Which are "the holidays"?

[Keeves]

Are they...

Thanksgiving and Christmas?
Chanukah and Christmas?
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day?
Christmas and New Year's?

... or what?

Just this morning, I heard on the radio, "It looks like so-and-so will be home for the holidays." That makes it sound like Thanksgiving is not included. But sometimes, people ask "Where did you go for the holidays?", even before New Years arrives.

So what do y'all think?

[David B]

It's whatever holiday is coming up next.

For example, when my mother asks in August or September if my family will be visiting her for "the holidays," she means Rosh Hashana and/or Yom Kippur. If she asks in April or so, she means Passover.

In other words, I think it's rather like a pronoun -- it's assumed that the person you're talking to will know which holidays you mean.

[HeyHomie]

I disagree with David B. I think it's a euphemism that retailers/media personnel/etc. use to avoid having to say "Christmas" and thus offend somebody.

[Keeves]

So you're saying that there's no significance to the plural form? ("holidays")

I can live with that; just wanna know what people think.

[David B]

Rasta is partially right -- such as the example I've been talking about with my son's pre-school calling their program a "holiday" program even though it dealt only with Christmas.

But that's not what I thought the question was about, and I gave my examples to explain.

[TheNerd]

I figured they were hannukah (sp?) and christmas and new years. Or perhaps the word holidays is used because in general, people take off multiple days from work. Couldn't very well just say "the holiday", could you?

[JimStaudt]

I get pissed everytime I open a generic greeting card that says something like "Happy Holidays" or "Seasons Greetings". I wonder how Hallmark has missed the boat all these years, by not creating a truly generic card that said something like "Happy __________"!

THE seasonal holiday, for most of the twentieth century, was Christmas. But of course the Jews couldn't stand being left out, so all of a sudden Chanukah (sp?) started bein promoted. Then of course the negroes couldn't stand it, and they invented "Kwonza" (sp?). The Japs, of course, have been celebrating Pearl Harbour Day for decades. And all of a sudden "Ramadan" (sp?) is gaining in stature.

So, Hallmark, where ARE you?

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Jim Staudt

[pldennison]

Please tell me you don't honestly think those religions invented those holidays in response to Christmas? If you do, you may be one of the single stupidest people ever to type something here.

If you think members of other religions should go away and not interfere with your holiday just because you happen to be Christian, well, you may be one of the single stupidest people ever to type something here.

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"It's my considered opinion you're all a bunch of sissies!"--Paul's Grandfather

[Little Nemo]

The man refers to "negroes" and "Japs" in his post and you have to question whether he is stupid? I think the answer is clear. The real question is whether he is being intentionally offensive or obliviously offensive. Either way is evidence of stupidity but the nuances are different.

[Elmer J. Fudd]

Doesn't the word "holiday" come from "holy day", a day set by a religious establishment? Yet we refer to Independence, Memorial, Veteran's, Labor, etc. days as holidays (let's not forget all those B-days in Jan and Feb!) The English even use it as a synonym for "vacation".

I agree with the pronoun analogy. It's a very loosely used word whose definition can only be infered from the context in which it's used.

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Elmer J. Fudd,
Millionaire.
I own a mansion and a yacht.

[dlv]

Please tell me you don't honestly think those religions invented those holidays in response to Christmas?

As a Jew, yes, I assure you that indeed Chanukah is promoted by American Jews as an answer to Christmas. In most other Jewish communities it's a very minor holiday (ranking lower than the regular Shabbath - Saturday) and does not involve any gift-giving. Nor was it promoted so ostensibly in this country until fairly recently. It was not invented, but just happens to be the closest one to Christmas. If Tisha b'Av were closer to Xmas, I'm sure American Jews would decorate a Tisha b'Av tree and exchange gifts.

Kwanzaa was indeed invented from scratch as the African-American answer to Xmas. Xmas itself was invented by the Christians as an answer to pagan Saturnalia (sp?).

Moslems' calendar works so their holy month of Ramadan rotates through the year. It now concides with Xmas, but in the past it was in the summer (and will migrate there again).

I think that "the holidays" refer to Christmas, Kwanzaa, and Chanukah. You know it's just the pc thing to say. But, do any of you actually say "Happy Holidays" to your loved ones, and friends? Somehow, I doubt it.

Adam

[Gaudere]

Adam, you're back? I thought you said you were gone for good. Did God tell you to come back?

[Liberal]

Oh, wow.

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"It is lucky for rulers that men do not think." — Adolf Hitler

[Cessandra]

The Japs, of course, have been celebrating Pearl Harbour Day for decades.

Do the Japanese actually celebrate Pearl Harbor Day? As in, actual celebration, or more of a rememberance? This sentence right here almost makes me think that JimStaudt's entire post was facetious.

I've always considered "the holidays" to mean all of the holidays from Thanksgiving to New Year's. But that's just me.

