Sending religious Christmas cards to the non-religious

[my3sonsagn]

Add me to the "not rude" list. I buy one box of cards, and they're almost always nativity related because that's what Christmas is *to me*. I've never heard of anyone being offended by them. If someone mentions something I'll just leave them off the list for years when I send out the religious type cards - not to be petty or anything, it's just that I buy that ONE box of cards - if someone on my list would find it offensive for any reason, I wouldn't send it to them; the years a non-religious card strikes my fancy I'd send them one.

I've received online Hanukkah greetings and consider them beautiful - I'm blessed to have friends who think of me at meaningful times. I've never gotten Kwanzaa greetings, but I would feel equally blessed by those friends if I did.

 

[Disney Doll]

I try to be somewhat cognizant of my friends' beliefs when sending cards.

If someone is Jewish, I try not to send them a religious Catholic card. I go more for the"Happy Holidays" or "Season's Greetings" more generic thing. I'd probably send the same type of card to someone if I knew they were an atheist.

A couple of years ago I found some cute cards that said "Let it snow"....all my non-Catholic friends got those.

 

[BoogasMom]

Someone getting offended at my religious Christmas card mentioning the name of Jesus is just as silly as the prospect of me getting offended at receiving a Kwanzaa card or a Hannukah card.

I send a religious Christmas card every year and I feel like if you don't like it then you can trash it. However, I don't send my cards to anyone insensitive enough to get mad at me for such a trivial thing.

 

[arminnie]

I have several Jewish friends. I would NEVER send one of them a card that was religious to the point of quoting bible verses about Jesus's birth.

I don't think a simple "Merry Christmas" would be offensive though I still prefer not to do it personally.

 

[GeorgeG]

I'm an atheist and don't mind getting religious cards if that's what the sender likes to send. I actually have religious friends who go out of their way to send me non-religious cards because they know how I feel. That means a lot to me for them to do that, but it's not something I expect.

 

[Mrs.Toad]

It really depends on the intent of the sender. I think with most people, they buy one style of card and send it to everyone to let them know they are thinking of them, so it's not rude at all. But if they are mumbling to themselves, "Jesus is the reason for the season, dammit, I'm sick of these people trying to make Christmas generic and I'm sending out religious cards to my non-Christian friends and I DARE them to have a problem with it", well, that's kind of rude IMO.

Personally, I don't do the religious cards. I have a lot of diversity in my Christmas card list, and I prefer to send out a more all-encompassing greeting. My intent is to wish all my friends a great holiday, no matter which one it is that they celebrate, so I'm not being rude by saying "Happy Holidays" to my Christian friends, either.

 

[okeydokey]

We print both types of cards. If someone is an atheist or Jewish or non-practicer of a religious Christmas, we send the Happy Holiday version. If they share our faith, we send the Christmas version. The pictures are the same, just the verbage changes.

 

[NYEmomma]

I'm a non-believer and I don't care what kind of cards I get... non-religious, Hannukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, whatever you want to celebrate is fine with me.

I always send out cards that *I* like... so they usually involve snowmen or reindeer. They get sent to all my friends & family no matter what their beliefs are & I expect the same in return -- that people send me cards that THEY enjoy.

 

[skater]

I'm not offended by my sister's cat cards every Christmas (always pictures of cats - with Santa hats, playing with ribbons, etc.). So, I guess she can stand an occasional card about Jesus .

 

[dauser]

The purpose of a Christmas card is to send your Christmas wishes to the card recipient. I don't understand why you would send a Christmas card to someone who does not celebrate Christmas, either because they are of another religion or are atheists. I have Muslim, Jewish, and atheist friends who I send a card to wish them a happy new year. They know that I am thinking about them while still respecting their beliefs.

 

[ebtbmom]

The purpose of a Christmas card is to send your Christmas wishes to the card recipient. I don't understand why you would send a Christmas card to someone who does not celebrate Christmas, either because they are of another religion or are atheists. I have Muslim, Jewish, and atheist friends who I send a card to wish them a happy new year. They know that I am thinking about them while still respecting their beliefs.

I think there is a difference though in sending someone who completely dosen't celebrate Christmas a card versus someone who is not religious but still participates in Christmas.

For example I would never send a Christmas card to my in-laws as they are Jehovah's Witnesses and do not celebrate or acknowledge Christmas in any way. I receive religious cards regularly and it never crossed my mind to be offended. Even though I am not religious I choose to celebrate a religious holiday so I accept all aspects of it. My son even sang Silent Night at school one year and it was lovely!

