Happy *Holidays,* damn it!

[liz_marcs]

Scene: Our Heroine is buying her X-tra Large Dunkin' Donuts Hazelnut Decaf at her local crack joint Dunkin' Donuts. There is one woman behind her who is in her 40s. There's a cute little thing behind the counter in her 20s sporting a nifty Russian accent.

Our Heroine (OH): [accepting coffee] Thank you, thank you, thank you. It's *brrrrrr* out there.

Cute Little Russian Server (CLRS): Yes. It is the time of year.

OH: [hands over money] I hope you've got a good holiday planned.

CLRS: [smiles wide] Yes, it's going to be much fun. You have good holiday, too!

Woman Behind Me (WBM): It's Christmas!

OH: [mumbling under my breath] ...And Hanukkah and Kwanza and Yule...

WBM: Jesus is the reason for the season.

CLRS: [runs and hides]

OH: [throws big tip in tip jar because she feels embarassed] Mithras. Mithras is the reason for the season.

WBM: What?!?

OH: [really doesn't know when to shut up] Christians were in competition with the cult of Mithras and adopted his holy day for the feast day for Jesus' birth. So, really, Mithras is the reason for the season. Not Jesus. Sorry.

WBM: We celebrate Christmas.

OH: ...And Hanukkah and Kwanza and Yule...lot of religious and ethnic people have always picked this time of year to party because the days are so dark and cold, so, ummm, not just Christmas. Everyone's gotta a party around this time.

WBM: [broken record now] We celebrate Christmas.

OH: You celebrate Christmas. Other people? Not necessarily.

WBM: I'm not going to argue with you.

Our Heroine thinks: But I didn't even start it!


Fucking O'Reilly and his damn War on Christmas bullshit. If I end up working at Borders before Christmas, I just know I'm going to get shit from a customer for saying "Happy Holidays."

Well, I get shit from at least one customer every year for saying "Happy Holidays," but duuuuuude. Unless you're carrying a sign saying "I celebrate Christmas," I'm not going to assume anything. Hello? Retail? Deal with a lot of people from all walks of life? Hello?

This is the first time that another customer decided to "set me straight." *headdesk* Did it never occur to this twink that maybe I might be Jewish? Or Pagan? Or what about that Cute Little Russian Girl behind the counter? She could've been Jewish. Or Pagan. Instead, Warrior Woman behind me hopped all over my ass because she thought I was pissing on her religion. I wasn't even talking to her.

I mean, what the hell is wrong with "Happy Holidays?" I like Happy Holidays. It doubles my chances of getting invited to some cool parties by people who don't celebrate Christmas. "Happy Holidays" makes me feel warm and fuzzy because, to me, it includes my B-day, Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year's, Mom's B-day, and Martin Luther King Day. It's a whole season wrapped up by two little words and everyone gets to join in on the fun.

Plus, for heaven's sake, I live in an area with a significant Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, and Pagan population. I can't assume that anyone I talk to is, in fact, a Christian, because I've got a really good shot at being wrong.

If I ever see O'Reilly or any of his Fox scaremongers on the street, I will kick their ass for this bullshit. With everything else that's going wrong in this country, they're beating the war drums over something as inane as how people refer to the last week in December.

I think we've got more important crap to deal with than trying to bully every single person and business in the good ol' U.S. of A. into calling December 25 "Christmas." Don't you?

So, on that note, Happy Holidays, damn it!

*pant pant pant*

Thank you. I needed to get that off my chest.


ETA: Nifty new Holiday icon by the_red_shoes.

Another ETA: Jon Stewart has some choice words for Bill O'Reilly about this "War on Christmas" idiocy, especially since Bill O'Reilly decided to name Jon Stewart (who doesn't even celebrate Christmas) one of the "enemies of Christmas" and used a 6-second clip from The Daily Show that aired December 2004 to "prove" it.

Comments

[faithhopetricks.livejournal.com]

OH: [throws big tip in tip jar because she feels embarassed] Mithras. Mithras is the reason for the season.

((fangrrls you in abject worship))

[liz-marcs.livejournal.com]

The scary thing is, I learned that in my Catholic High School. I even linked to the Catholic Encyclopedia in my post.

Ain't no one going to say I'm making Mithras up.

[taerowyn.livejournal.com]

Hee....

I just came to this from reading this. I'm repressing my urge to link to yours as a comment to the above, mainly because of the petty spite that it would bring to your journal.

I'd say O'Reilly and his listeners need to pick an issue that actually matters, but somehow I'd rather have them waste all their energy on something stupid like this than something that really counts in the grand scheme of things.

[liz-marcs.livejournal.com]

Please link it.

I don't care if I get petty spite for it.

As far as I'm concerned, anyone who gets their back up over Holiday vs. Christmas doesn't have enough shit to worry about in their lives. And it also shows a very "all about meeeeeee" mindset. If you tell me you want to be wished a Merry Christmas, I will wish you a Merry Christmas because it's no skin off my nose to recognize your religious holiday.

But I ain't going assume that everyone is a Christian. I just won't do it.

