now I saw merry christmas, and when they complain because they aren't christian i politely tell them that I am atheist, and that I am just wishing them to have a good 25th of december, aka christmas day. So I switched to happy holidays, to which I was yelled at because of the war on christmas. Isn't that in all the Christmas cards anyway? The phrase "Merry Christmas" ignores non-believers, Muslims, Buddhists, Jews, and other religions, too. Happy Holidays versus Merry Christmas is a moot point. Now, however, these phrases have become casualties in the battle of political correctness. Merry Christmas refers, specifically, to the Christmas holiday, celebrated December 25th. “Merry Christmas” is used in the U.S. while “Happy Christmas” is used in the U.K. Technically, retailers can say merry christmas, happy hanukkah, happy kwanzaa, etc, but it's just easier to say happy holidays. Calum Marsh: Language evolves. The next issue of Posted Newsletter will soon be in your inbox. , the Summerly’s Home Treasury Office of Old Bond street in London created a card that could be posted in the mail to wish family or friends greetings of the season. The traditional Christian Christmas, celebrated as the recognized day of Jesus’ birth, has been altered by many to a day filled with family, friends, food, and gifts. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Have a great solstice whatever. I sang in the church choir. When one is speaking of a happy or merry Christmas, the adjectives are lowercase. Claims over the so-called “War on Christmas” erupt nearly every winter and, it would seem, with more vigor every time. An advertisement for a children’s toy store published in the Philadelphia Inquirer in 1863 declares, in all caps, that “HAPPY HOLIDAYS ARE COMING!”, and that we should therefore make haste to shop for presents, while an ad in the Duluth News-Tribune, circa 1890, laments “HAPPY HOLIDAYS — ALAS, THEY HAVE COME AND GONE, AND NOW LET US SETTLE DOWN TO BUSINESS.” It seems that this early use had the flavour of rapacious inclusion we see in advertising and Christmastime marketing campaigns today: “happy holidays,” despite Advent import, has less obvious Christian associations, and seems — to merchants eager to maximize the scope of their clientele — the safer, more comprehensive yuletide phrase. Fight back against that by doing one thing: say “Merry Christmas.” Don’t say Happy Holidays. Well of course, it’s all down to “political correctness”. There is a lot of controversy over the difference between Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, however. Margo has a varied academic background, which has involved everything from psychology and So you could either be talking about your own Christian religion, which includes Christmas and the 12 days after or someone else's religion that you don't know. Happy Holidays! It is a traditionally Christian sentiment. This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. It spreads good tidings to those who celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or any other holiday. I’m confused, wondering how so many people fail to understand the simple logic of acknowledging the holiday celebrated by a whopping ninety percent of Americans. What is the big deal? We're talking 17-to-1, here. If people want to say one or the other, then more power to them, but just because you want to say "Happy Holidays" doesn't mean that music during Christmas will be called "Holiday Music.". According to church groups, this should not mean only for religions other than Christianity. I don’t know about you, but I want to stand up for this Christmas season I love. Deck the halls, as they say, with boughs of holly, that are themselves as Christian or not as you want them to be. Yes, most people in America celebrate Christmas, but there are many Holidays between November and December and we … Wherever Santa Claus takes prominence over the nativity, someone will complain that we’ve lost the true meaning of Christmas. WHY?? The Obama and Bush administration both said “Happy Holidays” on the White House cards, but they both also wished the nation a “Merry Christmas” as a whole. Makes you sick, doesn’t it? That is because “happy holidays” originated as a way to express gratitude and courtesy around the Advent. Tradition has not been distorted or perverted, in any case. And compared with five years ago, a growing share of Americans (52%) say it does not matter to them how they are greeted in stores and businesses during the holiday season – whether with “merry Christmas” or a less-religious greeting like “happy holidays”. Merry Christmas OR Happy Holidays? Young observed last year in theL.A. "The phrase "Happy holidays" ignores non-believers, Muslims, Buddists, and a handful of other religions I mentioned and cited in R1." Happy Holidays Vs Merry Christmas . They are not means of converting non-Christians, or denouncing Christ as the reason behind Christmas. Calum Marsh: Language evolves. With all of the chaos going on in the world, that energy should be used to unite the already divided church and love the unchurched. Holiday greetings have been debated for years. America was built on the idea of religious tolerance. Trump has decided to take a less politically correct approach, by boldly proclaiming “Merry Christmas” on the official cards. Perhaps the endurance of these two phrases is due to the pleasant sound they create; charming in ways that “merry holidays” and “happy Christmas” — other than to the English — simply are not. The Advent is a cycle on the Christian calendar that includes not only Christmas Day but the Epiphany on the first Sunday after January first. Andrew McGill December 20, 2016. By a large margin. Happy holidays includes more religions than Merry Christmas, which is why it is better. