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Which do you say to people?
Merry Christmas 15 (75%)
Seasons Greetings 0 (0%)
Happy Holidays 2 (10%)
Happy Christmas 2 (10%)
Happy Hanukkah 0 (0%)
None/Kwanzaa 1 (5%)
Total Votes: 20
{Insert seasonal salutation here}; Which do you say?
Topic Started: Dec 7 2007, 07:56 AM (387 Views)
Aqua Letifer
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ZOOOOOM!
Where'd we come up with this stuff? Mostly greeting cards, it seems!


Happy Holidays
Advocates of the phrase view it as an inclusive and inoffensive phrase that does not give precedence to one religion or occasion. Critics view it as an insipid alternative to "Merry Christmas", and view it as diminishing the role of Christianity in Christmas, or part of an alleged secular "War on Christmas". Others consider the controversy to be itself hysterical.

Merry Christmas
The first known usage of any Christmastime greeting, "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year" (thus incorporating two greetings) was in an informal letter written by an English admiral in 1699. The same phrase appeared in the first Christmas card, produced in England in 1843, and in the popular secular carol "We Wish You a Merry Christmas." The then relatively new term "Merry Christmas" figured prominently in Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol in 1843. The continued popularity of A Christmas Carol and the Victorian era Christmas traditions it typifies have led some to credit Dickens with popularizing, or even originating, the phrase "Merry Christmas

Happy Christmas
The alternative "Happy Christmas" gained wide usage in the late 19th century, and is still common in the United Kingdom and Ireland. One reason may be the alternative meaning, still current there, of "merry" as "tipsy" or "drunk". Queen Elizabeth II is said to prefer "Happy Christmas" for this reason. In American poet Clement Moore's "A Visit from St. Nicholas", the final line, originally written as "Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night", has been changed in many editions to "Merry Christmas to all", perhaps indicating the relative popularity of the phrases in the United States.

Season's Greetings
"Season's Greetings" is a greeting more commonly used as a motto on winter season greeting cards than as a spoken phrase. In addition to "Merry Christmas", Victorian Christmas cards bore a variety of salutations, including "Compliments of the Season" and "Christmas Greetings." By the late 19th century, "With the Season's Greetings" or simply "The Season's Greetings" began appearing. By the 1920s it had been shortened to "Season's Greetings," and has been a greeting card fixture ever since. Several White House Christmas cards, including U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower's 1955 card, have featured the phrase.
I cite irreconcilable differences.
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The 89th Key
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I don't say any of them.

If anything, I'll respond with "Thanks you too" regardless of their greeting.
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kenny
HOLY CARP!!!
The 89th Key
Dec 7 2007, 07:57 AM
I don't say any of them.

If anything, I'll respond with "Thanks you too" regardless of their greeting.

Me too.

Don't want to push anything on people.
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Aqua Letifer
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ZOOOOOM!
The 89th Key
Dec 7 2007, 07:57 AM
I don't say any of them.

If anything, I'll respond with "Thanks you too" regardless of their greeting.

Yeah me too. When I get those annoying folks in the malls or on the metro passing crap out saying "Season's Greetings!" to everyone, sometimes I'm inclined to reply with a "Happy Kwanzaa" or "Good Winter's Vale." ^_^
I cite irreconcilable differences.
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The 89th Key
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kenny
Dec 7 2007, 11:08 AM
The 89th Key
Dec 7 2007, 07:57 AM
I don't say any of them.

If anything, I'll respond with "Thanks you too" regardless of their greeting.

Me too.

Don't want to push anything on people.

It's not that I'm avoiding offending people...it's that I just don't care.

Honestly!
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John D'Oh
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MAMIL
Does 'f*** off' count as 'other'?
What do you mean "we", have you got a mouse in your pocket?
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Mikhailoh
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If you want trouble, find yourself a redhead
Tis time of year it is more likely to be 'Move it or get it off the road!' or 'What shade of green do you want, you moron?!?!'

Someday they will come up with a drug for Type A drivers like me. I let them use my road. You'd THINK that was enough.
Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead - Lucille Ball
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Aqua Letifer
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ZOOOOOM!
John D'Oh
Dec 7 2007, 08:13 AM
Does 'f*** off' count as 'other'?

I had EXACTLY that for "other," but changed it because I thought that might have been a bit over the top. :lol:
I cite irreconcilable differences.
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musicasacra
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HOLY CARP!!!
I say "Merry Christmas."

I appreciate it when I'm out at stores or such, and people aren't afraid to say "Merry Christmas" to me.
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jon-nyc
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Cheers
I don't say any of these, and I don't hear any of these either.

Who really walks around saying this kind of stuff? And in what social contexts?

In my defense, I was left unsupervised.
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kenny
HOLY CARP!!!
jon-nyc
Dec 7 2007, 09:26 AM
I don't say any of these, and I don't hear any of these either.

Who really walks around saying this kind of stuff?  And in what social contexts?

Living in the Bible belt, or having that kind of social circle.
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The 89th Key
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You know...friendly people. :angel:
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pianojerome
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HOLY CARP!!!
musicasacra
Dec 7 2007, 01:23 PM
I say "Merry Christmas."

I appreciate it when I'm out at stores or such, and people aren't afraid to say "Merry Christmas" to me.

But do store clerks and waiters wish you "Happy Chanukah"?

(They shouldn't, IMO. I mean, you don't celebrate Chanukah.)
Sam
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RosemaryTwo
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HOLY CARP!!!
People tend to say Merry Christmas when doing Christmasey things: buying a tree, buying Christmas cards, ordering a cake for 12/25.

