The end of christmas

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

Good points, but it can go too far the other way as well, as you'll see on Fox News starting the next few weeks when Bill O'Reilly starts his annual "War on Christmas" campaign. The American right wing will be out in force complaining that they're being persecuted because someone at Walmart says "happy holidays" instead of "merry christmas"! (I always thought "happy holidays" was a very thoughtful, respectful greeting in a country and in a season where other religions were also celebrating different things) Now, some of their complaints are understandable, such as when public schools (which have to be secular by law), stop children singing specifically religious Christmas carols in school plays or whatever, but they don't reach the level of persecution. You'd swear these people were being thrown to the lions the way they go on!

I think the term 'happy holidays' is a load of balls, a cop out and to maddogs point liberalism gone mad.

It is christmas not happy f**king holidays and all that lovey dovey respectful crap sickens me. call it what it is and dont sugar coat it.

Happly holidays. Please!

Totally agree with Stew and Maddog on this one, why the fcuk would some take offence at someone else wishing them a happy CHRISTMAS, seeing as the holiday is still called Christmas, or have the w**ks, sorry I meant the Yanks re-named Christmas as well.

Jesus wept, oh no offence to the non christians on the board!  

[J70]

Good points, but it can go too far the other way as well, as you'll see on Fox News starting the next few weeks when Bill O'Reilly starts his annual "War on Christmas" campaign. The American right wing will be out in force complaining that they're being persecuted because someone at Walmart says "happy holidays" instead of "merry christmas"! (I always thought "happy holidays" was a very thoughtful, respectful greeting in a country and in a season where other religions were also celebrating different things) Now, some of their complaints are understandable, such as when public schools (which have to be secular by law), stop children singing specifically religious Christmas carols in school plays or whatever, but they don't reach the level of persecution. You'd swear these people were being thrown to the lions the way they go on!

I think the term 'happy holidays' is a load of balls, a cop out and to maddogs point liberalism gone mad.

It is christmas not happy f**king holidays and all that lovey dovey respectful crap sickens me. call it what it is and dont sugar coat it.

Happly holidays. Please!

Hanukkah?

Or maybe that's just a New York thing.

Or does the christian holiday take precedence in the states in your view?

America is a christian based Countryand people have been grreting each other for centuries with 'happy Christmas'. jewish people have hanukkah and they say happy hannukah and that is fine too. What annoys me is that corporate America dictates what people say, the crowd I work for want me to greet people with happy holidays and i refuse to do so and have done since I
started. I am embarassed for people who come out with that crap, it is christmas, get over it.

You're entitled to your opinion. I see nothing whatsoever embarrassing about "happy holidays" - its a nice, neutral inclusive greeting and I think people who are riled by it must have little else to worry about!

[J70]

Good points, but it can go too far the other way as well, as you'll see on Fox News starting the next few weeks when Bill O'Reilly starts his annual "War on Christmas" campaign. The American right wing will be out in force complaining that they're being persecuted because someone at Walmart says "happy holidays" instead of "merry christmas"! (I always thought "happy holidays" was a very thoughtful, respectful greeting in a country and in a season where other religions were also celebrating different things) Now, some of their complaints are understandable, such as when public schools (which have to be secular by law), stop children singing specifically religious Christmas carols in school plays or whatever, but they don't reach the level of persecution. You'd swear these people were being thrown to the lions the way they go on!

I think the term 'happy holidays' is a load of balls, a cop out and to maddogs point liberalism gone mad.

It is christmas not happy f**king holidays and all that lovey dovey respectful crap sickens me. call it what it is and dont sugar coat it.

Happly holidays. Please!

Totally agree with Stew and Maddog on this one, why the fcuk would some take offence at someone else wishing them a happy CHRISTMAS, seeing as the holiday is still called Christmas, or have the w**ks, sorry I meant the Yanks re-named Christmas as well.

Jesus wept, oh no offence to the non christians on the board! 

Who's taking offense? "Happy holidays" is used because Christmas it isn't the only religious holiday celebrated around that time in the states. The only ones taking offense are the ones who react hysterically when Walmart puts "happy holidays" up on the window.

