# 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:** 9
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145/161 "2004-12-23T16:07:41Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Not quite. One of the (many) times I’ve heard it this year, and in fact the most emphatic way I’ve heard it (other than this thread) was from a very left-wing couple. It’s hard to find people more left-wing than them, and it’s often amusing to see the wife, who is a meek and mild-mannered little slip of a woman, go off on Bush in the most vile and hateful way. > > But they loathe “Happy Holidays” and can speak for hours on how it’s inappropriate. No, it has nothing to do with politics, and probably little to do with religion. It’s simply the whine du jour. What exactly IS the nature of the whine? It’s not like the term is that new. The song has been around for 50 years, for example. I need to know why it is suddenly inappropriate, PC gobbledygook, or anything else. Somebody please explain. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145/162 "2004-12-23T16:09:55Z")
> [@cricetus](#): > > What exactly IS the nature of the whine? It’s not like the term is that new. The song has been around for 50 years, for example. I need to know why it is suddenly inappropriate, PC gobbledygook, or anything else. Somebody please explain. I don’t know. Why did bell-bottoms make a comeback? How did the Spice Girls ever get popular? What’s the square root of a million? The world may never know. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145/163 "2004-12-23T17:42:02Z")
With the help of my handy dandy calculator, I have determined that the square root of a million is 31.623. We can breathe easy now. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145/164 "2004-12-23T18:19:44Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > With the help of my handy dandy calculator, I have determined that the square root of a million is 31.623. We can breathe easy now. You need a new calculator, dude. Or is that the metric equivalent? ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145/165 "2004-12-23T18:29:53Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > You need a new calculator, dude. Or is that the metric equivalent? She just hit the equals button a couple extra times. To make sure she got a _really good_ answer. ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145/166 "2004-12-23T18:43:50Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > She just hit the equals button a couple extra times. To make sure she got a _really good_ answer. That’s a damned lie. She only hit the button one extra time. ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145/167 "2004-12-23T18:48:55Z")
> [@GomiBoy](#): > > Piss on the Euros (Brits especially) if they can’t understand the Happy Holidays is a nice thing to say. > > First we’re too rude, not understanding culture and how sophisticated the Euros are, > > Then we’re too sensitive, by trying to be as inclusive as possible to all faiths in our country, > > Now we’re idiots because we’re just being nice to as many people as possible with one simple statement and trying _ **not** _ to offend anyone! > > Make up your Goddamned minds! **Gomi** while **owl** obviously likes taking the piss and rattling a cage or two (now that is a British tradition) I don’t think he actually attacking Americans. Some places in the world (much of Europe, Britain, Aus, NZ) have the Christian traditions but not so much the Christian faith. Yes there are many religous Christians but more who just follow the traditions. Easter means bunnys and choccy. Christmas means santa and pressies. I am a born and bred atheist. I have never been to church, other then for the odd funeral or wedding in my life and I am not unusual. For some of us saying merry/happy christmas is the same as saying happy holidays. Christmas is just time off work to spend with friends and family and get pressies. God doesn’t enter into it. **Owl’s** attitude may have offended some Americans (or maybe anybody with a strong religous belief) but I don’t believe that saying merry christmas is intended to offend when it comes from a cultural christian (rather then a believer). I don’t think **owl** would be offended if someone said happy hannuka. Ok I won’t speak for him. I personaly wouldn’t care if someone wished me merry christmas, jolly diwalli, happy hannuka or happy Moonie day. I would smile and say thank you. Happy holidays just seems so noncommital. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145/168 "2004-12-23T18:56:41Z")
Nope. If I HAVE to say something about Christmas, I say the actual “Merry Christmas”. Being somewhat of a humbug, I try to avoid the whole thing as much as possible (I don’t mind the actual reason for the season, but the commercialism mass greedyness of late I boycott with a vengeance), But no way in HELL would you catch me using such a stupid fakey, hearty, “hail fellow well met”, designed purposely to be PC and not offend phrase such as “Happy Holidays” It’s the Principle of the thing. Folks are allowed to put just any old vile profanity or situation out there on the idiot box or in other entertainment, or in their normal speech, and if someoen doesn’t like it, well the refrain is "hey, you don’t have a right NOT to be offended, if you don’t like it, don’t listen to me(it, them, that movie etc). So, hell, same thing applies here, don’t like it, don’t listen or look at any “Merry Christmas” messages. Besides, the retail business has done a DAMN fine job of taking Christ our of Christmas, we really don’t need to resort to some idiotic supposed “Happy Holidays” for that. WHICH, brings me to another point, (one I’m sure others have already made, since I’m a johnny come lately to this thread), Ummmmm. Happy \*\*HOLI (Holy)\*\*day? DAMN, we’ve got to change that too, can’t be offending people with the word “Holy” now!!! We’re going to have to say Happy Spending Season" Or, Peppy Present Day" Something like that. The world has gone nuts. ---