[thirdgorchbro.livejournal.com]

Somebody needs to make a "Mithras is the reason for the season" icon.

[liz-marcs.livejournal.com]

Heeeee! And how many people will go, "Wha?"

[callmesandy.livejournal.com]

Seriously, tell me Merry Christmas this time of year and I'll glare and say "I'm JEWISH" all offended. But, you know, I'm only 4% of America so I don't count. Etc etc.

Okay, I actually don't. I do if my friends or coworkers say it to me since they *know* I'm jewish but I don't assume clerks know automatically and it's their jobs to say things but, you know, I usually say *something.*

[liz-marcs.livejournal.com]

See? I just think it's rude, especially when you've got people who know you're Jewish by the way.

{Psssst! Happy Hanukkah! Boy, your holiday is late this year.)

But the thing is, this is a perfect example. I can't assume everyone on El-Jay celebrates Christmas. I did a boneheaded thing and left a Happy Thanksgiving message on my El-Jay and stupidly forgot that not everyone celebrates Thanksgiving either.

I try not to assume anything myself.

[4thdixiechick.livejournal.com]

This is why I'm adopting Festivus as my December holiday!

When I worked in retail, I got in trouble for saying "Happy Holidays" instead of "Season's Greatings" - the owner didn't want to offend atheists!

So, Season's Greetings!

[liz-marcs.livejournal.com]

Heeee! Now that's called splitting a hair.

I don't think Happy Holidays has a religious ring to it at all, especially since just about everyone has December 25 and January 1 off from work in the U.S. So, yeah, holiday, if only a holiday from work.

[faithhopetricks.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, Happy Holidays Birthday!

[liz-marcs.livejournal.com]

Thank you. Counting down....

[abbylee]

I totally understand people wanting to "put the Christ back in Christmas". But I wish they'd understand that's different than forcing Christ on the rest of us.

Want to push for more Jesus focus at your Church? In your house? On your cards? Go ahead. But save your grumblings for other Christians.

I grew up with wishes for a "chag samayach" - literally happy holiday. So it wouldn't ever occur to me that it's an inconsiderate greeting. Generic? Yes. Rude? Never.

[liz-marcs.livejournal.com]

"Chag Samayach"? Do you mind me asking what language that is? Because it reads really cool.

Like I said, I have no problem with the "Merry Christmases." I really don't. And this whole FOX-fueled "War on Christmas" thing that's been going a few years now, I really didn't pay it much attention because it seemed so blasted silly.

Then I got into a verbal disagreement with someone who very clearly buys this line of crap.

I don't know if they noticed, but the over-commercialization of Christmas looooong ago put a stake in the heart of the season for a lot of people. Instead of "peace on earth, goodwill to men," we've got BUY BUY BUY SALE SALE SALE!

And this "War on Christmas" annoyance...really not helping with the Holiday spirit here.

[alixtii.livejournal.com]

It's sad how far through this got before realizing "Our Heroine" wasn't Faith.

People can be so stupid. And I'm not talking about myself anymore.

[liz-marcs.livejournal.com]

No kidding!

I can do some pretty boneheaded things myself, but butting into a conversation that doesn't even concern me, doesn't involve me, and isn't hurting anyone....what is she? 12?

[nemo-gravis.livejournal.com]

I'm completely weirded out by the entire debate around that. Sure, I believe that the holidays cannot be resumed to Christmas-as-a-religious-festival. At the same time, I wish everyone a Merry Christmas without thinking about it and hate that apparently, I should feel guilty about it for some reason.

I'm not religious. I have seen the inside of a church exactly once in my entire life and my only religious conviction is that I don't have any and feel a bit shallow because of it. In France, I just wished everyone a "Joyeux Noel" and was happy about it. When I say Merry Christmas, I'm not imposing anything on anyone because there is no religious connotation to the wish itself for me, it's just an expression of good cheer. I'd be perfectly peachy with someone wishing me a Happy Hanukkah back. Or Kwanzaa or whatever. So what's the big problem?

For me, religion doesn't even enter into the equation of this time of year and people who make a thing about the appellations used, on either side of the debate, just confuse me. Holidays are also for Spring Break. They're for the summertime. They're all over the place. This time of year is different. It's about family and friends and peace for a while and maybe some presents and yes,in my case a Christmas tree purely because I dig the greenery and the fairy lights and honestly don't care where the tradition comes from originally. And if I slip up and wish someone a Merry Christmas instead of great holidays, I'm honestly not pushing any other agenda than hoping they'll have a blast during whatever it is they celebrate.

The woman in the cue was a putz. I hate that because of behavior like hers, I have to censor myself for fear of hurting people's sensibilities.

[ladycat777.livejournal.com]

See, this is exactly the kind of thing that never bothers me. Ever. I say merry christmas right back because, um, it's really saying "happy holidays" in code that somehow soothes the crazies who don't get the code. (er, jewish, in case that wasn't obvious)

[ladycat777.livejournal.com]

You know, I don't always get upset when people wish me merry christmas. It's the majority, people don't think, they're trying to wish me something happy. Okay, fine, I'll grit my teeth and understand they don't mean and just ... not care. Because really, there are bigger things about that to care about.