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Posted by Adam Lockhart With Thanksgiving comes my favorite sporting tradition and no, it’s not watching the Lions get spanked again on national television. Happy Holidays" debate has been a hot topic for a while now. With all of the chaos going on in the world, that energy should be used to unite the already divided church and love the unchurched. The coincidence suggests “merry Christmas” was already common enough parlance in the era, or at least familiar enough that the readers of 19th century England would know what it meant. America was born on Christian beliefs, so if you want to say "happy holidays", go somewhere else. It is a traditionally Christian sentiment. After all, for most other holidays, we use the word "happy." Happy Holidays: Should I Say Either At Work? Well, happiness is agreeable to all sensibilities, even those by which merriment offends. The perennial debate gets a new coat of cheer from Donald Trump. As the centuries elapsed so too did that “a” develop into an “o,” until, in the 16th century, we find the first recorded use of “holy-day” as one word, combined neatly with an “i” into the word we use today. Tags: War on Christmas. Happy Holidays is more general. Subject: Re:Merry Christmas vs Happy Holidays! Christmas trees are enjoyed by many families, not just those who actively attend church. The debate over whether one should say "Merry Christmas" or "Happy holidays" has been going on for decades. We want to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a happy holiday season! For some people, they mean completely different things. Because of this, it has been abandoned by a lot of official institutions, such as governments and schools in the United States. By a large margin. Happy Holidays. Variations include “happy Christmas” and “merry Xmas” (where the “X” stands in for “Christ”). As a practicing Christian, I realize I'm expected to be bothered by the use of "Happy Holidays" in place of "Merry Christmas", but honestly I'm not. "Merry Christmas" vs. "Happy Holidays": A Summary of U.S. Holiday Greetings. The card bears two blank spaces for the names of both sender and recipient and a group of British revellers sharing a toast with glasses of wine at a restaurant table. But even this potted history begins at once to smack of the sort of rhetoric that’s almost as long seemed a boring cliché. When one is speaking of a happy or merry Christmas, the adjectives are lowercase. Is Amazon actually giving you the best price? Merry Christmas Vs. Well of course, it’s all down to “political correctness”. A battle so heated and a rivalry so strong that even the Wolverines and Buckeyes think it is too intense. Well, happiness is agreeable to all sensibilities, even those by which merriment offends. How no-one dares to say “Happy CHRISTMAS” in public anymore? Over the course of the 20th century, the Christmas season has transformed steadily into a commercial enterprise, with malls and department stores leading the consumer-friendly charge. In this case, it has evolved to the point of nondescript, perfunctory salutation. The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown challenges at all of us — including The Michigan Daily — but that hasn’t stopped our staff. Merry Christmas refers, specifically, to the Christmas holiday, celebrated December 25th. The value of conviviality is a lesson Ebenezer Scrooge learns inA Christmas Carol, published in 1843. Merry Christmas vs Happy Holidays What do you say? Happy Holiday vs Happy Holidays Happy holidays is both a written and spoken greeting commonly used before or during the holiday season. An advertisement for a children’s toy store published in the, Hear me out: The kingdoms in the made-for-TV Christmas movies are all at war, The absolutely official, completely objective, not biased at all, definitive ranking of the 'so bad, they're good' Christmas TV movies, How The Holiday makes you glad (and a little sad) to be single at Christmas, tap here to see other videos from our team. People get so bent out of shape and can't accept the fact that Christ's birth should not be taken out of context. “A merry Christmas, Bob!” Scrooge tells Cratchit, upon returning from his night of harrowing revelation. In other words, I was brought up to believe in God, to celebrate Christmas, to worship the baby Jesus and to long to visit Bethlehem and see the special … This season, I want to greet people the way I want to without being afraid of criticism from others. Expressions of greeting and courtesy, “merry Christmas” and “happy holidays” can be thought of as seasonal variations on the usual diplomatic clichés. Isn't that what a lot of people say anyway? Many peopl… Merry Christmas vs. , exempted one from “labour or toil,” hence the evolution of the sense of “holiday” as a vacation or break from work. 'Merry Christmas' versus 'happy holidays': A tale of two expressions, "Would not true faith call for the exaltation of the broader spiritual spread?". Subject: Re:Merry Christmas vs Happy Holidays! See it please check your junk folder interesting theories Merry Xmas ” ( where the X. Psychology and culinary arts to criminal justice and education at imerm @ umich.edu n't that in all Christmas. 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