What is a "holiday tree?"

[Disney Doll]

No Christmas is not taboo at all, as a holiday. The forcing of Christmas as a Christian holiday upon the rest of the population is. If you don't believe me, then tell the government that you also want to be able to take off work for all other religious holidays, even though they are not part of your religion, and see how far that gets you. I doubt you'll get Kwanzaa, Chanukkah, or any Muslim religious holiday listed on your holiday schedule at work for the whole workforce.

I'd be happy to have more days off form work...but wait, I'm a nurse, so I'd still ahve to work on Kwanzzaa, Hanuak etc. because people are still sick on those days, just liek they are on Christmas.

I guess that the folsk who normally would get holidays off would support it wholeheartedly if a movement started to get other religions' holidays and holy days off. Oh but wait...the Christians run the government(somebody better Connecticut's senator Joe Lieberman) so that'll never happen, because we're so blind and ignorant that we'd rather work than have a day off if it celebrates someone else's holiday.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

What I do have a problem with is putting up a menorah, doing a winter soltice ritual, bowing to Mecca and then telling me that they can't call it a Christmas tree. Because now they're doing exactly what they're trying not to do...they are excluding one group while including all others.

Ahhh but if they did all this they wouldn't have to call it a Holiday Tree. I think they are looking for the easy way out. I would much prefer that all winter celebrations were included rather than changing the Christmas Tree to Holiday Tree and watering down EVERYONE'S beliefs.

 

[Laura]

I think it's almost funny that Christians in this country believe their religion is being quashed in favor of other religions, over something so simple as a "holiday tree". Retailers are using "Happy Holidays" to include everyone, not to eliminate Christmas. They want everyone to shop at their stores, not just Christians. Tree sellers want to encourage everyone to buy a tree, not just Christians; it's just marketing. The purchasers can call it whatever they want. As Aidensmom said, it can be a Winter Solstice tree if that's what you celebrate.

Christmas is not being eliminated. In fact, the craziness over it gets worse every year. And honestly, I don't understand why Christmas is so important to Christians. I used to be a Christian, and I believe the most important Christian holiday is Easter.

People everywhere in this country need to lighten up and accept the fact that not everyone is going to believe in the exact same things.

 

[Disney Doll]

I don't know - tell me how it makes sense to force the ENTIRE COUNTRY to celebrate Christmas on a particular day even if they don't want to, yet not give those who don't believe in Christ or don't celebrate Christmas the same consideration when it comes to their religious holidays?

I am not sure how you are being forced to celebrate Christmas??? Does someone come to your door, hold a gun to your head and say "Put up a creche or else?" Are you forced to go shopping? If you really didn't want to take Christmas Day off from work, couldn't you do work, either in your office or at home and then use a day off as a comp day for oyur own winter celebration?

I'm not sure where the 'forcing" comes in?

 

[chobie]

You can't honestly live in the real world today and not see how obvious it is that Christian beliefs are being shut-out in lots of ways. My daughers attend public school here in Virginia and they have studied each year about "Holidays around the World" and with that there is a study of Hanukah (with the emphasis on the "miracle") yet when the study comes to Christmas it only acknowledges Santa (no "miracle" of the birth of Christ). Along with Hanukah they study Muslim holidays and Kwanzaa. I am never offended by these studies but it makes me increasingly aware that Christmas is becoming very taboo.

Wow, there so busy teaching my children how to take standarized tests to make adequate yearly progress they don't have time to talk about holiday traditions. However, if they were to teach about holidays I would prefer my kids learn about the other one besides the major Christian ones because my kids already know about those. We celebrate Christian holidays at home, as do the majority of their classmates.

 

[Disney Doll]

You force me to take off work because of Christmas and pay me for it, yet if I asked for a different religious holiday off, I would be told to take vacation or not get paid for it.



You are absolutely incorrect. Christians did replace the winter solstice with the Christmas holiday. You people are killing me with your lack of knowledge.



That may be, but since when do Christians get leniency in what they find disrespectul vs. what the rest of the population finds disrespectful? This is the heart of this whole thread. Christians are complaining that the Christmas tree is now called the Holiday tree. Government has found the phrase Christmas Tree disrespectful of other religions and decided to call it a Holiday Tree. I agree with them for many reasons, and now I am disrespectful. Yet, Christians have been disrespectful of other religions for years and years and that's ok with you.

*sigh*

It si becomingpointless to argue with you. Your condescending attitude about your opinion of all Christians as mindless idiots is very clear, so may you live well with your chosen religion and I'll live well with mine.

For the record, if your job doesn't allow you comp time to celebrate your religious holiday, then I suggest you take it up with your HR department...there's probably a discrimination suit in there somewhere.

I know at my place of employment, there are folsk who choose not to celebrate christams and they get comp time for their own religious celebrations at a the appropriate time. Sorry that your place of employment doesn't do that for oyu. I wish you well in your quest to fight their system, because you should, to raise awareness of the terrible discrimination that the mindless sheep-like Christians have foisted upon the world for oh these many years.