 

[castmember19]

It really depends on the intent of the sender. I think with most people, they buy one style of card and send it to everyone to let them know they are thinking of them, so it's not rude at all. But if they are mumbling to themselves, "Jesus is the reason for the season, dammit, I'm sick of these people trying to make Christmas generic and I'm sending out religious cards to my non-Christian friends and I DARE them to have a problem with it", well, that's kind of rude IMO.

I think there is a difference though in sending someone who completely dosen't celebrate Christmas a card versus someone who is not religious but still participates in Christmas.

Even though Chrismas is a religious holiday for some, for others it is just the spirit of the season.

 

[disfan07]

For me, personally, the way I see it, its not that difficult to buy a variety of cards if you are sending out cards to people who do not celebrate Christmas.

We do it every year. We celebrate Hanukkah, but we have never sent Hanukkah cards to people who we KNOW celebrate Christmas or to those who we are not sure what they celebrate. We buy Hanukkah, Christmas, and Happy Holiday cards.

Also, my dad was raised Catholic, so his side of the family always gets Christmas cards and my moms side gets Hanukkah cards.

I'll be doing that for my doctors and friends this year. I know 2 of my doctors are Jewish so they will get Hanukkah cards. I know 3 celebrate Christmas so they will get Christmas cards. The other 3...I'm actually not sure...It's not something that has come up and not something I ask about so they are going to get Happy Holiday cards. Same with friends, I am sending out about 12 Hanukkah cards and about 15 Christmas cards. I, personally, would never send Hanukkah cards to my friends who I know celebrate Christmas just because we celebrate Hanukkah.

I don't think it is disrespectful, per se. For me though, I just dont see why it is so difficult to get different cards. But to each their own.

 

[furb & dez]

It really depends on the intent of the sender. I think with most people, they buy one style of card and send it to everyone to let them know they are thinking of them, so it's not rude at all. But if they are mumbling to themselves, "Jesus is the reason for the season, dammit, I'm sick of these people trying to make Christmas generic and I'm sending out religious cards to my non-Christian friends and I DARE them to have a problem with it", well, that's kind of rude.

One of the best parts of "Christmas Season" is tormenting the self-righteous, small-minded blowhards who parrot the "WAR ON CHRISTMAS" nonsense they lap up from their patron radio and television saints.

"Happy Holidays" is what you get from me! If you don't like it, that says more about you, doesn't it?

 

[leebee]

As an agnostic/atheistic family, it's pretty easy. I send a generic holiday card to everyone. Used to have DD's picture on it until she turned 16, with a letter inside. Then I realized I wasn't getting many cards any more, so stopped sending the huge list and just sent a letter and school photo to the relatives: parents, siblings, aunts and uncles, grandparents. Not too many of any of these anymore , this year's list is pretty short. Oh well... ANYHOW... I never minded getting religious cards, just figured people didn't know any better and was happy to hear from them!

 

[Planogirl]

I don't mind getting cards that have Christian sayings in them or that wish me Happy Hannukah or whatever. To me it's the thought that counts and life is too short to get mad about things like this.

 

[NMAmy]

A couple of years ago I found some cute cards that said "Let it snow"....all my non-Catholic friends got those.

Now that's a card that would make me wince. Wish me a Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, Happy Kwanzaa, or whatever holiday you'd like but please don't wish more snow on me!

 

[Andy B]

If people accept any Chrismas Cards and celebrate Christmas then they cannot reject Religious Christmas cards as religion is the basis of the celebration.

 

[Nancyg56]

I don't get my bloomers in a bunch over much so if I get a card that is symbolic of any Holiday that is celebrated I am happy. I generally have different cards to send. I never send religious cards to people who I know either do not celebrate Christmas or whose religion I am not sure of. We are Catholic so I do have lovely cards that celebrate the Birth if Christ that I send to family but I also have a variety of seasonal cards to send.

I won't get into any debate about Reason for Season, I accept any Holiday greeting in the spirit that is was offered. I also wish Happy Holidays or Merry Christmas interchangeably. I fully understand that I celebrate Jesus birth but there is more to the holiday season and I love that aspect as well and that others celebrate that aspect without any religious overtones. IMO, it is all good

 

[punkin]

I might be slightly annoyed if the card came from a close friend who should know we don't celebrate Christmas, but not enough to get annoyed over. If it's from a business or a slight acquaintance (yes, we get those-I don't know how or why people send cards to those they hardly know) I don't even notice as I dump it in the trash.