# Does anyone in the USA actually say "happy holidays"? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 22, 2004, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145 "2004-12-22T13:31:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2004, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145/41 "2004-12-22T14:33:15Z")
Many of the people I know take vacation between Christmas and New Years so when I say Happy Holidays I am say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year together. Or Happy Chaunukkahhaunkah and Happy New Year together. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2004, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145/42 "2004-12-22T14:35:14Z")
I used to say “I wish you happiness, good health and prosperity during this joyous season of renewal, whatever your faith and even if you have no faith at all. Here’s a cookie.” But people kept wandering off halfway through the spiel so I just switched to “Happy holidays” and kept the damn cookies for myself. Hah! ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2004, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145/43 "2004-12-22T14:36:48Z")
> [@owlstretchingtime](#): > > Do you actually use this ridiculous expression or is it another euro-myth designed to make you look a bit mad? > > If you do - Shame on you. What on earth do you think you are doing? Christmas offends absolutely no one apart from the offenderati and they’re unappeasable. > > Stop it at once. > > Happy Christmas. Ho Ho Ho. No No No. I won’t get offended if you say to me Merry Christmas, but I will not Merry or Happy any religious holiday. It’s a holiday season, and I’m not going to exclude anyone. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2004, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145/44 "2004-12-22T14:38:17Z")
> [@owlstretchingtime](#): > > Christmas offends absolutely no one apart from the offenderati and they’re unappeasable. Damn skippy on that. And the only flavor of “offenderati” I’ve encountered this year are the assholes who get offended by “Happy Holidays.” There’s just no appeasing those rectal haberdashers. They smugly assume that I don’t know which day I get off every year. But they are, as we shall see, fucking idiots. Hallowe’en My birthday Veteran’s Day Thanksgiving Christmas New Years MLK’s Birthday That’s 7 holidays right there. OK, forget my birthday, no one celebrates that, although everyone should. So 6 holidays, plural. To me, it’s the whole season. Why the fuck should I single out one day out of over two months? Because some politically incorrect limey tells me to? Fuck that noise. And that’s not even incuding the holidays that are celebrated by the people without enough sense to accept the divinity of some possibly mythical kid who was born in a barn to a woman who tried to tell her husband that she was a virgin. And if this offends you – good! Happy Holidays! ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2004, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145/45 "2004-12-22T14:39:19Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > Stop, STOP! Oh, it hurts to laugh this hard! > > **Ferret Herder** , first of all, I’m sure you know - you can’t herd ferrets, no matter how hard you try. Yes you can. One just needs to find the proper motivation. For mine, opening the door to their room herds them nicely. Better than a raisin trail. ---
**Author:** ![mouthbreather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a698b9/32.png) [@mouthbreather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mouthbreather)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2004, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145/46 "2004-12-22T14:42:45Z")
> [@owlstretchingtime](#): > > What’s Kwanzaa? We certainly don’t have that here. (this is a genuine question - I’ve never heard of it) If he gets this torqued by “Happy Holidays”, His head will certainly explode if someone explains Kwanzaa to him. For the love of the soltice, don’t do it. ---
**Author:** ![Jaade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dfb087/32.png) [@Jaade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaade)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2004, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145/47 "2004-12-22T14:43:38Z")
> [@owlstretchingtime](#): > > What’s Kwanzaa? We certainly don’t have that here. (this is a genuine question - I’ve never heard of it) [tike.com - This website is for sale! - tike Resources and Information.](http://www.tike.com/celeb-kw.htm) Kwanzaa Your argument is absolutely silly, but it seems to me that all the Americans on this board can come into this thread and give you the same reasons over and over, and you will still turn it into some anti-American diatribe about how dumb we all are over this supposed PC bullshit. You asked a question, it’s been answered. No, it’s not a PC thing. Many Americans, and I’m sure some of the Americans in this thread even, get tired of the PC schtick. It’s simly that this is NOT an example of political correctness gone astray. We say Happy Holidays because there are MULTIPLE HOLIDAYS at this time of the year. End of story. Get over it. Manny, dammit, I wanted one of those cookies, too! ---
**Author:** ![Jaade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dfb087/32.png) [@Jaade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaade)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2004, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145/48 "2004-12-22T14:45:35Z")
> [@mouthbreather](#): > > If he gets this torqued by “Happy Holidays”, His head will certainly explode if someone explains Kwanzaa to him. For the love of the soltice, don’t do it. sorry, I should have previewed! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2004, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145/49 "2004-12-22T14:45:52Z")