Now oyu may post again about how when a Christian disgarees with you they are being mindless, stupid and don't know any of the history of anything because we're all too bust controlling the government and putitng up trees and forcing people to take time off from work that they don't want.

And now, since this thread is becoming an exercise in fultiltiy all around, and taking me away form what i want to celebrate about the Christmas season, and making me behave ina way that is contrary to how I usually wish to behave, I shall step away.

I wish you all a happy holiday, whichever one you choose to clebrate.

 

[txgirl]

Wow, there so busy teaching my children how to take standarized tests to make adequate yearly progress they don't have time to talk about holiday traditions. However, if they were to teach about holidays I would prefer my kids learn about the other one besides the major Christian ones because my kids already know about those. We celebrate Christian holidays at home, as do the majority of their classmates.

I think it is refreshing for my kids to learn about the other holidays as well. I knew nothing about any of the other holidays that are celebrated when I was a kid. However, my point to the previous post was that while we can teach the significance of the other holidays even the religious miracles of Hanukah, we are NOT ALLOWED to teach the true significance of the Christmas holiday.

For example: my daughters have both colored menorah's, made dredels out of paper, sang songs in Kwanzaa, etc., etc. But when the room mothers were given instruction for how to plan a game or craft to teach about Christmas, the directions were explicit:
NO MANGER, NO ANGELS, NO WREATHS, NO CANDLES, NO BABY JESUS, NO BELLS and so on and so on.

You stated that your kids already know about the Christmas holiday but truth be told most kids would first say that Christmas is about Santa. If we are teaching "Holiday Traditions Around The World" would it not be fair to at least mention Jesus at least once? I know this

is off-topic but I think it is worth discussion.

-by the way these studies are done the week before Christmas break and their "holiday" parties are themed with "Holiday Traditions Around the World". Other than that we are up to our necks in standardized test studies all year long )

 

[yeartolate]

Meanwhile, I'll still call it a Christmas tree at my house, sorry!

Realistically, do you know anybody in real life that has called their tree a "holiday tree"? I sure don't! I heard it on this board and on the Bill O'Reilly.

I guess I just think this is not a vast conspiracy as don't see evidence of the "holiday tree" thing in real life.

The "holiday tree" thing sounds more like a marketing ploy to get people of other faiths (or no faith) to purchase trees and tree related paraphanalia. Although it does nothing to celebrate Jesus, the marketing ploy may boost the economy.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Realistically, do you know anybody in real life that has called their tree a "holiday tree"? I sure don't! I heard it on this board and on the Bill O'Reilly.

I guess I just think this is not a vast conspiracy as don't see evidence of the "holiday tree" thing in real life.

The "holiday tree" thing sounds more like a marketing ploy to get people of other faiths (or no faith) to purchase trees and tree related paraphanalia. Although it does nothing to celebrate Jesus, the marketing ploy may boost the economy.

I have not seen it in retail--just in the city of Orlando (they are even selling said Holiday trees):

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10281655/from/RL.5/

ORLANDO, Fla. - It's the time of year when many people are buying trees. But are they Christmas trees or holiday trees? The city of Orlando turned the "holiday lights" on Wednesday evening on the city's "holiday tree."

The city said it wants to include all religions and all celebrations, WESH 2 News reported.

But some say when it comes to the tree, it's a Christmas tree, not a holiday tree.

Bob Stih, a local tree grower and seller, said he sells Christmas trees and the majority of people who come to buy one come in asking for Christmas trees.

A local attorney who defends Christianity agrees.

"You cut down a tree in December, put all kinds of decorations on it and show it to anybody in the world, it's a Christmas tree," said Matthew Staver, of the Liberty Counsel.

The debate has started to boil over on Capitol Hill. The tree there has been called a holiday tree the past few years, and some elected leaders have had it.

"Why call it a holiday tree? Shouldn't do that any more than calling a Menorah a candlestick," Staver said.

Even a local rabbi believes the issue, if there is one, is easy.

"I do believe it's a religious symbol. Let's acknowledge it for what it is," said Rabbi Rick Sherwin. "This country is not a melting pot. It's a salad, and each of us brings to the salad our own taste."

Back at the tree lot, where a snowman sends the Happy Holidays message, the sign out front clearly says "Christmas Trees."

Some say the push for political correctness is out of whack when it comes to Holiday Trees.

Sherwin also said while he has no problem with Christmas trees, he believes when it comes to greeting people on the street, the most appropriate greeting this time of year is "Happy Holidays."

 

[txgirl]

Realistically, do you know anybody in real life that has called their tree a "holiday tree"? I sure don't! I heard it on this board and on the Bill O'Reilly.

I guess I just think this is not a vast conspiracy as don't see evidence of the "holiday tree" thing in real life.

The "holiday tree" thing sounds more like a marketing ploy to get people of other faiths (or no faith) to purchase trees and tree related paraphanalia. Although it does nothing to celebrate Jesus, the marketing ploy may boost the economy.

