Quick, non-scientific poll - Do you know anyone who is offended by "Merry Christmas"?

I do! I know someone! (This isn't in America though, and I think she's dead now.) When I was in 4th Class, Sister Anne Mary used to get very offended by "Merry Christmas" because merry means drunk, and Christmas is about god. So we had to say "Blessed Christmas" or we could stretch a point and say "Happy Christmas." If you said "Merry Christmas", you were doing the devil's work. If you did too much of the devil's work, you got caned and also you burned in hell for all eternity. (She had pictures of hell. Very Krampus-like)

Not sure if that helps your poll, Perks. Sr Anne Mary never really got the traction she wanted with this one. Even teacher's pet Deirdre Casey thought it was daft.

I'm an atheist. I enjoy Christmas, like giving (and getting) presents/cards, and have a Christmas novella being released next year.

Neither "Merry Christmas" nor "Happy Holidays" offends me. I might roll my eyes if someone says to me, "Remember Jesus, He's the reason for the season!" but other than that? Nope.

Nope. The only complaints I've heard are from people who claim to be Christians who are upset when people around them use anything other than "Merry Christmas".

Angie said:

Here in the uber-Christian, uber-conservative Midwest, we have a radio station that - I kid you NOT - started playing Christmas music 24 hours a day on NOVEMBER FIRST this year. They will continue to play it all the way through Christmas.

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We have one of those, too. It calls itself the Christmas station until January, and the DJ's were very surprised when they found out their owner doesn't actually celebrate Christmas at all. He's Jewish, but figures he'll give his listeners what they want.

Stores around here (Walmart is the biggest culprit) looked like the North Pole puked all over them BEFORE Halloween.

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Sam's, if not all of the Wal-Mart chains, are required to have their front displays for Christmas in place by the middle of October in anticipation of corporate orders. People who buy decorations or "all personnel" gifts, have their orders in before November, and want their shoppers to see what's available before that.

I guess I come at this a different way. I believe that if you're saying it for someone else's benefit (in other words, to be kind/polite) then you either tailor the greeting to them, assuming you know them, or you're inclusive, if you don't know them. Because that's me trying to be polite. People who have attachment to a very specific phrase are usually not saying it for the benefit of the people they're speaking to. They're saying it for themselves and just talking at people. Their complaints about it are basically them saying, "Dude, my wishing you a merry Christmas/happy holidays isn't about you."

That said, I have personally never heard anyone around me complain about "Merry Christmas," but I have heard plenty of people around me complain about "Happy Holidays."

Williebee said:

Nope. The only complaints I've heard are from people who claim to be Christians who are upset when people around them use anything other than "Merry Christmas".

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I agree. I feel like the whole controversy started when stores began reminding their employees that not everyone celebrates Christmas, and not everyone is buying Christmas presents. Then people were angry that they were hearing "Happy Holidays" instead.

virtue_summer said:

I guess I come at this a different way. I believe that if you're saying it for someone else's benefit (in other words, to be kind/polite) then you either tailor the greeting to them, assuming you know them, or you're inclusive, if you don't know them. Because that's me trying to be polite. People who have attachment to a very specific phrase are usually not saying it for the benefit of the people they're speaking to. They're saying it for themselves and just talking at people. Their complaints about it are basically them saying, "Dude, my wishing you a merry Christmas/happy holidays isn't about you."

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Yes, I remember a bumper sticker a few years ago that said, "Merry Christmas, whether that offends you or not." If that's really your attitude, it kind of negates the well wishing you claim to be doing when you say it.

My favorite piece of idiocy on the "Happy Holidays" front was a discussion I witnessed at a party last year with regard to the Ghirardelli commercials (which I also hate, but don't get me started).

You know the ones I mean: "Me and you, a holiday rendezvous..."

Well. These folks were really, really pissed off that it said "holiday rendezvous" instead of "Christmas rendezvous," which they regarded as evidence of the vast anti-Christmas conspiracy. I pointed out, in my merry way, that by using "holiday," the annoying folks at Ghirardelli could use the same commercial for several holidays (including Thanksgiving), and thus save on advertising, so it made no real sense to limit it to Christmas. I then cheerily agreed that they were nonetheless perfectly correct that the commercial was irritating as all hell and should be banned. They looked at me blankly, blinked a couple of times, and did not respond.


