CMs saying Merry Christmas?

[AuntPatti]

When your boss gives you a Christmas bonus, do you give it back?

It's the season of joy no matter how or on what day you celebrate it!

Have a great day!

 

[Flyerfan]

I have no prob with no religion being taught in schools because I don't want my co-workers (I used to teach) teaching my kids about morality because they had NONE! They would sleep around with each other, in spite of being married, all drove drunk, went out of the country on field trips to begin affairs with students, and I could go on. Before anyone claims that I am judgmental, perhaps I am, but most of these things did break laws too! My experience may be extreme, and I really do hope it is!! I have many teacher friends who are great, but that certainly makes my point I hope-- parents ought to be the ones teaching morals to their children because if you leave it to others, you MAY OR MAY NOT not like what they learn!

In case you are wondering, I homeschool now.

OK....you DO have a point. In today's society, I would not want my kids (if I had any) to be taught by people like you've mentioned. It should be the parents responsibility. However, there are fewer and fewer parents willing to do that. That's what is sad.

I just see this whole thing spiraling out of control and in the future we will not be able to decorate our homes for Christmas (or Easter for that matter) in any manner we choose for fear it offends someone passing by. It could happen and that's what is scary.

 

[ZoZo]

Disney is full of Christmas stuff, so I doubt very much they are anti-Christmas.

I personally do not think the "Happy Holidays" thing is a "PC" issue at all. It's an issue of being sensitive to religious and cultural differences. And what's wrong with that? I'm very glad I remembered to say Happy Holidays to my Jewish hair stylist instead of Merry Christmas. I think it is a kind and sensitive thing.

Right on, Princess Kitty! I totally agree. I also think it's best to wish people "happy holidays" because you often don't know what their religious background is. It still gets your message across in a kind, respectful manner, but doesn't assume that everyone in the world is a Christian (which I, personally, am not). It's not a "PC" thing, IMO; it just recognizes that there are lots of different types of people in the world.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Lots of CMs wished us Merry Christmas! We both wore Santa hats, and had Christmas type clothes on, so maybe that was a hint. I enjoy giving and receiving Christmas greetings and Holiday greetings when appropriate.

Bobbi

 

[AnaheimGirl]

WillCAD -- I'm sorry for your loss.

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

WillCAD -- I'm sorry for your loss.

me, too.

 

[Disney Doll]

If I know someone is Jewish I say Happy Hanukah. Otherwise I prettty much say merry Christmas, as it's a habit.

I would like to think that most people take Merry Christmas as it is meant...a warm wish for the holiday.

I celebrate Christmas. If someone said Happy Hanukah, Happy Kwanzaa, Blessed Ramadan, Happy Festivus or whatever else to me, I wouldn't get offended. I'd just wish them the same. Again, the words mean less to me than the good wishes behind them.

We do get caught up in being too "over the top" PC in this country.

 

[lark]

This is not rhetorical. A friend of mine was killed a few weeks ago by a drunken moron driving an asphalt truck at 10pm on a Saturday night. I'm sure that this stupid, selfish, idiotic SOB never intended to harm a living soul when he drove to a bar, got sloshed, and then drove home in a gigantic truck that would pulverize almost any other vehicle on the road, but my friend is gone because of his actions. I don't care what was in his heart, his mind, or his spirit when he ran through a red light and crushed the life out of my friend, all I care about is that a wonderful man who was a devoted husband, son, brother, and friend was stolen from us all through someone elses actions. Our grief is not lessened because the stupid, drunken imbicile who killed him didn't mean it. All that counts is, he's gone, and he shouldn't be.

That's really awful. I'm very sorry.

 

[lark]

I celebrate Christmas. If someone said Happy Hanukah, Happy Kwanzaa, Blessed Ramadan, Happy Festivus or whatever else to me, I wouldn't get offended. I'd just wish them the same. Again, the words mean less to me than the good wishes behind them.

I'm belaboring the point and others have made it, but again, you're not asking the right question. The right question is how you would feel if 80 percent of the people in the US were Jews, if Rosh Hashana were a national holiday, and if people just walked up to you on the street and randomly wished you "Shana Tova" without knowing or really caring that you are a Christian, even though for you personally it is not a new year or a day worthy of any significance.

