Thursday, 10 December 2009
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Who Says Happy Holidays Isn't Christian?
Well I went to the coffee shop to get myself a mocha,
I have a pet peeve: "Happy Holidays isn't Christian." Especially grinding on this pet peeve was the song "Christmas with a Capital C" that came out a few years ago. "Christmas With A Capital 'C'" from Go Fish is one of those in your face, pull no punches, apologize to no one songs and I don't really think that matches up all too well with those fruits of the Spirit we're called to exhibit... Here are some of the lyrics:
The lady at the counter said "Happy holidays";
I said, "Thanks lady, I am pretty happy,
But there’s only one holiday that makes me feel that way."
It’s called Christmas, what more can I say?
It’s about the birth of Christ
and you can’t take that away.
You can call it something else,
but that’s not what it will be.
It’s called Christmas with a capital "C."
God's got a law and we pretty much destroyed it.
We’re gonna get judged, there’s no way to avoid it.
But Jesus came down to take the punishment for me.
He did it for you too, so maybe you can see . . .
Why It’s called Christmas, what more can I say?
It’s about the birth of Christ
and you can’t take that away.
You can call it something else,
but that’s not what it will be.
It’s called Christmas with a capital "C."Now, normally I am not about bashing a band or a song, but this one just really irks me and I can't capture the attitude I get from people who think that way any better than in this song. I've heard thousands of people stand up for this song and talk about its greatness and how Christmas can't even be abbreviated to "X-mas" because it takes Christ out. (That's not true either. X is the Greek symbol for Christ) So after listening to these arguments so many times and biting my lip in order to be keep peace, I cannot take the misunderstanding anymore. A friend of mine wrote this and I feel it articulates well the frustrations I've kept silent about until now:Here’s the ax I’m grinding. I keep running into Christians who are angry about the use of the “Holiday Season” or “Happy Holidays” rather than saying “Merry Christmas” – which, they insist, is a more “Christ-centered” wish.
Fine, I’ll admit that the word “Christmas” actually includes the word “Christ,” and so at some level, not using the word “Christmas” actually does stop using a word with “Christ” in it… on the other hand, “Holidays” merely means “Holy + Days,” and that is most certainly appropriate for Christians!
Here’s why I think Christians should use the phrase “Happy Holidays:”
it refers to a time in our yearly cycle in which several holidays take place.
“Merry Christmas” ignores Thanksgiving; it ignores St. Nicholas’ Day (a big one in my family); it ignores Old/New Years’ celebrations, and it ignores Epiphany (a far more ancient holiday for Christians than Christmas). Equally as problematic, most people say “Merry Christmas” during the Advent season, not during the Christmas season.
“Happy Holidays” is a far more inclusive wish for one another; it is far more seasonally encompassing, and it is liturgically appropriate for all of the involved seasons.
On top of that, I’d suggest that we use the phrase the “Holidays’ Seasons” instead of the “holiday season;” it is, after all, several seasons of the Christian year.
Referring to the “holidays” doesn’t secularize the Christmas (we’ve done an stand-up job of doing that regardless of what verbiage we prefer); perhaps, indeed, it could help us recapture the real MeaningS of the SeasonS.
Happy Holidays to you and yours!
Do you think saying "Happy Holidays" is a more inclusive Christian greeting than "Merry Christmas," or has it become too much of a secularized saying?
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- From: smiling_spunk@xanga
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Comments (28)
This doesn't answer your question at all, but as a lover of language I find it amusing that "Happy Holidays" (Literally, holy-days) has become the secular alternative.
Yes! Way to not ignore those other holidays which modern Christians totally ignore or condemn as "too catholic". Sigh.
I've been thinking about this a lot because I have a lot of Jewish friends. Happy Holiday's doesn't bother me. Calling a Christmas tree a holiday tree, that irks me. I don't think those that celebrate other holidays at this time of the year would appreciate their traditions being watered down to be more inclusive either and I totally respect that. So I don't mind being told Happy Holidays, but I also wouldn't mind hearing Happy Hanukkah or Happy Kwanza either!
MY pet peeve is Christians who get all up in arms when "people try to take the CHRIST out out CHRISTmas"... actually, it's not a Christian holiday. It's a Christianized pagan celebration. You can't take Christ out of something he wasn't a part of to begin with...
