# It's "Merry Christmas," not "Happy Holidays."
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-merry-christmas-not-happy-holidays/604812
**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:** 12
### Author:  [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2011, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-merry-christmas-not-happy-holidays/604812/221 "2011-12-04T13:11:27Z")
“Happy Holidays” is not nearly as offensive as the Christians who disrespect and cheapen Christmas by celebrating it for 2–3 months out of the year and then ditching it before New Year’s, rather than anticipating it during Advent and celebrating it from Dec. 25th through Epiphany as they’re supposed to.
Of course, I’m an unrepentant pagan who has been celebrating secular, Jesus-free Christmases my entire life, so what do I know?
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### Author:  [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2011, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-merry-christmas-not-happy-holidays/604812/222 "2011-12-04T13:26:46Z")
> [@rachelellogram](#):
>
> Once, just once, I’d like to be wished “Happy Hibernation.” Preferably by my boss. I would go to sleep after Thanksgiving dinner and sleep through Black Friday, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and wake up at 5pm on New Year’s Eve. Enough time to eat a honkin’ dinner, then get drunk for 8 solid hours with the rest of the civilized world.
This is a brilliant idea.
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### Author:  [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2011, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-merry-christmas-not-happy-holidays/604812/223 "2011-12-04T15:14:38Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#):
>
> At one of my previous retail jobs, we were required- not requested, but _required_- to answer the phone at Christmas time with "Merry Christmas, [Companyname/Store].
>
> Do you know how many customers complained about this?
>
> None.
>
> So yeah, I’m glad this whole “Merry Christmas vs Happy Holidays” thing is largely confined to the US.
For reference the ENTIRETY of the “‘Merry Christmas vs Happy Holidays’ thing” is created by people who object to others saying “Happy Holidays”. I have never in my life seen a single person get in someone’s face in person about hearing “Merry Christmas”, but I have personally been browbeaten for saying “Happy Holidays” or “Season’s Greetings”, or for responding to “Merry Christmas” with “and Happy Hanukkah”.
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### Author:  [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2011, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-merry-christmas-not-happy-holidays/604812/224 "2011-12-04T17:02:56Z")
There were a couple of blowhards on this board who admitted to (were even proud of) berating store clerks for saying “Merry Christmas,” and/or playing even innocuous secular seasonal songs (one of them insisted on calling songs like “Let it Snow,” “worship music.”
So yeah, there are people who are OMG offended (how dare you!) by “Merry Christmas” but the offenderati are a lot more organized and bullying around “Happy Holidays,” having threatened stores with boycotts, etc. Apparently to these people the whole thing is just ruined if Walmart says “Happy Holidays” to the Jewish shoppers when they ring up the crappy merch made by slave child labor in China.
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### Author:  [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2011, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-merry-christmas-not-happy-holidays/604812/225 "2011-12-04T17:10:43Z")
> [@tnetennba](#):
>
> There were a couple of blowhards on this board who admitted to (were even proud of) berating store clerks for saying “Merry Christmas,” and/or playing even innocuous secular seasonal songs (one of them insisted on calling songs like “Let it Snow,” “worship music.”
Love to see your cite for that, **tnetennba**.
I’m probably going to want to point and laugh at someone later this week.
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### Author:  [@tnetennba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tnetennba)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2011, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-merry-christmas-not-happy-holidays/604812/226 "2011-12-04T17:21:22Z")
I can’t find the threads, so you can point and laugh at me if you want to. I remember in particular mentioning “let it snow” as an example of a song that is just a winter song (as well Frosty and some others) and the person insisting on calling them “worship music,” since they were casually associated with Christmas.
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### Author:  [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2011, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-merry-christmas-not-happy-holidays/604812/227 "2011-12-04T17:25:35Z")
**tnetennba** I just want to say that I love your name. I actually gave the friend who introduced me to The IT Crowd a chrome box containing the internet along with the instructions from the Elders Of The Internet.
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### Author:  [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2011, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-merry-christmas-not-happy-holidays/604812/228 "2011-12-04T21:21:24Z")
I like “Happy Holidays.” I don’t even mind “Merry Christmas.” But today at Safeway, every single checkstand had a sign that said in large black letters:
**Happy Holliday’s!**
If we want to get incensed about something, I suggest we start with this abomination.
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### Author:  [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2011, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-merry-christmas-not-happy-holidays/604812/229 "2011-12-04T22:00:32Z")
I think it’s safe to say that sign would in fact make baby jesus cry.
“Happy Holidays” means “enjoy whatever holidays you happen to observe, and or just the general merriment of the season”. I’ll never understand what’s objectionable about that.
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### Author:  [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2011, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-merry-christmas-not-happy-holidays/604812/230 "2011-12-04T22:02:51Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#):
>
> At one of my previous retail jobs, we were required- not requested, but _required_- to answer the phone at Christmas time with "Merry Christmas, [Companyname/Store].
>
> Do you know how many customers complained about this?
>
> None.
>
> So yeah, I’m glad this whole “Merry Christmas vs Happy Holidays” thing is largely confined to the US.
The argument is against “Happy Holidays” or “Season’s Greetings”, not against “Merry Christmas”. You misunderstand the issue.
