhibit the spirit of Christmas even if some store can't say the right words."
Standing ovation over here!
a late amen to that.
Happy Holiday or Holidays doesn't bother me. "Holiday" of course means "Holy Day," which is what the church traditionally called any feast day of obligation that did not fall on a Sunday. (This year, Christmas does fall on a Sunday, but not always.)
Actually, any greeting expressed with a smile & in a spirit of good will, whether Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, Happy New Year, Diwali, or whatever, are fine with me & will be accepted with a reciprocal good wishes!
["ChristMAS" of course is short for "Christ's MASS." The Catholic associations of the holiday were one reason why our ancestors in many of the American colonies did not celebrate it, and, indeed, banned it by law for a while; it was regarded as "un-Biblical."]
>BTW. when I was still a kid I noticed the similarity between Santa and Satan. Probably just a coincidence but still interesting.
Huh?
Nothing to to with Satan.
Poor Saint Nicholas is probably turning in his grave!
"Santa Claus" is derived from Saint Nicholas. Here in the US we got Santa from the Dutch in Niew Amsterdam (New York). They called him Sankt Nikolas (Klaus or Claus for short).
In Northern Europe the tradition was to give presents to the children on Saint Nicholas' feast day (Dec. 6), while Christmas (Christ's Mass) was mainly for religious observances. (Saint Nicholas was an early Bishop renowned for his generosity.)
"Santa Claus" was popularized in the US in the early 19th century, & became associated with Christmas after a New York poet wrote the poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas" (now generally known as "The Night Before Christmas".
I am a Christian. This is the time of year I celebrate the birth of Christ. I don't care what the calendar says, what your PC says, what your hair-splitting says, or what anyone says.
Merry Christmas!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.