In these situations, I say Merry Christmas.

Otherwise I am too good to talk to strangers.

Joke.

The last part was a joke.

Sort of.
"Perhaps the thing to do is just to let stupid run its course." Aqua
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pianojerome
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HOLY CARP!!!
jon-nyc
Dec 7 2007, 01:26 PM
I don't say any of these, and I don't hear any of these either.

Who really walks around saying this kind of stuff? And in what social contexts?

In the midwest, store clerks, waiters, and teachers say these things quite often. It's also heard on T.V., by advertisers, anchors, and show characters. And companies send out cards to their clients, and ads in magazines and newspapers wish "Happy Holidays" or "Merry Christmas" or "Season's Greetings" to all of their readers.
Sam
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Aqua Letifer
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ZOOOOOM!
The 89th Key
Dec 7 2007, 09:46 AM
You know...friendly people. :angel:

If trite and empty well-wishing is all it takes to be friendly, then sure there's some right friendly folks around here.
I cite irreconcilable differences.
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kenny
HOLY CARP!!!
Aqua Letifer
Dec 7 2007, 09:53 AM
The 89th Key
Dec 7 2007, 09:46 AM
You know...friendly people. :angel:

If trite and empty well-wishing is all it takes to be friendly, then sure there's some right friendly folks around here.

Wait a minute.
Saying these things is not necessarily trite or empty.

Some people really mean it from the heart.
When that is the case I think this season is a good thing.

I think what is in a person's heart is more important than the outward details.


Someone here once told me they are sure I'm going to heaven since I used to be a Christian.
He/she meant well (even though it is actually an insult to say their religion is so right that it applies to everyone and overrides everyone else's beliefs or lack thereof) and I took it as a postive thing from his/her heart.
On one hand I think more highly of the person for their expression of love, even thought I feel he/she is misinformed.
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ivorythumper
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I am so adjective that I verb nouns!
"May all the nice feelings conventionally associated with this time of the year be yours, if you want them".
The dogma lives loudly within me.
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kenny
HOLY CARP!!!
ivorythumper
Dec 7 2007, 10:02 AM
"May all the nice feelings normally associated with this time of the year be yours, if you want them".

That would make a EXCELLENT card.

I'd buy a few boxes and mail them out.

Thanks, I got a new sigline.
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Aqua Letifer
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ZOOOOOM!
kenny
Dec 7 2007, 09:56 AM

Wait a minute.
Saying these things is not necessarily trite or empty.

Some people really mean it from the heart.
When that is the case I think this season is a good thing.

I think what is in a person's heart is more important than the outward details.


Someone here once told me they are sure I'm going to heaven since I used to be a Christian.
He/she meant well (even though it is actually an insult to say their religion is so right that it applies to everyone and overrides everyone else's beliefs or lack of) and I took it as a postive thing from his/her heart.
On one had I think more highly of the person, even thought I feel he/she is misinformed.

Oh I know that, I even posted something earlier about how this season seems to make everyone a little bit nicer towards each other. I was just replying to 89th's backhanded comment with snarkiness.
I cite irreconcilable differences.
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Phlebas
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Bull-Carp
"Yuletide felicitations"

or

"May a rabid holyman bless your nether regions with a powertool."
Random FML: Today, I was fired by my boss in front of my coworkers. It would have been nice if I could have left the building before they started celebrating. FML

The founding of the bulk of the world's nation states post 1914 is based on self-defined nationalisms. The bulk of those national movements involve territory that was ethnically mixed. The foundation of many of those nation states involved population movements in the aftermath. When the only one that is repeatedly held up as unjust and unjustifiable is the Zionist project, the term anti-semitism may very well be appropriate. - P*D


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Aqua Letifer
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ZOOOOOM!
Phlebas
Dec 7 2007, 10:09 AM
"Yuletide felicitations"

or

"May a rabid holyman bless your nether regions with a powertool."

:lol:
I cite irreconcilable differences.
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John D'Oh
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MAMIL
"Remember the Alamo"

It works pretty well for me, and also ensures that people remember to return their rental car in a timely fashion so that those people who work in rental car offices can go and get horrendously drunk like the rest of us, without having to wait for the return of the car that never comes until Boxing Day.
What do you mean "we", have you got a mouse in your pocket?
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The 89th Key
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Aqua Letifer
Dec 7 2007, 01:04 PM
kenny
Dec 7 2007, 09:56 AM

Wait a minute.
Saying these things is not necessarily trite or empty.

Some people really mean it from the heart.
When that is the case I think this season is a good thing.

I think what is in a person's heart is more important than the outward details.


Someone here once told me they are sure I'm going to heaven since I used to be a Christian.
He/she meant well (even though it is actually an insult to say their religion is so right that it applies to everyone and overrides everyone else's beliefs or lack of) and I took it as a postive thing from his/her heart.
On one had I think more highly of the person, even thought I feel he/she is misinformed.

Oh I know that, I even posted something earlier about how this season seems to make everyone a little bit nicer towards each other. I was just replying to 89th's backhanded comment with snarkiness.

I'd reply with "That's funny" but you couldn't hear me not laugh, which would be the whole point. :biggrin:
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Aqua Letifer
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ZOOOOOM!
The 89th Key
Dec 7 2007, 10:16 AM

I'd reply with "That's funny" but you couldn't hear me not laugh, which would be the whole point. :biggrin:

:lol:

The new one is people who say "yeah, that's interesting" when they're looking at something else and didn't even hear what you said.
I cite irreconcilable differences.
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