The meaning of "Christmas"

[merithyn]

The joke was there was nothing secular about Yule.

I got the joke, but disagree with the premise.

Independence War?  Who calls it that?

It was shorter typing than The War for Independence. We call it the Fourth of July, of course, which is similar to calling the celebrations in Yule "Yule". Same idea. It was a joke.

[merithyn]

I think you're just being pedantic about the term "Christmas".  In reality Christmas has become rather secularized in our culture and even those who celebrate the religious aspect of it still probably spend more time on the secular stuff. 

So how about getting with the program?  Why don't you jump on the team and come on in for the big win?

If anything, I'm being literal with the meaning of the word, rather than pedantic about it. As for the rest, seriously? Come on now. You know me better than that.

[derspiess]

I think you're just being pedantic about the term "Christmas".  In reality Christmas has become rather secularized in our culture and even those who celebrate the religious aspect of it still probably spend more time on the secular stuff. 

So how about getting with the program?  Why don't you jump on the team and come on in for the big win?

If anything, I'm being literal with the meaning of the word, rather than pedantic about it. As for the rest, seriously? Come on now. You know me better than that.

  Being literal is also being pedantic, at least in this case.

And the last part was a direct quote from Full Metal Jacket

[derspiess]

Well, most of the time I do if I know that they celebrate Christmas, but just because someone says Merry Christmas, it doesn't necessarily follow that they celebrate Christmas. After all, I've known Jewish people who default to that if they're somewhere that's primarily Christian.

Okay, then obviously in that case you'd know they're Jewish.

A lot of people default to that because they assume that the person they're talking to is Christian. I prefer not to assume that.

I think there's a very strong chance that they celebrate Christmas in some way if they're saying that.  And at the very least you can be comfortable that they wouldn't be offended if you wished them a Merry Christmas because, you know, they just did that themselves.

[Caliga]

What's popular around here is insisting on wishing everyone "Merry Christmas" even if they first wished you "Happy Holidays".  I used to work with some cretins who made a big point about doing that.  I'll wish a Christian "Merry Christmas", a Jew "Happy Hanukkah", etc. because I respect their right to their beliefs, but I don't understand the point of insisting on being an asshole and forcing everyone to acknowledge your personal holiday.

[Neil]

White people problems.

You wouldn't know anything about those, you filthy Russian.  White people problems are for whites, not for Asian mongrel races.

At any rate Meri, your friend is right:  You're crazy for trying to draw a distinction between old-style religious Christmas and new-style commercial Christmas.  I suspect it has something to do with your love of peacocking how non-traditional you are.

[derspiess]

but I don't understand the point of insisting on being an asshole and forcing everyone to acknowledge your personal holiday.

Yeah, 'cuz Christmas is so rarely celebrated

I tend to get annoyed with someone telling me "Happy Holidays".  I don't do the "Merry Christmas" retort, but I feel like saying "Yeah, same bland meaningless expression back atcha"

[Barrister]

What's popular around here is insisting on wishing everyone "Merry Christmas" even if they first wished you "Happy Holidays".  I used to work with some cretins who made a big point about doing that.  I'll wish a Christian "Merry Christmas", a Jew "Happy Hanukkah", etc. because I respect their right to their beliefs, but I don't understand the point of insisting on being an asshole and forcing everyone to acknowledge your personal holiday.

Meh.  It *is* the Christmas season, so why wouldn't I want even Jews and Muslims to have a merry one, even if they aren't celebrating it directly?

[Valmy]

What's popular around here is insisting on wishing everyone "Merry Christmas" even if they first wished you "Happy Holidays".  I used to work with some cretins who made a big point about doing that.  I'll wish a Christian "Merry Christmas", a Jew "Happy Hanukkah", etc. because I respect their right to their beliefs, but I don't understand the point of insisting on being an asshole and forcing everyone to acknowledge your personal holiday.

It is because that paranoia of some religious wackos has them thinking people are trying to destroy Christmas and force people to say 'Happy Holidays'.  So in the name of freedom they are forcing everybody to go 'Merry Christmas'.

[Caliga]

Meh.  It *is* the Christmas season, so why wouldn't I want even Jews and Muslims to have a merry one, even if they aren't celebrating it directly?

Wish them "Happy Hanukkah" instead?  What's the problem with doing that?

I'm an expert on the Jews and I can tell you there are some Jews who actually get irritated when people wish them "Merry Christmas" knowing full well that they are Jewish.

[Neil]

What's popular around here is insisting on wishing everyone "Merry Christmas" even if they first wished you "Happy Holidays".  I used to work with some cretins who made a big point about doing that.  I'll wish a Christian "Merry Christmas", a Jew "Happy Hanukkah", etc. because I respect their right to their beliefs, but I don't understand the point of insisting on being an asshole and forcing everyone to acknowledge your personal holiday.

Meh.  It *is* the Christmas season, so why wouldn't I want even Jews and Muslims to have a merry one, even if they aren't celebrating it directly?

Beeb has won the thread.

[Caliga]

It is because that paranoia of some religious wackos has them thinking people are trying to destroy Christmas and force people to say 'Happy Holidays'.  So in the name of freedom they are forcing everybody to go 'Merry Christmas'.

That sounds about right.

Probably the same crowd that thinks Obama is intentionally trying to "destroy America".

[Barrister]

Meh.  It *is* the Christmas season, so why wouldn't I want even Jews and Muslims to have a merry one, even if they aren't celebrating it directly?

Wish them "Happy Hanukkah" instead?  What's the problem with doing that?

Well for starters Hanukkah is over...

[Malthus]

I have no problems celebrating Christmas as a Jew. In fact, I celebrate two of 'em - regular Christmas, and the Ukranian one. 

[Caliga]

Well for starters Hanukkah is over...

I'm an expert on the Jews so I knew that.