[AZOffaly]

I always thought the 'Happy Holidays' greeting in the states was sort of a big catch all for Christmas and New Years, and almost Thanksgiving as well. It's the 'holiday season'. I never thought about it in terms of Hannukah or Kwanzah or whatever, but I suppose it neatly encapsulates them as well.

[Hardy]

So we shouldn't be offended by 'Happy Holidays' (and I'm not, just irritated at the motivation for it), but it's perfectly understandable for others to be offended by 'Happy Christmas'? Are they? Who are they? Is it religious minorities or the self-appointed, self-described liberals (who would probably be appalled to discover that they are really no different from any other set of intolerant bigots) who presume to speak for them? And what is offensive about wishing somebody to be happy at the time I call Christmas anyway?

[saffron]

Happy Christmas / Happy holidays who cares. Either way its a load of commercial balls.

The sooner we mover towards completely secular states the better. The adherence to religion will eventually be seen a backward stage in our development.

[Puckoon]

We used to have a secret santa present thing at our work, now (because of a couple of complaints) its been renamed. "The winter holiday gift exchange"

Like someone else said, PC gone mad.

[J70]

We used to have a secret santa present thing at our work, now (because of a couple of complaints) its been renamed. "The winter holiday gift exchange"

Like someone else said, PC gone mad.

That is, just a bit, over the top!

[ONeill]

I see they dug up a man in Kildress last night. Great to see old Hallowe'en traditions alive and well in some parts of the country.

[ziggysego]

I see they dug up a man in Kildress last night. Great to see old Hallowe'en traditions alive and well in some parts of the country.

They did that in Broughderg a few years ago. Some depraved people about.

[J70]

Now I'm half-starting to think O'Neill was serious!

[stew]

[ You're entitled to your opinion. I see nothing whatsoever embarrassing about "happy holidays" - its a nice, neutral inclusive greeting and I think people who are riled by it must have little else to worry about!
[/quote]

I am entitled to my opinion and it is completely contrary to yours. People who swan around making things nice and neutral sicken me and I don't worry about too much because worrying doesnt do any good now does it?

Nice, neutral inclusive??? it's Christmas ffs. what gets on my goat are those people who feck around trying to make sure others are as comfortable as posible and everything they stand for is nice and neutral. If a Muslim or Jew comes into Ireland and is offended by the term Christmas he is well within his rights to feack away back to where he came from, good luck getting nice and neutral in a Muslim Country. You do gooders do my head in.

[Pangurban]

The real debate here should be the madness of the so called policy of multi-culturiism, which ultimately leads to no culture at all and is designed only to meet the needs of global corporations and their mass marketing and consumerism. We are also required to give equal status and recognition to cultural and religious groups whose practices are anathema to our own religious ,social and moral beliefs. Not only that, but the societies from which many of these cultures emerge, refuse any recognition of our culture. Try celebrating Christmas in Saudi Arabia for example. Hold firm to Christmas, it may be our last bulwark

[Rav67]

dont want to sound racist but f*ck the immigrants. if they dont like our christmas decorations then tough luck.

Never heard any immigrants complaining about Christmas, most of them are Christian anyway FFS.  I think most are happy to get the time off work and enjoy what is the best time of the year.  The only people who want to 'tone down' Christmas are arrogant middle-class know-it-alls in quangos and think tanks who never come down from their high horse long enough to understand what the general population is thinking, immagrants and indigenous Irish.

[J70]

[ You're entitled to your opinion. I see nothing whatsoever embarrassing about "happy holidays" - its a nice, neutral inclusive greeting and I think people who are riled by it must have little else to worry about!

I am entitled to my opinion and it is completely contrary to yours. People who swan around making things nice and neutral sicken me and I don't worry about too much because worrying doesnt do any good now does it?

Nice, neutral inclusive??? it's Christmas ffs. what gets on my goat are those people who feck around trying to make sure others are as comfortable as posible and everything they stand for is nice and neutral. If a Muslim or Jew comes into Ireland and is offended by the term Christmas he is well within his rights to feack away back to where he came from, good luck getting nice and neutral in a Muslim Country. You do gooders do my head in.

[/quote]

Its not just Christmas in the states though, is it?