I respectfully submit that you may think you know how you would answer this question, but really don't know unless you've lived it. I also suspect that many Christians in that position would consider it presumptuous for someone to say that to them. And while some might say, "Shana Tova" back, others would find it presumptuous and perhaps devisive.

 

[UrsulasShadow]

The intent means nothing.

If you throw a rock and kill your neighbor, your neighbor is dead. It doesn't matter whether your neighbor is dead because you hated him or because you were stupid, your neighbor is still dead, because of something you did.

Your neighbor's family would not miss him any less, his kids would not grow up an less fatherless, and his funeral would not be any more joyful because you killed him through stupidity rather than through malice.

Actions have the same consequenses no matter what their intent.

This is not rhetorical. A friend of mine was killed a few weeks ago by a drunken moron driving an asphalt truck at 10pm on a Saturday night. I'm sure that this stupid, selfish, idiotic SOB never intended to harm a living soul when he drove to a bar, got sloshed, and then drove home in a gigantic truck that would pulverize almost any other vehicle on the road, but my friend is gone because of his actions. I don't care what was in his heart, his mind, or his spirit when he ran through a red light and crushed the life out of my friend, all I care about is that a wonderful man who was a devoted husband, son, brother, and friend was stolen from us all through someone elses actions. Our grief is not lessened because the stupid, drunken imbicile who killed him didn't mean it. All that counts is, he's gone, and he shouldn't be.

Here endeth the lesson on intent vs. actions.

WillCAD, incredibly sorry for your loss. I can truly sympathize, as I've lost friends by accidents. Yes, I understand your bitterness. But I feel that the intent is indeed the issue here. The drunk intended to ignore the law. The drunk intended to get behind the wheel of the vehicle while drunk. While he may not have deliberately aimed for your friend, he intended to take the risk of killing someone with his behavior.

On my end, my friend was hit by a bus while crossing the street. Same outcome. My friend is dead. But the intent is completely different. The bus driver was obeying the law. The bus driver certainly had good intents. But by accident or misunderstanding of what that person on the side of the road was going to do, he hit and killed an innocent person. I hold the driver absolutely blameless.

These are extreme examples. I don't really think that this particular discussion warrants such extremity. We're talking about hurt feelings here, not death. And if I intend good feelings with my "Merry Christmas" and it isn't received that way, I hope I'm forgiven for my ignorance. I certainly will try to throw out more "Happy Holidays" in the future, if that is truly what will make the most people happy (because that is MY INTENT).

 

[WillCAD]

I'm belaboring the point and others have made it, but again, you're not asking the right question. The right question is how you would feel if 80 percent of the people in the US were Jews, if Rosh Hashana were a national holiday, and if people just walked up to you on the street and randomly wished you "Shana Tova" without knowing or really caring that you are a Christian, even though for you personally it is not a new year or a day worthy of any significance.

I respectfully submit that you may think you know how you would answer this question, but really don't know unless you've lived it. I also suspect that many Christians in that position would consider it presumptuous for someone to say that to them. And while some might say, "Shana Tova" back, others would find it presumptuous and perhaps devisive.

I'm an athiest, but I'm not offended if someone wishes me a Merry Christmas, Shana Tova, or Have a Nice Day. I simply return the sentiment in kind and move on with my day.

I'm a little too busy to spend time twisting well-wishes into some sort of imagined insult to my religion or heritage.

Now, I'll admit that if somebody said Shana Tova in, say, downtown Bagdad, they might not get such a warm response. But this is the United States of America. This nation was founded on certain principals, one of which was freedom of religion. And freedom of religion nessecitates tollerance - so if you get insulted when somebody wishes you Merry Christmas, Happy Hannuka, or Happy Kwanza, tough noogies. Ya pays the man, ya takes yer chances - live with other religions, or get out of the USA.

 

[Mortlives]

I also don't get offended, as long as I'm being wished well.

For my own part, Happy Solstice, Merry Christmas, Joyous Kwanzaa, Seasons Greetings, Happy New Year, Happy Hanukkah, and anything else that may be appropriate to you and yours. Gods bless us every one!

 

[lark]

To get back to what I think the thread is about, here's are my two straightforward questions to those who see an assault on wishing people a "Merry Christmas."

1) You want to give a holiday greeting to someone you don't know. What exactly is the harm in saying "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas"? What's it to you?