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### Author:  [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)
#### Post date: [December 4, 2011, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-merry-christmas-not-happy-holidays/604812/231 "2011-12-04T22:06:24Z")
> [@SpoilerVirgin](#):
>
> I like “Happy Holidays.” I don’t even mind “Merry Christmas.” But today at Safeway, every single checkstand had a sign that said in large black letters:
>
> **Happy Holliday’s!**
>
> If we want to get incensed about something, I suggest we start with this abomination.
Don’t you know about Holliday’s law that states that the more PC you try to be, the more likely you are to make an ass of yourself? Maybe that’s what they were referring to.
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### Author:  [@mac\_bolan00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mac_bolan00)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2011, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-merry-christmas-not-happy-holidays/604812/232 "2011-12-05T00:12:57Z")
> [@tnetennba](#):
>
> Marc Bolan = lead singer and guitarist of glam band T Rex (one of my favorite classic rock era bands). He’s been very influential as a vocalist, particularly on Michael Hutchence, Daniel Ash, and Brandon Flowers (among many others)
>
> Mac Bolan = hero of military action book series that are escapist getaways for adolescent boys harboring latent homosexual and/or Nazi tendencies. Utter shite read by morons.
>
> The R makes all the difference.
the second one has a k to his name, mack samuel bolan, and he’s of italian descent.
merry christmas and a happy zyklon-B to all of you.
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### Author:  [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2011, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-merry-christmas-not-happy-holidays/604812/233 "2011-12-05T00:22:05Z")
> [@drewtwo99](#):
>
> Don’t you know about Holliday’s law that states that the more PC you try to be, the more likely you are to make an ass of yourself? Maybe that’s what they were referring to.
Uh, the abomination was the apostrophe.
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### Author:  [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2011, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-merry-christmas-not-happy-holidays/604812/234 "2011-12-05T00:28:55Z")
> [@YoDoc](#):
>
> All of them!
What religion has a major holiday? Hanukkah isn’t major. Kwanzaa isn’t religious.
Winter Solstice? Who does that besides a few weirdos? 😉
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### Author:  [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2011, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-merry-christmas-not-happy-holidays/604812/235 "2011-12-05T00:52:22Z")
> [@CitizenPained](#):
>
> What religion has a major holiday? Hanukkah isn’t major. Kwanzaa isn’t religious.
>
> Winter Solstice? Who does that besides a few weirdos? 😉
Wait, why does it have to be religious? Why does it have to be a major holiday? It’s not for “Christmas or its equivalent,” it’s just a broader, more inclusive phrase.
“Merry Christmas” = “Happy Dec. 25th”
“Happy Holidays” = “Happy end-of-year fesitval period, relevant subsection thereof.”
Why is this so difficult to grasp? It’s not an attempt to avoid saying the Ch-word, it’s an attempt to be nice to everyone, whether Christian or not. Some of you just can’t stand the fact that we know about Jesus, but don’t worship him. Get over it.
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### Author:  [@mac\_bolan00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mac_bolan00)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2011, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-merry-christmas-not-happy-holidays/604812/236 "2011-12-05T01:42:00Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#):
>
> Wait, why does it have to be religious? Why does it have to be a major holiday? It’s not for “Christmas or its equivalent,” it’s just a broader, more inclusive phrase.
>
> “Merry Christmas” = “Happy Dec. 25th”
> “Happy Holidays” = “Happy end-of-year fesitval period, relevant subsection thereof.”
>
> Why is this so difficult to grasp? It’s not an attempt to avoid saying the Ch-word, it’s an attempt to be nice to everyone, whether Christian or not. Some of you just can’t stand the fact that we know about Jesus, but don’t worship him. Get over it.
first of all, many christians treat christmas as a season, not just a one-day celebration. some start celeberating as early as september (where i am right now christmas is already three months old.) so the page-1 idiots who say “merry christmas” is reserved for the 25th of december are aptly named. your second point is correct, i never contested it. now back to my point: i like hearing “merry christimas,” if only on the eve. giving the precise greeting is not an invitation to worship. as many pointed out, the celebration can be as secular as you want it.
some say this HH collective greeting is just another jewish plot but i’m not thinking of it that way. some idiot started it and it was taken on by more idiots. what i do object to is the excuse that people just want to be “nice” to everyone (everyone except merry christmas fans like me.) not everyone is stupid enough to believe that’s the only reason for sticking to HH.
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### Author:  [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2011, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-merry-christmas-not-happy-holidays/604812/237 "2011-12-05T01:45:40Z")
Happy Holidays **mac\_bolan00**!
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### Author:  [@mac\_bolan00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mac_bolan00)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2011, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-merry-christmas-not-happy-holidays/604812/238 "2011-12-05T01:51:16Z")
same to you and a merry christmas to you and your family.
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### Author:  [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2011, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-merry-christmas-not-happy-holidays/604812/239 "2011-12-05T02:14:46Z")
> [@mac\_bolan00](#):
>
> … happy zyklon-B to all of you.
You seem to be such an extraordinarily foul person that splitting hairs over Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays seems pretty irrelevant.
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### Author:  [@mac\_bolan00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mac_bolan00)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2011, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-merry-christmas-not-happy-holidays/604812/240 "2011-12-05T02:21:27Z")
well, the moron was being disrespectful of my idol mack bolan (note the underlined portion of his post.) he got what he deserved.
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