It is OK to Wish Merry Christmas

[ElfBot]

Ashley Tarter, a 32-year-old James City County resident, was buying Christmas gifts last year when she found something amiss.“I was shopping in every store, and no one wished me a Merry Christmas,” Tarter recalled. Instead, store clerks and cashiers were greeting her with “Happy Holidays” and other generic seasonal hellos.Today, Tarter stands determined to save [...]

More from Defend Christmas... (http://defendchristmas.com/2007/10/27/it-is-ok-to-wish-merry-christmas/)

[JanaBanana]

Wow I love that!

[dvdguy]

I wish her well. I dont think shes going to have 100% success but it doesnt hurt to try

[gameshowguy2000]

At least she should suggest that they use them interchangeably. (That is, it's OK to use both. I certainly do. Who else does?)

[JayIsh]

It's always "Merry Christmas" for me, unless I'm sure that who I'm speaking to does not celebrate Christmas...Than I try to tailor my greeting...But I've yet to meet a man who was angered by being wished "Merry Christmas"...

[haagarr]

Where is the link to the website? I would like a button to wear.

Haagarr

:tree:

[whychristmas]

Where is the link to the website? I would like a button to wear.

A quick google and tada:

http://www.wmamc.com/
http://www.wmamc.com/fundraiser/order_buttons.html

I think we need to get linking to this site, I'll be linking on whychristmas!

[Seasun]

A quick google and tada:

http://www.wmamc.com/
http://www.wmamc.com/fundraiser/order_buttons.html

I think we need to get linking to this site, I'll be linking on whychristmas!

I followed your link over to that site. The site is beautiful, but those buttons seem very pricey to me , especially since they're supposed to be promoting a cause.

Maybe I'm missing something, but I did not see anywhere on that site that proceeds from the sale of buttons would be donated to any charity. This makes the whole effort look very commercial to me.

[whychristmas]

They work out at $1.50 a button. Doesn't seem too pricey to me once you've factored in designers, hosting, production, storage, etc. That's about the same as getting a set of buttons on cafepress.com. And the shipping prices are about the same as well.

I can't see that much (if any) profit is being made from this!

[Seasun]

It does seems pricey to me. You can buy bulk quantities of buttons from manufacturers anywhere from $.25 to $.60 per button.

So, if you resell them at $2.00 and above as that site is doing, there's more than 100% profit to be made.

I only find it a problem because I get the impression that that site is presenting itself as promoting a cause, that's why I think the buttons could be cheaper.

If I wanted to buy just 10 buttons to give to my family, it would cost me $2.50 per button plus S&H. That's a little pricey.

[haagarr]

Thanks so much I am going to order a bunch.

A quick google and tada:

http://www.wmamc.com/
http://www.wmamc.com/fundraiser/order_buttons.html

I think we need to get linking to this site, I'll be linking on whychristmas!

[Misfit Toy]

I think thats stupid, to be honest. Whats wrong with Happy Holidays? It covers everything and all that should really matter and should be happy with is that you're being greeted and with a nice, friendly greeting at that. I should make a button that says "its ok for all bow down towards me when I approach the register".

Seriously, everything always has to be made into an issue....

[Sunshine73]

I think thats stupid, to be honest. Whats wrong with Happy Holidays? It covers everything and all that should really matter and should be happy with is that you're being greeted and with a nice, friendly greeting at that. I should make a button that says "its ok for all bow down towards me when I approach the register".

Seriously, everything always has to be made into an issue....

Eh, I wouldn't complain if people wanted to bow down to me when I approach the register....LOL

Although I see your point that "everything has to be made into an issue" I remember a time when I heard "Merry Christmas" from everyone I passed at Christmas time, but that was before someone made it a huge issue and turned "Merry Christmas" into an offensive statement.