2) Someone you don't know offers you a holiday greeting. Instead of saying, "Merry Christmas," they say, "Happy Holidays." What is so bad here?

I mean this sincerely. How do either of these affect you in any way whatsoever? If the answer is that it does not, what are we arguing about? This is a very long thread, but in the whole thread, there are only two answers given to these two questions. The first is that it's "too PC," which isn't an answer at all. What does that even mean? It's just a label. What's the actual harm suffered here? The second is the always-present slippery slope argument -- "the next you know, they'll say we can't put Christmas lights on our lawn." Forget about boogey men and things that might happen. Just answer the question. How are you affected by these two scenarios?

 

[Puffy2]

To get back to what I think the thread is about, here's are my two straightforward questions to those who see an assault on wishing people a "Merry Christmas."

1) You want to give a holiday greeting to someone you don't know. What exactly is the harm in saying "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas"? What's it to you?

2) Someone you don't know offers you a holiday greeting. Instead of saying, "Merry Christmas," they say, "Happy Holidays." What is so bad here?

I mean this sincerely. How do either of these affect you in any way whatsoever? If the answer is that it does not, what are we arguing about? This is a very long thread, but in the whole thread, there are only two answers given to these two questions. The first is that it's "too PC," which isn't an answer at all. What does that even mean? It's just a label. What's the actual harm suffered here? The second is the always-present slippery slope argument -- "the next you know, they'll say we can't put Christmas lights on our lawn." Forget about boogey men and things that might happen. Just answer the question. How are you affected by these two scenarios?

Very good post and entirely on topic. The real problem isn't that Target or any other store's employees greet their customers with a friendly "happy holidays" -

The problem is with a few very loud and obnoxious media bullies (Bill O'Reiley and Fox News seems to be two that scream the loudest and the longest) who want to arouse and manipulate the easily led masses into feeling as though they are being "persecuted" against so they will feel threatened and VOTE for politicians who know how to throw around a few overly used catch phrases, but who DON'T practice what they preach.

So the real question is...just how many of us will be taken in (yet again) by such a load of cow poo ?

 

[Puffy2]

I just see this whole thing spiraling out of control and in the future we will not be able to decorate our homes for Christmas (or Easter for that matter) in any manner we choose for fear it offends someone passing by. It could happen and that's what is scary.

Good grief. No, it couldn't happen in this country as long as we have a separation of church and state. That's the whole point of separation of church and state - to keep the state out of your PRIVATE religious worship and to keep religious bias out of government affairs that rule over the masses.

But the radical right media have succeeded in making you afraid ,so it is clear that they are well on their way to accomplishing their goal - to control the masses with fear. I suppose we all SHOULD be afraid - if they have their way, you WILL loose all of your freedom - I guess I hope for your sake that the form of Christianity that they will force on all of us will be the form that you practice.

 

[Terry S]

This post is interesting.

I worked at the Disney Store last December and started saying Happy Holidays just because I didn't want to offend anyone. It wasn't something told to us by management, I just like to make people happy and if saying Merry Christmas offends even one person I didn't want to do it when saying Happy Holidays gets accross the same message. I had to conciously think to myself to say Happy Holidays as Merry Christmas is natural to me. Anyway, one of the times a guest finished paying and I said "have a happy holiday" and boy did I get an earful. She laid into me for the fact that I did not say Merry Christmas to her. So either way you just can't win!

So I hope everyone just has a wonderful day!

 

[mic_key_mouse]

I'm not gonna use this thread as a sounding board for my religious and/or political beliefs. Merry Christmas

 

[ksoehrlein]

So either way you just can't win!

I agree. I always considered Happy Holidays to be safe, but all of a sudden, people are vocal about being offended by it. If this new outrage continues, I think I'll just wish people a nice day whether the day is in April, May, or December. Maybe I'll "offend" everyone equally then.

 

[anewvance]

We noticed earlier this week that most CM's we said Merry Christmas too or heard being told that responded with Happy Holidays. But one CM directing people to seats at Candlelight Processional, we were talking and he said Merry Christmas... then he went on and on about them saying Happy Holidays but he said it is Christmas and he wants to wish us a Merry one...

 

[Disfreek]

We just returned from WDW today.

All week (the 17th until today), the CM's we ran into were saying Merry Christmas.