Christmas not Happy Holidays

Further to the last post (and digressing wildly): Cadbury's Caramel Easter Eggs were seen in the window of my local deli on the 17th December. As my (not particularly religious) sister said "not even born yet, and already raising Him from the dead"...
And my 'favourite supermarket in the whole wide world', the 'very lovely' Tesco, currently has shelves groaning under the weight of Mini Eggs and Creme Eggs... I know Easter is early this year, but does anyone know how long chocolate can be stored without going off...?

Forget Christmas, Easter eggs will be in the shops next week, Can't wait for the sales? They started weeks ago, so buy buy buy. What's up with everyone, you don't need it.

My first Christmas in UK was horrible with my work colleagues. I’m Asian and here a minority group. We had a secret Santa and I was keen to get involved as I’d done for years as well as celebrating Christmas itself. I had absolutely no idea that I’d be excluded: ‘For fear of offending me’!
I protest this exclusion, and things were sorted. ( I got a stuffed sheep) ;-)

I just could not understand it, I’m not religious and not Christian, but shared some part of the religious aspect of it with my ex, who is Catholic.

As I’ve lived here, it seems each year this argument pops up from somewhere, and has encouraged me to start a fact finding mission with the group that seems to be blamed for it all: Asians.

From discussion with my Asian friends there are various different viewpoints and I’d like to share these:
1. I celebrate Christmas whether I’m Christian or not. If religiously inclined I go for it.
2. I do not celebrate Christmas as a religious event, but a great opportunity to share time with family, friends, and work colleagues. An opportunity to end the year, festively.
3. I look forward to Christmas because I both give and receive presents.
I’ve not come across anyone that has said that they are against Christmas, nor is anyone aware of someone that would oppose the celebration.

So for me the argument that Christmas is opposed by ethnic minorities does not make sense. I think that the observations that I have made from my Asian friends is reflected in the thoughts of my non-Asian friends.

Christmas is Christmas and will remain Christmas for thousands of years to come. I really cannot see this changing or being ay different.

For those that wish to use happy holidays, that’s great, it is a matter of choice.

I have to say I haven't heard of this revolting expression - thank goodness! What an absolute load of claptrap.

Whether you are religious or not, christian, muslim, hindu, sikh, you can still enter into the spirit of christmas without getting all uptight about the rights or wrongs. I welcome the diverse culture we have in this country, I am no xenophobe, but I feel very strongly indeed that if people of different race, colour and creed come to live in our country, then they must respect, if not accept, our little ways. After all, when we go abroad we rightly are expected to respect the local dress code, restricted alcohol laws, or whatever it may be in that particular country. It doesn't seem to be a two way process though.

Each religion has its own god, and each religion should be allowed to worship their god in their own way - without expecting everyone else to fit in with that way.

Who cares..can't stand this time of year anyway.

Forced to 'be nice it's christmas' when I don't want to be
Got to buy presents for people...spending money I can ill afford
Forced to take some of my annual leave even though I don't celebrate this 'religious' festival

And if I don't do all that I am accused of being a miserable humbug! Well I'm not generally but having this whole thing shoved down my throat when I don't want it is wrong. I'm not a muslim but could you imagine the uproar if everybody was forced to take annual leave etc. during Ramadan?

I too tend to use Happy Holidays/Seasons Greetings to encompass Christmas and New Years in one shot. I don't do it to ignore the Christmas part, I just get tired of writing the same thing in every Christmas card so I try to mix it up. I say Merry Christmas face to face though, as its far more festive. Its all personal preference really and has nothing to do with being PC for me.

I agree that Christmas is totally for adults too! I probably get more joy out of planning, wrapping, and setting up presents than the kids do! I love all the baking, decorating, and family time. My husband dresses as Father Christmas every year (which is completely for himself not the kids because they don't buy it) and we toast with brandy and mince pies at midnight. It sounds so 1950's kitch, but its the only time of year that I get to be over the top. I love the music (religious and not) and every other part of it. I am glad its only once a year though because by January I am well and truly sick of it!

So, on that note, MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Christmas for Adults? Yes. It's for adults if they are the managing director of a company selling stuff around this time of year and then its profit, profit profit and nobody gives a damn. Just for the record this Happy Holidays rubbish hasn't taken off as much as you think. I've only come across it occasionally so not much to worry about yet.

I tend to use 'Happy Holidays’, 'Seasons Greetings', and the like to roll together Christmas and New Year.

The thing that I object to is that we don't have Halloween anymore because we've already started with Christmas.

By the time it gets to the big day, I’ve had enough of the glitter and just want to say ‘Bah!’

Overall, I agree with your comments about political correctness gone mad. Britain is a country with a Christian tradition, a tradition that has helped to shape our nation, including our laws, in so many different ways. It is entirely inappropriate for people in Britain to apologise for traditions and festivals that are Christian in nature. As far as I understand it, the impetus for changing from, to use your example, Happy Christmas to Happy Holidays, comes NOT from ethnic minoriites, but from the politically correct idiotic buffoons in government, particularly local government, who spend their days imagining problems that don't actually exist. I know of a Muslim family who have one of the largest, most brightly lit Christmas trees in the whole street. 'After all', they tell me, 'we as Muslims believe that Jesus was one of a line of prophets that preceded Mohammed and he should be given great respect and his birthday should be celebrated'.

Many local councillors and local civil servants seem to be low in intelligence and there is nothing worse than handing power to idiots.

I do take issue with your comment that Christmas is just for children. It is not. Adults want a bit of fun themselves, and they remember the 'magic' of Christmas - what's wrong when they try to recapture some of that? Absolutely nothing!