ETA:

I then wished them a Happy Holiday and went off to refresh my drink and find more congenial conversation with a like-minded curmudgeon.

Hapax Legomenon said:

This does make me tempted, when greeted with an unsolicited "Merry Christmas," To just answer "No."

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This reminds me of someone - when wished "Have a great day!" by a store clerk, she'd say, "Thanks, but I have other plans."

She liked seeing the confused look on the clerk's face that followed.

Perks said:

What's a solicited "Merry Christmas"?

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If you're wearing a Christmas sweater, a wreath of holly around your santa hat, and jingle bells dangling from your ears, perhaps it might be said that you're implicitly soliciting a Merry Christmas.

juniper said:

This reminds me of someone - when wished "Have a great day!" by a store clerk, she'd say, "Thanks, but I have other plans."

She liked seeing the confused look on the clerk's face that followed.

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I would probably like this person. (Though I always reply "Thanks. You, too.")

Not American, not Christian. I don't take any offense whatsoever, and never knew anyone who did.

As far as I know, that is.

Williebee said:

The only complaints I've heard are from people who claim to be Christians who are upset when people around them use anything other than "Merry Christmas".

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That's been mostly true in my experience, as well.

Except there also seems to be some people who rejoice in complaining about the above group, mostly in social media land. They're itching to hear about the "War on Christmas" so they can point out how stupid it is.

It's been a while since I've heard any actual complaints from any direction IRL.

Many years ago, I was clueless enough to wish a Jewish friend Happy Easter. (I had no clue he was Jewish). He definitely bristled (which was fine - in retrospect, I should've known). Other than that though, no. A few of my Jewish friends sorta go with it - (one decorates a 'Hanukkah Bush'), others just ignore it.

robeiae said:

That's been mostly true in my experience, as well.

Except there also seems to be some people who rejoice in complaining about the above group, mostly in social media land. They're itching to hear about the "War on Christmas" so they can point out how stupid it is.

It's been a while since I've heard any actual complaints from any direction IRL.

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Perhaps that is further evidence that "the media" =/= real life.

I think saying "Merry Christmas" is another one of those little details that is no big deal alone, but they do all add up to something. Change happens unevenly but the implied assumption that everyone is a Christian and would be celebrating Christmas is probably on its way out. In a few decades "Merry Christmas" might be a quaint relic of the language.

I buy blank cards with simple winter scenes, and write "Merry Christmas" in them if it's appropriate. I don't care for canned printed messages anyway, I'm not religious, and I don't believe in Santa Claus.

In other words, bah fucking humbug and a Happy Holidays to all.

Ho³

CassandraW said:

Is there a store that forces its employees to say "Merry Christmas" to every customer?

If so, do let me know which it is so I can boycott it.

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Actually, the primary complaint seems to be the reverse---that a number of national retailers have required employees NOT to say Merry Christmas. This includes threat of reprimand or docking of pay (and before anyone says, "They can't do that!" employers most certainly can restrict speech of employees in right to work states.)

So, employees who are told they must be friendly and greet customers at the register say Happy Holidays or Seasons Greetings where, a few years before, it was Merry Christmas. Here in the bible belt of Texas, where you can't throw a rock far enough (including with a slingshot or cannon) to hit a synagogue or mosque, it's been strongly noticed. And, when the employees are themselves Christian, dealing with a predominantly Christian customer base, it seems a little silly to me.

Frankly, the whole thing seems a little silly to me, especially when the whole idea is to have a happy, joyful season where the intent is to wish people well.

I personally am not "offended" by someone wishing me Merry Christmas. (I'm essentially an atheist.) But I do find it annoying. I usually say Happy Holidays(Actually, I usually don't do season specific greetings.) unless I know the religion of the person, in which case I try to use the greeting relevant to their faith.

It's an example of religious privilege to be able to complain about "the war on [insertmajorityreligionhere]" and not be laughed out of the conversation. Really, I'd barely even register the debate if people weren't spouting that garbage.

I can remember way back when the whole Happy Holidays thing got started, and yeah, it was irksome at the time because it was basically 'forced' - if you did say Merry Christmas people were quick to point out how exclusionary that was, and how wrong it was to say that. That changed over time, thank God, but I would imagine that's where the 'war on Christmas' took root. For the most part, as I mentioned earlier, I don't think it's that way now, but it definitely had that feel in the beginning.

I object to being wished a Merry Christmas in November - does that count?