I'm happier with it being a secular holiday. It's ridiculous the way people react to the "Christian" element of it all... tearing down nativities, raising a ruckus to put up nativities, the endless preaching and rehashing and being self-righteous about "keeping Christ in Christmas" like it's some divine mission - and on the other side, people going out of their way with the whole "happy holidays" and "holiday trees" etc. It's absolute nonsense on both sides!
For the record, I'm a Christian, in case you want to write me off as being someone who doesn't care about Christ and all that jazz. I do, I just think the Christmas hubbub isn't worth all the arguments, especially since half of them aren't even valid. "It's Jesus' birthday!" No, it isn't...
It's not a Christian holiday. Just enjoy it as a time to be generous to the ones you love and spend time with friends and family!
I hate it when people get offended by this. They have to realize that Christmas is not the only holiday. There are also Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, etc. It's just logical to greet with the all-inclusive "Happy Holidays."
@kpsmom3@xanga - I feel the same way.
@SongAndSerenity@xanga - Thank you! So many people seem to think that Jesus was actually born on Dec. 25. As a kid, I watched a lot of Christmas videos about Jesus' birth being "the first Christmas," when that is not true at all.
@SongAndSerenity@xanga - You might find this interesting, though Eric comes to the same application (from a different conclusion).
@kpsmom3@xanga - I keep waiting for someone to call my menorah "Holiday Candles."
I prefer to save it and say holiday specific greetings. It's "Hello" until Christmas, then it's "Christ is born!" until Theophany and so on. I don't like either the generic "Happy holidays" or "merry Christmas". Besides, not everyone has a pleasant time during this season. This can be one of the hardest periods for people, after all.
I guess it's interchangable where I live, The Bible Belt of Michigan. I think The Holidays are just times of generosity and happiness.
i like "happy holidays." i don't want to assume the person i'm greeting celebrates a particular holiday, so "happy holidays" is encompassing and appropriate (unless said person celebrates no holidays, in which case... i tried).
This reminds me of a time when I was in a particularly bad mood and some rude old woman tried to correct me when I said "happy holidays" to her and she wanted me to say "merry christmas", to which I replied "Fine, have a merry christmas and a horrible crappy new year, see if I care." The look on her face was priceless. Ever since I have used some variation of this response.
Here's how I feel about it. Of course Christmas is important for those of us who know Christ. But if someone doesn't celebrate Christmas, I would be a douche bag if I wished them a merry Christmas. Why would they have a merry Christmas? They won't have any kind of Christmas if they don't celebrate it. And if you are not sure, don't assume.
On the other hand, regardless of one's faith or lack of faith, no one can escape the fact that numerous holidays are taking place in this general time of year. Even if you choose to not celebrate any of them, you can't escape the advertising, the decorations, the adjustments businesses make, and many other ways the season impacts your life.
So for me saying "Happy Holidays" is kinda like saying "regardless of what you do or don't celebrate or believe in, I hope you enjoy this eventful time of year." And I think that is just fine.
And I don't know why so many Christians treat the word "Christmas" like
a magical potion. "Christmas!" voila! Everyone now knows that I am a Christian AND they comprehend the Gospel and got saved because I said "Christmas"!
What wretched lyrics. I wish I had time to do a thorough deconstruction... So according to the singer, if I call Christmas a "happy holiday," that's not what it will be? And he's got good enough ears to tell the difference when a word is pronounced with a capital C? Yep, he's a retail customer all right.
When I worked in a Christian bookstore (for my sins), we were instructed to never say "Happy Holidays" because our customers might take offense. Actually that's statistically accurate; in a poll a few years back about 2% of people said they would take offense to "Merry Christmas," and about 35% said they would object to "Happy Holidays." Presumably the percentage goes up a bit among Christian bookstore customers, too.
Technically, "Christmas" should begin on December 25 and end on Jan. 6 with Epiphany, hence "the Twelve Days of Christmas." Before that, you should say "Have a blessed Advent," with a capital A if you must. You can call it something else, but that's not what it is, unless you're calling it Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or the day when the earth's axial tilt is farthest away from the sun.
