# The "War on Christmas 2013" has begun **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 5, 2013, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-christmas-2013-has-begun/673174 "2013-11-05T19:50:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-christmas-2013-has-begun/673174/21 "2013-11-06T00:59:43Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > People should be so excited this year that Chanukah comes around Thanksgiving time so they are free to Merry Christmas themselves to death all December. Yeah, but what about New Years? ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-christmas-2013-has-begun/673174/22 "2013-11-06T01:32:52Z")
> [@the\_diego](#): > > How many times do we have to tell heathens that Merry Christmas is for everyone? > > Are we going to ban “good morning” to acknowledge those on permanent night shift? :rolleyes: I don’t care if someone says Merry Christmas to me. I care that they get up in my face when I say Happy Holidays. **ETA:** I’ve never seen so many people get offended to be wished well. I mean, what the hell, you know? ---
**Author:** ![Pixel\_Dent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bc8723/32.png) [@Pixel\_Dent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixel_Dent)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-christmas-2013-has-begun/673174/23 "2013-11-06T01:48:45Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > People should be so excited this year that Chanukah comes around Thanksgiving time so they are free to Merry Christmas themselves to death all December. Io Saturnalia! ---
**Author:** ![James\_Toothpaste](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e56c9b/32.png) [@James\_Toothpaste](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/James_Toothpaste)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-christmas-2013-has-begun/673174/24 "2013-11-06T02:15:01Z")
Christmas is way too big of a deal. If people are thinking about it before thanksgiving it is too big of a deal. ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-christmas-2013-has-begun/673174/25 "2013-11-06T02:17:41Z")
my brother a very vocal Southern Baptist used to have a “keep Christ in Christmas” sticker on his car. He didn’t like it when I asked him why he didn’t keep “mass” in Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-christmas-2013-has-begun/673174/26 "2013-11-06T02:35:30Z")
After Fox News started promoting the fictional “war on Christmas”, someone pointed out that the [Puritans of seventeenth century Massachusetts ignored Christmas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_in_Puritan_New_England), on the theory that there’s no mention of it in the Bible. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-christmas-2013-has-begun/673174/27 "2013-11-06T04:25:27Z")
So there are Christians who don’t believe in Christmas (or just read the bible poorly.) The explanation to the epiphany will clarify that. ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-christmas-2013-has-begun/673174/28 "2013-11-06T04:42:17Z")
> [@the\_diego](#): > > How many times do we have to tell heathens that Merry Christmas is for everyone? Hint: Start by not calling us heathens. Superb Saturnalia to you, too. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-christmas-2013-has-begun/673174/29 "2013-11-06T04:47:48Z")
I take it back. Jews for one are definitely not considered heathens if you follow Catholic tenets. In other news: The Venezuelan President has officially moved Christmas from December to November. So they’re found in other places, not just in the US. ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-christmas-2013-has-begun/673174/30 "2013-11-06T05:36:01Z")
> [@the\_diego](#): > > So there are Christians who don’t believe in Christmas (or just read the bible poorly.) The explanation to the epiphany will clarify that. I was raised in Church of Christ and we did all the Christmas stuff but did not celebrate it as the birth date of Jesus. Why the Church of Christ does not observe Christmas: [http://www.warnerschapelchurchofchrist.org/bulletin\_articles/122400.htm](http://www.warnerschapelchurchofchrist.org/bulletin_articles/122400.htm) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-christmas-2013-has-begun/673174/31 "2013-11-06T13:31:23Z")
I just ask, “You don’t want to wish me a Happy New Year, too? Why not?” ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-christmas-2013-has-begun/673174/32 "2013-11-06T13:42:34Z")
If they want to “put the Christ back in Christmas”, I’m gonna put the “Thor” back in “Thursday”. ---
**Author:** ![ctnguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@ctnguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ctnguy)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-christmas-2013-has-begun/673174/33 "2013-11-06T13:55:00Z")
Do Americans actually wish people “Merry Christmas” outside, say, the week around Christmas? If someone said “Merry Christmas” to me more than a few days away from the day itself I would think they were weird. ---
**Author:** ![RobDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f07891/32.png) [@RobDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RobDog)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-christmas-2013-has-begun/673174/34 "2013-11-06T13:56:58Z")
I’ll tell you what I’d support a war on; wishing me a Happy or Merry bloody anything before at least December the 15th. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-christmas-2013-has-begun/673174/35 "2013-11-06T14:37:25Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > I replied wondering why people get so butthurt about acknowledging that not everyone is Christian. Pretty much because they were told they should be by Fox News, and for some psychological reason it is extremely easy to get people to feel they being discriminated against. Even when they are the vast majority. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-christmas-2013-has-begun/673174/36 "2013-11-06T15:37:51Z")
What a joke! Christmas now, compared to when I was younger is huge! It starts fully a month earlier than it once did. Back then, maybe Christmas Eve, or day there might be a couple of Xmas movies on tv. Now it starts weeks ahead, every Xmas movie known to man! It’s gotten so big it almost eclipses your Thanksgiving! War on Christmas? If so, Christmas won, in my opinion! ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-christmas-2013-has-begun/673174/37 "2013-11-06T15:46:20Z")
IMHO the Bill O’Reilly Fox News folks have successfully defeated Christmas. It is no longer possible to hear someone say “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays” without detecting an ideological pronouncement, and perhaps even a wary challenge demanding a purity-check response. So, how to respond without causing an antagonistic HRRMMPF and diminishing good cheer? Should we suck our balls up into our body cavities and simply retort, “And to you too.” It is a puzzle that I wish would just go away… ---
**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-christmas-2013-has-begun/673174/38 "2013-11-06T16:35:16Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > Pretty much because they were told they should be by Fox News, and for some psychological reason it is extremely easy to get people to feel they being discriminated against. Even when they are the vast majority. Who’s behind the move to be offended if one doesn’t say “Happy Holidays”? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-christmas-2013-has-begun/673174/39 "2013-11-06T16:52:11Z")
People, the real issue is not whether you support or oppose the War on Christmas. The important thing is that regardless of your feelings about the war, you support the elves. ---
**Author:** ![TheFaerie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c57346/32.png) [@TheFaerie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheFaerie)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2013, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-christmas-2013-has-begun/673174/40 "2013-11-06T17:25:30Z")
I support the elves! And Santa is my homeboy. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-christmas-2013-has-begun/673174.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-christmas-2013-has-begun/673174.md?page=3)