The reason the thread is still going is because of the jabs that some have taken at the Christmas holiday (not the tree) and the insults hurled at people who choose to have a "faith" in Christianity. When being a Christ-follower is how you choose to live your life it is very difficult to not find offense at the insults. And for whatever mute reason I have found it necessary to point out the misconceptions that others have formed and tried to help show the other side. If you read through most of the beginning posts in this thread the common denominator is ...."calling it a Holiday Tree is stupid" and most everyone said it didn't affect them.

 

[Laura]

I think it is refreshing for my kids to learn about the other holidays as well. I knew nothing about any of the other holidays that are celebrated when I was a kid. However, my point to the previous post was that while we can teach the significance of the other holidays even the religious miracles of Hanukah, we are NOT ALLOWED to teach the true significance of the Christmas holiday.

For example: my daughters have both colored menorah's, made dredels out of paper, sang songs in Kwanzaa, etc., etc. But when the room mothers were given instruction for how to plan a game or craft to teach about Christmas, the directions were explicit:
NO MANGER, NO ANGELS, NO WREATHS, NO CANDLES, NO BABY JESUS, NO BELLS and so on and so on.

You stated that your kids already know about the Christmas holiday but truth be told most kids would first say that Christmas is about Santa. If we are teaching "Holiday Traditions Around The World" would it not be fair to at least mention Jesus at least once? I know this

is off-topic but I think it is worth discussion.

-by the way these studies are done the week before Christmas break and their "holiday" parties are themed with "Holiday Traditions Around the World". Other than that we are up to our necks in standardized test studies all year long )

I agree with you; if you're going to include Christianity and Christmas in a discussion of world holidays, it's ridiculous to leave out Jesus!

 

[LaLa]

The reason the thread is still going is because of the jabs that some have taken at the Christmas holiday (not the tree) and the insults hurled at people who choose to have a "faith" in Christianity. When being a Christ-follower is how you choose to live your life it is very difficult to not find offense at the insults. And for whatever mute reason I have found it necessary to point out the misconceptions that others have formed and tried to help show the other side. If you read through most of the beginning posts in this thread the common denominator is ...."calling it a Holiday Tree is stupid" and most everyone said it didn't affect them.

 

[Kahana-ri]

Its what we call our tree in the office. Its has to be considered a holiday tree in order to be sensitive to those that may celebrate other traditions or religions. Oddly enough, we all celebrate Christmas

 

[txgirl]

Its what we call our tree in the office. Its has to be considered a holiday tree in order to be sensitive to those that may celebrate other traditions or religions. Oddly enough, we all celebrate Christmas

What about Jehovah's Witness? They don't celebrate holidays at all. Wouldn't any sort of holiday be offensive to them? But they are the minority, right? Well, that shouldn't matter if we are being sensitive to EVERYONE.

No jab intended here, but your post was just reflective to me of how impossible it is to be PC and change the way we have done things for hundreds of years in order to "be sensitive".

 

[MsLeFever]

I'm committing a faux pas and posting without reading the whole thread - but I think a "holiday" tree is the one that my neighbor has in her front yard - current with Christmas lights, but has also featured Easter eggs and Halloweeen ghosts!

 

[cardaway]

Right or wrong ???

In the last two decades the US has improved in regards to respecting the many cultures and religions that makes up its diverse population. It's great that a US citizen can feel equal despite their being of a minority culture or religion.


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Many of the posts quoting the large percentage of Christians come really close to saying minorities don't count. When you see a lot of them, IMO it shows that maybe we're starting to go backwards again.

JMO.

 

[LaLa]

Many of the posts quoting the large percentage of Christians come really close to saying minorities don't count. When you see a lot of them, IMO it shows that maybe we're starting to go backwards again.

JMO.

No, what is up for discussion is the fact that people are trying to change the name of the Christmas tree to a holiday tree just to cater to some who are offended by the mere mention of the word Christmas. It is a Christmas tree. It is not used in any other "holiday". If it were, then this thread would never have been started in the first place.

 

[cardaway]

No, what is up for discussion is the fact that people are trying to change the name of the Christmas tree to a holiday tree just to cater to some who are offended by the mere mention of the word Christmas. It is a Christmas tree. It is not used in any other "holiday". If it were, then this thread would never have been started in the first place.

That's where it started, and I replied early on about my feelings on that part.

Since then it's become more than that, due in part to your posts.

 

[LaLa]

After reading this entire thread, it has become very clear that this discussion is really actually no longer about a "holiday tree " anymore. It has spiraled into a debate brought on by a few posters with an axe to grind. No one is going to change anyone's religious beliefs here. That is not the purpose of this thread.

My post.

 

[2funny2c]

My post.

I think you hurt Michelle's feelings. Aplogize to Cardaway so she doesnt feel like a neglected minority.

We must NEVER offend anyone in our PC country. Shame on you!