# It's "Merry Christmas," not "Happy Holidays." **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 2, 2011, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-merry-christmas-not-happy-holidays/604812 "2011-12-02T07:47:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mac\_bolan00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b3f665/32.png) [@mac\_bolan00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mac_bolan00)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-merry-christmas-not-happy-holidays/604812/1 "2011-12-02T07:47:54Z")
christians, jews, and everyone else. if between now and 12:00AM of december 25 you greet someone “happy holidays,” it’s like telling that person “hey, i didn’t see you on thanksgiving, happy thanksgiving. also merry christimas. and in case i don’t see you, happy new year!” one holiday at a time, ok? ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-merry-christmas-not-happy-holidays/604812/2 "2011-12-02T07:50:39Z")
Bzzt. Thanks for playing. If I’m interacting with a stranger, I have no way of knowing whether or not that person celebrates Christmas, Hannukah, Yule, Saturnalia, Kwanzaa, New Year’s, or none of the above. Saying “Happy Holidays” is an inclusive, non-offensive way of communicating that the speaker is aware of the existence of more than one holiday around this time of year. ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-merry-christmas-not-happy-holidays/604812/3 "2011-12-02T07:54:05Z")
Yeah, I was raised catholic and your OP sounds like BS ---
**Author:** ![mac\_bolan00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b3f665/32.png) [@mac\_bolan00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mac_bolan00)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-merry-christmas-not-happy-holidays/604812/4 "2011-12-02T07:55:50Z")
wouldn’t you rather play on proximal date? say, a person of unknown nationality, religion or creed tells you, “hey, we’re celebrating DHFNSD!” the polite remarks would be, “oh, is it today? gosh i didn’t know, happy DHFNSD!” ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-merry-christmas-not-happy-holidays/604812/5 "2011-12-02T08:00:27Z")
In the example in your OP, why would a Jewish person necessarily be expected to say “Merry Christmas”? They certainly don’t say it to each other, although most would say it to Christians out of respect and politeness. And there are other holidays in December, such as Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. It seems to me that “Happy Holidays” is a good, safe catch-all and not even worth ranting about. -1 ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-merry-christmas-not-happy-holidays/604812/6 "2011-12-02T08:04:19Z")
> [@mac\_bolan00](#): > > wouldn’t you rather play on proximal date? say, a person of unknown nationality, religion or creed tells you, “hey, we’re celebrating DHFNSD!” the polite remarks would be, “oh, is it today? gosh i didn’t know, happy DHFNSD!” I don’t exactly know what you’re saying here. However, I’m speaking more along the lines of those encounters you have in the post office or grocery store, exchanging polite pleasantries with the cashier or worker. I’m not going to interrogate strangers about their holiday preferences, so again “Happy Holidays” is a nice, inclusive, non-offensive way to communicate to the person that whatever their holiday preference, I hope they have a happy one. I don’t get why some people get a stick up their ass about the phrase. There are multiple secular and religious holidays celebrated around this time of year, and saying “happy holidays” simply recognizes that fact. ---
**Author:** ![mac\_bolan00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b3f665/32.png) [@mac\_bolan00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mac_bolan00)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-merry-christmas-not-happy-holidays/604812/7 "2011-12-02T08:06:00Z")
> [@](#): > > not even worth ranting about. i think it is because you diminish the individual significances, just because they happen to fall days apart of each other. the cynics will say some were contrived proximal to year-end for that expressed purpose. ---
**Author:** ![anya\_marie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ebca7d/32.png) [@anya\_marie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anya_marie)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-merry-christmas-not-happy-holidays/604812/8 "2011-12-02T08:06:21Z")
First world problems, you fucking crybaby. I don’t give a fuck if someone wishes me “happy holidays” . At least the mean well and are acknowledging that there are many holidays this month. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-merry-christmas-not-happy-holidays/604812/9 "2011-12-02T08:09:29Z")
> [@mac\_bolan00](#): > > i think it is because you diminish the individual significances, just because they happen to fall days apart of each other. the cynics will say some were contrived proximal to year-end for that expressed purpose. Saying nothing at all would be the only way to diminish the significance. Again, I have no idea what the person to whom I am speaking finds important, so using a phrase that communicates “I recognize that there are multiple holidays now and whichever one you recognize, I hope it’s good” is really just politeness. The phrase “Happy Holidays” doesn’t oppress anyone, and doesn’t offend anyone unless that person is looking for a spurious reason to be offended. ---
**Author:** ![mac\_bolan00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b3f665/32.png) [@mac\_bolan00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mac_bolan00)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-merry-christmas-not-happy-holidays/604812/10 "2011-12-02T08:10:32Z")
looks like the only valid excuses i get are ignorance or choosing to be lazy. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-merry-christmas-not-happy-holidays/604812/11 "2011-12-02T08:13:20Z")
> [@mac\_bolan00](#): > > looks like the only valid excuses i get are ignorance or choosing to be lazy. Really, written communication is simply not your strong point. What are you trying to say here? That people who use the phrase “happy holidays” are too lazy to remember that Hannukah lasts from 12/20 to 12/28 so during those times, people should say “Happy Hannukah” unless they are certain they are talking to someone Christian, at which point they should say “Merry Christmas?” Unless the person might be pagan, which should receive a “Blessed Yule?” Manufactured outrage is what you’re going for, I think. ---