Whatever happened to Boxing Day?
No no no, "Happy Holidays" isn't PC anymore. Now you must wish everyone a happy FESTIVUS!
I'm going to have to warn all of my non-christian friends against saying "holidays" because this is OUR word
I think your right.
I totally agree.
completely agree! these few months are crammed full of holidays, the majority of which most christians celebrate. and even if that weren't so, why should we aggressively attempt to make those who don't celebrate christmas succumb to the social norm? christmas as we know it is hardly, um, authentic.
The only annoyance I have with it is that I celebrate Christmas. I have no problem with companies saying Happy Holidays because, yeah, there's more than one holiday celebrated. But I celebrate Christmas. So I'm going to celebrate Christmas.
And it being called a holiday tree makes no sense. The holiday is called Christmas. Thus, Christmas tree.
Actually, I love it when people call it Xmas, because it's usually some Atheist thinking they're being SO good. I've researched Xmas. It has a deep meaning. So when an Atheist said she says Xmas like a good Atheist, I just had to giggle a bit. Of course, I informed her on the true meaning.
But yes, I fully understand the usage of Happy Holidays. Will I use it, however? No. If I know someone who does not celebrate Christmas, I will not say it to them. If I know they celebrate something different, I will say THAT to them, instead. But seeing that I celebrate Christmas, I will say Merry Christmas (And this is coming from someone who said that back when she was an Atheist, also).
@subSacred@xanga - Most Christians forget that the majority of the world actually celebrates Christmas, even in countries with a very low percentage of Christians. We all know that Christmas isn't the true date of Jesus' birth, so why be annoyed by it so much? It truly is a commercial holiday, as much as I love to celebrate Jesus. But then, that's why we also have Easter. And, for that matter, if we have to have days to celebrate and appreciate Him, I can't imagine we'd be very good Christians. Much like how if you have to have Valentine's Day to show a lover you love them, I can't imagine your relationship is very good.
@NightCometh@xanga - But I was saying Merry Christmas all the time back when I was an Atheist. A hardcore Atheist, at that.
@toyouxwithlove@xanga - My implication is that we narrow the holidays too much to Christmas day. I am implying we should use inclusivity WITHIN the Christian tradition and honor other holidays such as Thanksgiving and Advent, etc. Why do we narrow this time of year SOLELY to Christmas day? Re-read the post about the liturgical calendar if its still not clear to you that I am not doing this to be "PC" but because it honors a more holistic Christianity.
@smiling_spunk@xanga - No, as I said, I read it, and I fully understand. I've been saying Merry Christmas my whole life (Mind you, I was an Atheist for 18 years of my life). It holds many special memories for me, and makes me thinks of many many wonderful things not just within the holiday, but also things of past.
I say Merry Christmas, because I am a Christian. I want them to have a merry Christmas, because Jesus came into the world, in December, so may years ago, so that He could live a sinless life and die as a sacrifice for our sins.
Why on earth would I wish someone to have a happy holiday season? I want them to have a miserable Hanukkah. I want them to have the worst Ramadan of their entire life. I want them to have a terrible Kwanzaa. Why? because I am a grinch?
Not at all, it is because I know that the Christmas season is one of the top times of the year, where people accept Christ. More people are converted near or on Christmas than any other time of the year. I believe Easter is number 2. I want them to have a rotton holiday, burden by sin and guilt, so that they may realize what an aweful wretch they are and how badly they need Christ.
Why on earth would I wish them a happy holiday? I want them saved from sin before itis too late. I want them converted and celebrating the most wonderful gift ever given.
I say Merry Christmas, because that is what I want. I want a day to marvel and wonder about christ and what He did for us.
@ProudToBeAChristianFruitcake@xanga -
Why on earth would I wish someone to have a
happy holiday season? I want them to have a miserable Hanukkah. I want
them to have the worst Ramadan of their entire life. I want them to
have a terrible Kwanzaa.
Why on earth would I wish them a happy
holiday? I want them saved from sin before itis too late. I want them
converted and celebrating the most wonderful gift ever given.
Well of course. I completely forgot about that passage where Jesus commands us to wish everybody a miserable life unless they become Christians. That, along with the magical word "Christmas", always draws them in.