**Author:** ![GomiBoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b2d939/32.png) [@GomiBoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GomiBoy)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145/169 "2004-12-23T19:02:39Z")
> [@calm kiwi](#): > > **Gomi** while **owl** obviously likes taking the piss and rattling a cage or two (now that is a British tradition) I don’t think he actually attacking Americans. Obviously you need to practice the rattling cages bit - I was attempting to do the same right back at him :). A little over the top, I admit, but this holiday season has been pretty damn stressful for me and continues to be so for another week at least (my damn girlfriend invited 14 of our most animalistic and pagan friends over for a very-not-holy Christmas day party and food fest, and we have to cater for all of them and sleep quite a few of them as the damn London transport system is effectively shut down!) So I just needed a bit of a vent, and Ol’ Owlie provided a convenient target. I am distinctly \*\*NOT \*\* offended… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145/170 "2004-12-23T19:07:25Z")
> [@CanvasShoes](#): > > But no way in HELL would you catch me using such a stupid fakey, hearty, “hail fellow well met”, designed purposely to be PC and not offend phrase such as “Happy Holidays” The expression far precedes “PC” considerations. Before PC, there was simple civility. I think you’re fundamental cluelessness, and those of others, comes from the very Christocentric belief that it is REALLY Christmas and everyone should acknowledge it and/or celebrate it and just CANNOT GET YOUR ETHNOCENTRIC HEADS around the fact that there are other religions, and athiests, and therefor good reason to simply say, “hey, have a good whatever.” It’s not about PC, but it does reinforce the notion that “PC” is an expression made up by bigots to sully even the most lighthearted gestures of goodwill and decency towards a non-white and non-Christian world. I can’t imagine that the world is now so lacking in pain and misery that a simple “Hey, have a happy… whatever it is you do,” is now a bad thing, a cheap and tawdry trick to make you ashamed of your Christian heritage. Before we know it we’ll have to put Santa hats on snowmen, because goddamned the snowmen anyway, they’re innocuous non-religious icons of winter, PC little fuckers, and I hope they melt. > [@](#): > > WHICH, brings me to another point, (one I’m sure others have already made, since I’m a johnny come lately to this thread), Ummmmm. Happy \*\*HOLI (Holy)\*\*day? Er, yeah. Yay for you looking up a word in the fucking dictionary and siezing on the etymological fallacy – that what a word meant is encoded in what it means now, so that even Flag Day is a “holy day,” all Pagans live in the country, and so on. Holiday: 2. a. A day on which ordinary occupations (of an individual or a community) are suspended; a day of exemption or cessation from work; a day of festivity, recreation, or amusement. (In early use not separable from 1.) ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145/171 "2004-12-23T19:11:06Z")
**cricetus** , I could be mistaken but I think **CanvasShoes** was paroyding the OP. ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145/172 "2004-12-23T19:11:28Z")
> [@GomiBoy](#): > > Obviously you need to practice the rattling cages bit - I was attempting to do the same right back at him :). Hey I’m not a pom, I can’t rattle as well as them. 🙂 I can understand how poms bring out the need to vent though. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145/173 "2004-12-23T19:12:49Z")
> [@cricetus](#): > > That’s a damned lie. She only hit the button one extra time. Okay, this cracks me up. I’m so bad at math I can’t operate a calculator correctly. ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145/174 "2004-12-23T19:15:18Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > **cricetus** , I could be mistaken but I think **CanvasShoes** was paroyding the OP. Damn. I thought that wooshing noise was Santa’s sleigh. ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145/175 "2004-12-23T19:23:09Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > **cricetus** , I could be mistaken but I think **CanvasShoes** was paroyding the OP. You reckon? Shit I agreed wholeheartedly. Sorry if it was a parody **CanvasShoes** but it sounded good to me. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145/176 "2004-12-23T19:24:57Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > What’s the square root of a million? I’m pretty sure it’s a thousand. ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145/177 "2004-12-23T19:33:36Z")
So if my Jewish Coworker says “happy holidays,” is that PC gobbledygook? What if he says, “have a nice weekend?” What if I tell him to drive safely? I mean, just imagine all the inocuous, non-religious social memes we trade daily, and it boggles the mind just what a bunch of pansy-ass faggoty PC snobs we are. ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145/178 "2004-12-23T19:42:14Z")
And if he says Happy Hannukah? Would you die? Or smile and say thanks? ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145/179 "2004-12-23T19:49:49Z")
> [@matt\_mcl](#): > > I’m pretty sure it… That’s right, Matt, the world may never know. ---
**Author:** ![tnetennba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2004, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145/180 "2004-12-23T19:54:02Z")
> [@calm kiwi](#): > > And if he says Happy Hannukah? Would you die? Or smile and say thanks? This isn’t about “Happy Hannukah,” it’s about “Happy Holidays.” The fact that someone could wish someone well with other words is not the evidence I’ve been looking for against “Happy Holidays.” Really, you are the ones casting about for some incredibly trivial thing to be upset about… and telling people what they ought and ought not to say. Isn’t that what PC people are supposed to do? Anyway, Hannakuh is over. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-in-the-usa-actually-say-happy-holidays/281145.md?page=10)