Seriously, I think the major problem with "Happy Holidays" is not the greeting itself but the fact that employees are specifically instructed NOT to say "Merry Christmas". If someone wants to wish me "Happy Holidays" because that's their greeting of choice, then that's fine with me, but if someone is saying "Happy Holidays" because they've been instructed that saying "Merry Christmas", "Happy Hannukah" or another holiday greeting is offensive, well, that does bother me.

[Ryan_07]

I think both are perfectly fine to say. But then again, I remember when I was in high-school and we weren't allowed to say "merry christmas" or anything like that because it might of offended someone so any decor we had up, had to say "happy holidays".

[JanaBanana]

I wish we were able to order 1-2 buttons, not forced to order in bulk.

[whychristmas]

I wish we were able to order 1-2 buttons, not forced to order in bulk.

They're doing '15s' now, but I'd give'em an email and see what they can do - you might well be able to order just one or two.

[gameshowguy2000]

I think both are perfectly fine to say. But then again, I remember when I was in high-school and we weren't allowed to say "merry christmas" or anything like that because it might of offended someone so any decor we had up, had to say "happy holidays".

They are both fine to say. In fact, I use both (because it's the Holiday season not just the Christmas season). Remember, it's THREE holidays: Thanksgiving, Christmas, AND New Year's (those who celebrate Hannukah and Kwanzaa can make it 5). No exceptions.

Other than that, I rest my case.

[SC]

They are both fine to say. In fact, I use both (because it's the Holiday season not just the Christmas season). Remember, it's THREE holidays: Thanksgiving, Christmas, AND New Year's (those who celebrate Hannukah and Kwanzaa). No exceptions.

Other than that, I rest my case.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v402/kal_el_2020/broken_record.jpg

[gameshowguy2000]

Will you get rid of that stupid picture? It's scaring the daylights out of me already.

[dominick]

Was it someone you knew?

[Jeff Westover]

Sorry guys, I won't link to these people.

My problem with this, believe it or not, is the implication that the term "Merry Christmas" only belongs to Christians. And to pay $1.50 for buttons? Sorry, someone's making money. I wasn't born yesterday. They have the million-button goal. I can do the math. Someone's making serious cash off of merely saying Merry Christmas. I find that shameful.

And, speaking as a retailer (and one based from liberal-wacko San Francisco!), we instruct our people to say whatever they want -- including Merry Christmas. Yes, there are those out there who won't. And we can speak our displeasure to them more effectively than buying a button. All wearing that button will do is offend people unnecessarily and will portray the wearer in a negative light.

For as much as we get rankled by people who oppose Christmas in its various forms I think the other side is just as guilty if not more so in the so-called War on Christmas of inflating an issue that isn't.

That's what Defend Christmas (http://www.defendchristmas.com) is all about -- highlighting the absurdity of BOTH sides of what is really a non-issue.

For almost a decade now I've polled on this very question every season -- and consistently 94-98% of all people just don't care about the war on Christmas nor the difference between Merry Christmas vs. Happy Holidays.

Imagine that. Some people make "Happy Holidays" a bad thing! Some have jumped to the conclusion that "Happy Holidays" = "I refuse to say Merry Christmas". That's patently absurd.

I wish these people would reconsider their methods and their goals. If they want to spread the Good News of the gospel they can go about it in a more, um, Christian way.

If you all want to make buttons, we can make it happen this week and I'll sell them to you FOR COST. And instead of having a snotty attitude like "It's ok to say Merry Christmas" why can it just say "Wish me a Merry Christmas!"?

This is so easy to do...and we don't have to be Bible-thumper money-changers in the temple of Christmas greed like they are.

Jeff

[Montana's Santa]

Gameshowguy-- you left out Hannakah -- better watch out, someone will brand you as anti-semitic.

[gameshowguy2000]

Gameshowguy-- you left out Hannakah -- better watch out, someone will brand you as anti-semitic.

I thought I put up Hannukah in my list of holidays that make up the Holiday Season.