**Author:** ![mac\_bolan00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b3f665/32.png) [@mac\_bolan00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mac_bolan00)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-merry-christmas-not-happy-holidays/604812/12 "2011-12-02T08:13:55Z")
> [@Kolga](#): > > Saying nothing at all would be the only way to diminish the significance. Again, I have no idea what the person to whom I am speaking finds important, so using a phrase that communicates “I recognize that there are multiple holidays now and whichever one you recognize, I hope it’s good” is really just politeness. > > The phrase “Happy Holidays” doesn’t oppress anyone, and doesn’t offend anyone unless that person is looking for a spurious reason to be offended. again, lumping them together for the sake of being safe and all-encompassing is not as festive or cheery. being polite or politically correct is a poor exchange to that. and holidays are 99% tradition. what’s the sense in changing things? try this: what does santa say after the “ho! ho! ho?” clue: santa shows up only one day in a year. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-merry-christmas-not-happy-holidays/604812/13 "2011-12-02T08:15:55Z")
“Happy Holidays” is not festive and cheery? Would it be better if the person saying it was throwing glitter in the air? Being polite is ALWAYS in fashion. And speaking of tradition, I can remember people saying “happy holidays” from when I was a child, and I’m in my 40s, so how is that not tradition? ---
**Author:** ![mac\_bolan00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b3f665/32.png) [@mac\_bolan00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mac_bolan00)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-merry-christmas-not-happy-holidays/604812/14 "2011-12-02T08:21:59Z")
i’ll bet there were people saying that 1,000 years ago but it doesn’t improve the logic. try another one: you’re not meeting a stranger, you’re in a strange place where the only day people celebrate is \_\_\_\_(you choose.) you’re well aware of that. what do you say? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-merry-christmas-not-happy-holidays/604812/15 "2011-12-02T08:23:30Z")
“Well, shit, whats the matter with these people?” ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-merry-christmas-not-happy-holidays/604812/16 "2011-12-02T08:28:15Z")
> [@mac\_bolan00](#): > > i’ll bet there were people saying that 1,000 years ago but it doesn’t improve the logic. try another one: you’re not meeting a stranger, you’re in a strange place where the only day people celebrate is \_\_\_\_(you choose.) you’re well aware of that. what do you say? Unfortunately, your “thought experiment” doesn’t really work, does it? In America, there are multiple days that people celebrate around this time of year. Americans celebrate Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, Yule, New Year’s. They are all around this time. You have no way of knowing which of those any given person celebrates, unless you actually know that person. Therefore, because you’re polite and recognize that there are multiple holidays, you create a phrase that expresses that recognition. Voila! “Happy Holidays.” ---
**Author:** ![mac\_bolan00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b3f665/32.png) [@mac\_bolan00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mac_bolan00)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-merry-christmas-not-happy-holidays/604812/17 "2011-12-02T08:30:18Z")
> [@Kolga](#): > > Unfortunately, your “thought experiment” doesn’t really work, does it? In America, there are multiple days that people celebrate around this time of year. Americans celebrate Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, Yule, New Year’s. They are all around this time. You have no way of knowing which of those any given person celebrates, unless you actually know that person. Therefore, because you’re polite and recognize that there are multiple holidays, you create a phrase that expresses that recognition. Voila! “Happy Holidays.” you wanna know something? i know less of hannukah and kwanzaa precisely for that reason. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-merry-christmas-not-happy-holidays/604812/18 "2011-12-02T08:31:20Z")
> [@mac\_bolan00](#): > > you wanna know something? i know less of hannukah and kwanzaa precisely for that reason. You really, really need to work on communication skills. What are you saying? ---
**Author:** ![mac\_bolan00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b3f665/32.png) [@mac\_bolan00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mac_bolan00)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-merry-christmas-not-happy-holidays/604812/19 "2011-12-02T08:38:24Z")
> [@](#): > > You really, really need to work on communication skills …or, just add a couple of sentences for your benefit. this: “happy holidays,” as i mentioned, reduces individual significances. if more people mention “kwanzaa” or “hannukah” expressedly on their respective dayes/time frames, maybe people will notice and understand them more. that’s the problem with collective greetings. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2011, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-merry-christmas-not-happy-holidays/604812/20 "2011-12-02T08:45:17Z")
> [@mac\_bolan00](#): > > …or, just add a couple of sentences for your benefit. this: “happy holidays,” as i mentioned, reduces individual significances. if more people mention “kwanzaa” or “hannukah” expressedly on their respective dayes/time frames, maybe people will notice and understand them more. that’s the problem with collective greetings. There is no problem with collective greetings. You just don’t like phrase “happy holidays” because it, to you, places a lot of other holidays on the same level as Christmas. That offends you, because you want Christmas to be the be-all and end-all of holidays around this time of year, and it’s not. Plenty of people notice and understand Kwanzaa and Hannukah. The collective greeting “happy holidays” doesn’t have anything to do with that. It’s simply a way to communicate that the speaker realizes that multiple holidays are occurring. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-merry-christmas-not-happy-holidays/604812.md?page=2)