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Cessandra

It's frightening how many crazies think that world is going to end in a few days. All of us smart people know that it's not ending until next year.

[the Scarlet Pimpernel]

Well, yes, I actually do say "Happy Holidays" to my loved ones. I consider myself a Pagan, so the "holiday" is Solstice. I also consider myself a Christian, so the "holiday" is Christmas. I have friends who are also both, or one or the other, or neither. So "Happy Holidays" is the only thing that cuts it, in my case.
And before I get flamed by Christians and/or Pagans on the board, let me add that I also consider myself a Hindu, and a Taoist. In short, Im just weird, and it wont do any good to try and argue me out of it.



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Where are we going and what am I doing in this handbasket?

Scarlet: Your response made me realize something. I will wish someone a happy Chanukah, or Ramadan...etc. if I'm talking to them, even though I celebrate Christmas. I guess for me, "holidays" is way too vague. So, I say "Merry Solstice" to you Scarlet.

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"Life is hard...but God is good"

[dlv]

Do the Japanese actually celebrate Pearl Harbor Day?

When I was in Hawaii, I checked out USS Arizona... Almost all the tourists looked Japanese, and they seemed to be having a good time (snapping pictures and laughing). Can anyone confirm how "the day that'll live in infamy" is marked in Japan?

[C K Dexter Haven]

Endorsing dlv's response.

Chanukah was "invented" around 160 BC, so predates Christmas by a considerable amount. However, the gift-giving and decorations are clearly a response to the glitter and fantasy of American Christmas and the commercial aspects thereof.

Ramadan comes out on a lunar calendar that is not adjusted for the solar year, so comes out about 11 days earlier each solar year, and thus rotates through the seasons.

The expression "happy holidays" is partly to avoid offending anyone by wishing them a happy/merry wrong-holiday.

But partly, let's face it, three major U.S. (federal or bank) holidays fall within five weeks of each other -- Thanksgiving, Christamas, and New Years. Days when most business and offices and banks are closed. The holidays come all bunched together in a clump... next real holiday isn't until Memorial Day (end of May).

So the whole December period is called "holidays."

[AWB]

CKDextHavn: But partly, let's face it, three major U.S. (federal or bank) holidays fall within five weeks of each other -- Thanksgiving, Christamas, and New Years. Days when most business and offices and banks are closed. The holidays come all bunched together in a clump... next real holiday isn't until Memorial Day (end of May).

There're 3 that you forgot: Presidents' Day, Martin Luther King Day (or Lee/Jackson/King Day here in Virginny), and Vetrans' Day.

This season is the first that I have had/will have the last two off. Usually, Vetrans' was "moved" to the day after Thanksgiving.

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I looked in the mirror today/My eyes just didn't seem so bright
I've lost a few more hairs/I think I'm going bald - Rush

[the Scarlet Pimpernel]

Thank you very much, ARG220. In my part of the globe, the sun is setting as I type, so I would like to wish a very blessed Solstice to one and all here at the SDMB (I'll be back in a few days to do the Christmas thing).
Remember new beginnings and the love and care of the Almighty.

[Flypsyde]

There's a couple of smaller holidays that, to my limited Lutheran knowledge, aren't celebrated very heavily.
[list][*]Thanksgiving[*]Advent[*]Chanukah[*]Christmas[*]Kwanzaa[*]Boxing Day[*]New Year's[*]Epiphany

I know Boxing Day isn't a religious holiday, but it's still in the season. I'd always assumed these were the multiple holidays that made up the "holiday season."

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"And he, he himself, the Grinch,
carved the roast beast."

[Kyla]

Just a little addition: I spent last Chanukkah in Israel, where it was very much celebrated. Not as much as, say, Pesach or Yom Kippur, but I did get a day off school and there was a sort of 'festive' feeling in the air. Chanukkiot in shop windows downtown, people eating sufganyiot - it was really nice. To say that it's not as important as Shabbatim is wrong. (But it was no bigger than say, Lag b'Omer, which probably very few of you out there have even heard of.)

Also, the idea of 'celebrating' Tisha b'Av rather frightens me. "Yay, yay, it's Tisha b'Av! My favorite holiday!" It'd never happen. I hope.



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~Kyla

"You couldn't fool your mother on the foolingest day of your life if you had an electrified fooling machine."

[dlv]

Would we ever celebrate Lag B'Omer by cutting down a healhty tree, decorating it for a few days, and then trashing it? I hope not!

[dlv]

P.S.

Chanukkah in Israel ... very much celebrated. Not as much as, say, Pesach or Yom Kippur, but I did get a day off school

Just one day off for an 8-day holiday?

Since you know this first-hand, can you please tell us,

1) Do Israelis exchange "Chanukah gifts"?

2) Is it true that non-religous Israelies wish each other "Happy Yom Kippur"?

Thx