[novelist]

:notice:I couldn't believe the big deal made over whether to say "
Merry Christmas", or "Happy Holiday". I worked in retail for 20 years. Customers greeted me with either saying. When I met people I knew celebrated Christmas, I wished them a "Merry Christmas. For those who I wasen't sure I would just say "have a happy holiday", or something close to that.

[Storeytime]

-- highlighting the absurdity of BOTH sides of what is really a non-issue.


Jeff

I've tried not to weigh in on this controversy, but I beg to differ with that statement Jeff. I'm sure that, like me, you're old enough to remember a time in this country where stores didn't instruct their employees not to say Merry Christmas. Manger scenes were okay anywhere. 85 year old grandmothers in HUD retirement centers weren't told that they can't put up a Christmas tree unless there are no religious symbols on them, including angels. Christmas trees were called Christmas trees, not Holiday trees. Christmas parades were called Christmas parades, not Holiday or Winter parades. How far are we going to go before we say enough is enough? This is a battle for whether you believe in Political Correctness or not; thought and speech police or not.
If something is repeated long enough, it becomes fact. What is being repeated over and over, more and more in this country is that normal things that we've always been able to do at Christmas time are being taken away. Sometimes stands must be made no matter how absurd they may seem.
For me, this is not about taking Christ out of Christmas as much as it is about the absurdity of not being able to say the word, "Christmas." I find it interesting that Christmas Day is a national holiday given to federal employees, but they can't say Merry Christmas. That's the height of absurdity.

[Billy Battles]

and one based from liberal-wacko San Francisco!

Jeff would you consider yourself a Conservative? Just curious.

[Jeff Westover]

Jeff would you consider yourself a Conservative? Just curious.

On some issues, absolutely. On others, absolutely not. I consider myself, um, free thinking.

[Jeff Westover]

I've tried not to weigh in on this controversy, but I beg to differ with that statement Jeff. I'm sure that, like me, you're old enough to remember a time in this country where stores didn't instruct their employees not to say Merry Christmas. Manger scenes were okay anywhere. 85 year old grandmothers in HUD retirement centers weren't told that they can't put up a Christmas tree unless there are no religious symbols on them, including angels. Christmas trees were called Christmas trees, not Holiday trees. Christmas parades were called Christmas parades, not Holiday or Winter parades. How far are we going to go before we say enough is enough? This is a battle for whether you believe in Political Correctness or not; thought and speech police or not.
If something is repeated long enough, it becomes fact. What is being repeated over and over, more and more in this country is that normal things that we've always been able to do at Christmas time are being taken away. Sometimes stands must be made no matter how absurd they may seem.
For me, this is not about taking Christ out of Christmas as much as it is about the absurdity of not being able to say the word, "Christmas." I find it interesting that Christmas Day is a national holiday given to federal employees, but they can't say Merry Christmas. That's the height of absurdity.


We agree more than we disagree, Tim. But the hype Bill O'Reilly and others put behind some of this is over the top. Long before Fox News was even around I was taking surveys on this question and the answer has consistently been the same: 90% of people in the US celebrate Christmas and nearly the same amount don't care how or if others do.

That's not to say we shouldn't be upset about some things.

But the school issue in Chicago earlier this year is more typical of how reasonable people get things done. At question was whether or not Christmas should be done away with at the school because of the growing population of Muslims in the district who didn't celebrate Christmas. After much media attention and consternation the school board adopted an overwhelmingly popular answer -- don't take away Christmas just add Ramadan to the calendar.

This event made news. Most civil situations like that never make the news. It is only the very extremes that ever really get reported.

While I'll grant you -- and you'll see me harp about it plenty when it happens -- that absurd situations arise from time to time.

But Christmas isn't going anywhere. I've been doing this for 17 years and I plan to be here doing it for as long as I draw breath and my kids will pick it up for me when I'm gone. Christmas will survive. Our generation is not the first to campaign to kill the season. Christmas has come back every time and I predict it will continue to do so.