I say “Happy Holidays” at work because when I was younger I said “Merry Christmas” and got bawled out by some guy who didn’t celebrate the holiday and was very irate that I’d assumed he was Christian. With “Happy Holidays!” the implication is “Christmas and New Year’s,” but if you’re like that gentleman it can also imply “The day you’re getting off from work later this week and New Year’s.” ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2004, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145/50 "2004-12-22T14:46:54Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > **Ferret Herder** , first of all, I’m sure you know - you can’t herd ferrets, no matter how hard you try. And secondly, thanks for mentioning Diwali. I know, it’s terribly frustrating. You’re lucky if they listen to you at all, much less decide to be perverse and do the exact opposite of what you want. As for Diwali, I surprised a Hindu coworker of mine by actually knowing some stuff about it. We ended up laughingly comparing the need to make a lot of food and open your doors to family and friends to the same thing done at Thanksgiving in the US. (I’m just glad I didn’t have to cleanse my entire home, though it certainly could use it.) **owlstretchingtime** : [Kwanzaa](http://www.officialkwanzaawebsite.org/). It’s not a religious holiday; it’s cultural and is intended to educate and uplift. **D\_Odds** : Ferretone works nicely, though it’s too messy for your typical herding requirements. ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2004, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145/51 "2004-12-22T14:47:53Z")
I’ve come to the conclusion that we’re going to need a MUCH bigger box and an awful lot more frogs for this one… ---
**Author:** ![LibrarySpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@LibrarySpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LibrarySpy)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2004, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145/52 "2004-12-22T14:48:13Z")
While Happy Holidays is fine by me, I prefer “Seasons Greetings” as offered by my loving companions at CNN. Mainly due to the pretty graphics. Their generic “peace on earth” ads are always nice, too. Since it lasts a season, I think it makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![catsix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19b73/32.png) [@catsix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/catsix)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2004, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145/53 "2004-12-22T14:50:19Z")
I say Happy Holidays just because it covers more than one holiday and it’s quite efficient. If someone is Jewish, Christian, Pagan, or whatnot, it’s very likely that they celebrate a holiday sometime in December and then there’s also the whole American national holiday of New Year’s. It’s not an effort to be non-offensive, just trying to cover the entire season with one phrase. ---
**Author:** ![Exgineer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Exgineer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exgineer)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2004, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145/54 "2004-12-22T14:51:57Z")
> [@owlstretchingtime](#): > > What’s Kwanzaa? We certainly don’t have that here. (this is a genuine question - I’ve never heard of it) It’s a fake “African” holiday invented in the sixties by a member of a militant black-power group as some sort of anti-establishment, anti-whitey political statement. Or something like that. He sold it as African because he didn’t think black people in the US would buy into an alternative winter holiday if they knew it was made up of whole cloth. It’s bullshit, but at this point it’s harmless bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2004, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145/55 "2004-12-22T14:52:02Z")
I’ve had a look at athat Kwanzaa site. I’m going to admit defeat. There simply aren’t enough frogs in the whole wide world for this. You’re all completely Dagenham (it’s two stops past Barking) ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2004, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145/56 "2004-12-22T14:52:34Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Damn skippy on that. And the only flavor of “offenderati” I’ve encountered this year are the assholes who get offended by “Happy Holidays.” What? What kind of a moron would get offended by “Happy Holidays?” ---
**Author:** ![LibrarySpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@LibrarySpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LibrarySpy)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2004, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145/57 "2004-12-22T14:54:51Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > What? What kind of a moron would get offended by “Happy Holidays?” May I present **owlstretchingtime**. ---
**Author:** ![owlstretchingtime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/958977/32.png) [@owlstretchingtime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlstretchingtime)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2004, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145/58 "2004-12-22T14:56:13Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > What? What kind of a moron would get offended by “Happy Holidays?” i’m not offended I just think it makes you look like cheese-whistles. It’s silly - not offensive. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2004, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145/59 "2004-12-22T14:59:31Z")
> [@owlstretchingtime](#): > > i’m not offended I just think it makes you look like cheese-whistles. > > It’s silly - not offensive. Duly noted, chuzzlewit. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2004, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145/60 "2004-12-22T15:03:43Z")
No “Happy Holidays” here either. Happy/Have a good/Merry Christmas is the saying whether you’re talking to Jew, Muslim, Atheist whatever. I’ve never known anyone to take offense. It’s basically shorthand for “enjoy the couple of days on the piss” and not Happy Jesus day. Then again even though Ireland is quite a religious country in my experience it’s more secular that the States when it comes to day to day living. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145.md?page=4)