# 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:** 14\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2013, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-christmas-2013-has-begun/673174/121 "2013-11-17T01:53:30Z")
> [@ctnguy](#): > > …, so “happy holidays” does seem a bit more like political-correctness. I think this is the real problem. Political Correctness and the backlash associated with it. Before everything was PC, i don’t recall anyone getting in a twist if they were wished a Happy Holiday or Merry Christmas. But when the invention of PC language began to infiltrate our lingo, I think many people felt that “Christmas” was being changed to “holidays” for PC’s sake, and that started to irritate people. At least that’s my guess. It seems to fit in with the timeline also, since as many of you have pointed out, “Season’s Greetings” and “Happy Holidays” were perfectly acceptable once upon a time. Merry Christ Mass! - the Zodiac ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2013, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-christmas-2013-has-begun/673174/122 "2013-11-17T03:40:21Z")
I’m not offended by “merry Xmas” or “happy holidays” - I’m just deeply irritated that you so blithely assume that I care about your holiday. My normal response to “Have a good Xmas” is “No.” ---
**Author:** ![coffeecat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coffeecat/32/3405_2.png) [@coffeecat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coffeecat)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2013, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-christmas-2013-has-begun/673174/123 "2013-11-17T14:10:22Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > Nothing against Christmas, but “merry” is such an archaic word. Like “vouchsafe” or “gainsay.” Have a gay Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2013, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-christmas-2013-has-begun/673174/124 "2013-11-17T14:52:27Z")
> [@coffeecat](#): > > Have a gay Christmas. I don’t have a problem with either adjective for Christmas. Indeed these should be times when we can allow anyone to use either modern or archaic terminology. Therefore, I support a gay-merry age. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2013, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-christmas-2013-has-begun/673174/125 "2013-11-17T17:12:15Z")
> [@coffeecat](#): > > Have a gay Christmas. Make the yuletide homosexual. ---
**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:** [November 17, 2013, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-christmas-2013-has-begun/673174/126 "2013-11-17T17:21:25Z")
> [@coffeecat](#): > > Have a gay Christmas. Be sure to burn some faggots on Christmas Eve. ---
**Author:** ![Grestarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grestarian/32/3227_2.png) [@Grestarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grestarian)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2013, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-christmas-2013-has-begun/673174/127 "2013-11-18T02:52:17Z")
Is this the time to highlight the controversial rewriting of the Deck The Halls phrase, “Don we now our gay apparel!” by the Hallmark Stores? [Okay, maybe in a separate thread.] I think Stink Fish Pot is spot-on in his mention of the _spectre of political correctness_ above. I find that ironic because the right-wing seems to chafe under that PC pressure and consider it a left-wing creation. It was originally a right-wing pseudo-policy in reaction to R. Reagan[1] and Dan Quayle[2]\* saying some ludicrously stupid things that hurt the Republican Party’s credibility. It has become a media frenzy and a tool of both the left and the right to distract the public from issues and have us, instead, focus on messages, sound-bites, tweets, and unintended or misunderstood utterances. My neutral phrase has been “Seasonal Greetings” for quite a while, though I also make a point of bringing treats in to work on the days of equinox and solstice. I leave them out and let people partake, without spoiling their enjoyment by explaining why. –G! [1]“I seem to recall that those trees you all want to save…they give off some kind of gas, too.” [2]“To the NAACP! Because a mind is a terrible thing.” ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2013, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-christmas-2013-has-begun/673174/128 "2013-11-18T13:34:53Z")
> [@Grestarian](#): > > Is this the time to highlight the controversial rewriting of the Deck The Halls phrase, “Don we now our gay apparel!” by the Hallmark Stores? How are they rewriting that one? I apparently haven’t noticed. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2013, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-christmas-2013-has-begun/673174/129 "2013-11-18T14:51:15Z")
There’s been a slight kerfuffle about it…Hallmark has an ornament out this year that’s supposed to commemorate the traditional tacky Christmas sweater. The sweater ornament is emblazoned with the phrase “Don we now our fun apparel”. Uh oh. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-christmas-2013-has-begun/673174/130 "2013-11-19T00:19:42Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > It seems everything has to be an issue nowadays, which is, of course, firmly in keeping with those Christian Values. :rolleyes: I got one of those FB things from my niece and I gently reminded her that not everyone is a christian. Don’t you think that she knows that not everybody is a Christian? Would you gently remind a Moslem that not everybody is a Moslem if they wished you a happy Moslem holiday during their holiday times? ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-christmas-2013-has-begun/673174/131 "2013-11-19T01:42:43Z")
I’ve actually met Christians who understand in an intellectual sense that not everyone is Christian but emotionally they don’t get it and on a certain level they don’t really believe it. Then there are the Christians who know everyone isn’t Christian but think they should be, up to an including forcing compliance. ---
**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:** [November 19, 2013, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-christmas-2013-has-begun/673174/132 "2013-11-19T03:01:10Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I also got another notice from the same person saying that she was not going to shop on Thanksgiving, because it means that people won’t be with their families (Costco is the present recipient of the hate). I would expect that a lot of those employees are more than happy to draw double time and eat their turkey on Saturday, and that most of them are volunteering to do so. I told her that I agreed and also pledged not to fly, stay in a hotel, eat at a restaurant, visit the ER, call a cop, or allow my garbage to be collected. Fuck those minimum wage earners and their whole tip-based existence! And they’ll get my garbage when they take it from my cold, bacteria-laden hands! You have garbage collection on Thanksgiving? I’m against Thanksgiving shopping because it just fuels the whole “Black Friday” frothing consumerist mania bullshit. That sort of nonsense with “doorbuster” deals and all of that contributes to situations like actual “door busting” by riled up crowds, injuries/deaths from trampling, fights, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-christmas-2013-has-begun/673174/133 "2013-11-19T04:02:28Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > You have garbage collection on Thanksgiving? > > I’m against Thanksgiving shopping because it just fuels the whole “Black Friday” frothing consumerist mania bullshit. That sort of nonsense with “doorbuster” deals and all of that contributes to situations like actual “door busting” by riled up crowds, injuries/deaths from trampling, fights, etc. Everyone knows that garbage collection is deferred on Thanksgiving. In fact the dump is even [closed on Thanksgiving](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_7C0QGkiVo). 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-christmas-2013-has-begun/673174/134 "2013-11-19T07:16:30Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > How are they rewriting that one? I apparently haven’t noticed. With a really lame [ornament](http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/30/us/hallmark-deck-the-halls-ornament/). Seriously, who would buy that, even apart from the controversy? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-war-on-christmas-2013-has-begun/673174.md?page=6)