[Billy Battles]

On some issues, absolutely. On others, absolutely not. I consider myself, um, free thinking.


I am a fellow Freethinker. People who I know that are Liberal don't like some of my ideas they seem too "Conservative" for them and the ones that are Conservative think I am too "Liberal". They both sides say I think too much, which I think is absurd. How can somebody think too much?

[Jeff Westover]

I wish more people would think to much. Actually, I wish some people would just start thinking.

[Billy Battles]

Yes there are too many Sheeple out there. I have always told people that they should never believe anything until they do some research for themselves.

[Storeytime]

Well said Jeff. I just can't stand political correctness and that's the part of all of this that gets me. There was once a time in this country when we could just laugh at ourselves instead of getting offended at the drop of a hat.

Billy, I teach my kids to know what they believe and to be able to answer why they believe it. Not to say that I don't teach them from my lens of understanding, but I teach them why I believe something and that they should do the same. I was raised with certain beliefs and then one day woke up and realized I didn't stand for much of what I had blindly followed for most of my life.

[Christmasstar]

I love it, and it is so simple too.

[Billy Battles]

Billy, I teach my kids to know what they believe and to be able to answer why they believe it...... I teach them why I believe something and that they should do the same. I was raised with certain beliefs and then one day woke up and realized I didn't stand for much of what I had blindly followed for most of my life.


It is cool that you actually teach your children.

[gameshowguy2000]

I hear you guys. But I say let the kiddies decide what they want to believe and how they want to express their beliefs. If you're bequeathing your own beliefs onto them, you might end up brainwashing them (and I don't think that's what anyone wants, is to be brainwashed).

[Storeytime]

I go by the Bible verse that says, "train up a child in the way he should go" It doesn't say the way I think he should go, but the way He should go. Again, that's not to say that I don't teach them basic things that I have found to be truth. I feel that they are gounded enough in truth to go look at other viewpoints and make decisions for themselves. It's a fine line indeed between brainwashing and teaching them what you have learned is right from wrong, but it's a parent's job to do that. It can be done also in a manner to where they understand why they believe what they do and aren't just parroting what I've taught them.

[Billy Battles]

I feel you have to teach your Children your beliefs. I also believe you should let them know your beliefs are not the only ones out there. Let them know why you believe what you do and if they choose to look for other ideas support them.

Like most people I was raised in a Christian household. We did not have any particular denomination that I now of. I however was raised going to Church on most Sundays.

Then in my early teens I quit believing I became an Atheist(at least I thought I was). Atheism never really fit me. I would go around telling people that anything is possible, than in the next sentence say there is no God. As I got older I realized I wasn't really an Atheist at all I was Agnostic.

[kelly ann]

I believe as long as you bring your children up well, to respect others, be courteous and polite, there really isnt much else you can do as they are people themselves and they will grow up to be whatever it is they're meant to be. I dont think parents have power over the way their children turn out regarding beliefs etc. I am not a christian and I am not an atheist either, I will teach my daughter that there are many different views/opinions/faiths out there and hope she will find something that is comfortable to her. I am so against parents forcing their religious beliefs on children at such a young age. I want mine to have an open mind.

[Jeff Westover]

An open mind is fine as is the independent choice of religious thought. I think as parents we're obligated to teach education first -- and let our children decide as they get older.

But at the same time we need not undermine our own religious beliefs at the expense of worrying about whether our children will or will not stray from them. I'm not apologizing to my kids for my convictions and they will be raised with them because that is what I feel is right. Religious beliefs go way beyond our own weak definitions of the nature of God. Religious beliefs teach consequences for actions and forethought in making choices.

Any parent who teaches their kids "XXX is the only way to heaven and if you don't believe it you'll go to hell" is doing them a disservice. As parents we teach them instead that love rules above all and that the "only way to heaven is XXX and this is how you get to know that..."

In other words, don't teach them what they need to know. Teach them how to find what they need to know.