But I love when ignorant ... people, for lack of the term I want to use, try to take away my nice, simple, generic and therefore inclusive, greeting and make me talk about Christ. I don't like to, usually, unless I'm swearing or talking about academic-type matters. He doesn't really figure in my day to day life except for occasionally bitching about how he shoulldn't and yet somehow still does. But it is the best evah when little stupid people tell me things like that because all I need to say is that I'm jewish and they start spluttering. Occasionally, they buy into the whole War on Christmas (hello, you wanna blame anybody, blame the commercialization of the holiday, not that Xians had a lock on, you know, any of the traditional parts of it, from Mithras to the Germanic holidays featuring pine trees. Yeah. So very Roman. *pfft*) and tell me that it's people like me who're ruining the holiday. And I just say uh huh and yeah and okay, you can celebrate whatever you like and they stare at me and try to figure out how I've done them wrong because I don't want to celebrate their holiday. I am very, very good at this and it's something of a sport for me. I love it. Because I don't care if you wish me a merry christmas. As it has the same meaning and impact and sincerity as "have a good day". Which always makes them verbally stumble. I love it.

I'm rambling, sorry.

[liz-marcs.livejournal.com]

Ditto on the over-commercialization of the holidays.

And I'm still trying to wrap my head around the "all about Jesus" thing, because it strikes me as something so recent.

I went to a Catholic High School and I was well aware of the pagan roots of our modern-day Christmas. The nuns taught it to us in religion, for heaven's sake. From the start, "Christmas" was a bogus holiday and was only created so the Christians had a competing holiday to offer. The focus in the early Church was supposed to be on the death and resurrection. The whole nativity angle came in because it was part of the "hearts and minds" war to get the Pagans converted. You want 'em to join? Co-opt their holidays, baptise it, and call it something else. That's a historical fact, and no thumping on a bible is going to get around that.

But using Christmas as a front in some religious war that I'm not even involved in? That boggles my mind.

What really gets me is that it appears the levels of rudeness your subjected to on this issue...there's really no excuse at all. How completely insecure they must be in their own belief system that they try to turn it on you. Honestly. ((hugs))

Personally, I'd just get exhausted if I had to put up with it a lot.

[bastardsnow.livejournal.com]

Not to start an argument about religion here, or anything, but the actual reason for the season is that I am freaking awesome, and people like to celebrate that.

They just don't like to stroke my ego to much, so they pass it off on those pesky Jesus and Mithras fellows.

[liz-marcs.livejournal.com]

Stupid me. I totally forgot.

It's all about getting you 12 gorgeous dancing girls flashing a lot of nubile flesh on the Big Day.

My apologies.

As penance, I will chain myself to my keyboard and get back to writing. Mea Culpa.

[nwhepcat.livejournal.com]

People just suck.

Except for you, because you are awesome.

How about looking at these people darkly and saying, "Cthulhu is rising; His day will come"?

Sheesh.

But HEY! Happy birthday to you and Xander! (And yaye, I have a new chapter of WHMD to read.)

[liz-marcs.livejournal.com]

Heee! Thank you!

I feel better for the ran. Like I said, I was irritated, but it was that more stunned "WtF?" The more I thought about, the more my annoyance level went up.

And, wheeee! It's a long part this time. I'm now dealing with the world-building bit in the next.

[hpchick.livejournal.com]

Happy Birthday!

[yma2.livejournal.com]

Personally I don't care what people call it. I tend to call it christmas, I have no problem with anyone else calling it chritsmas, but they can call it Yule, Hanukkah, Kwanza or Wave-Your-Bum-At-The-Sky day for all i care. So long as I know roughly what you're talking about and everyone has fun it's fine. I can't say I'm a fan of calling it one thing or another, of it being one thing or another. Whatever works for people.
But then I'm an athiest, technically I shouldn't even be thinking of having fun at Christmas (;

[waleli.livejournal.com]

Wave-Your-Bum-At-The-Sky day sounds fun!!!! ROTFLMAO!!!

[4thdixiechick.livejournal.com]

Happy Birthday!

yeah, yeah

[(Anonymous)]

Happy Birthday. and Merry Christmas you godless heathen. By the way, did you catch the Colbert Report after the Daily Show? The WORD was great.



Dumal

[lakrids404.livejournal.com]

Happy Birthday or
Tilykke med fødselsdag

[redbeardjim.livejournal.com]

Have a Pleasant Winter Solstice Festival of Your Choice!

[texanfan.livejournal.com]

Some people get bent out of shape because small issues are all that their brains can wrap around. At my church we commented that stores that made a point of saying "Happy Holidays" and selling "Holiday Trees" were playing Christian sacred music over their speakers and chuckled. And that's the end of it. That's all there should be to it. Mild amusement or bemusement for the idiosyncrasies of life, respect for those who are celebrating another holiday, and general disgust that retailers seem determined to make you feel guilty if you don't buy a diamond necklace or a new car for someone on your gift list.

Isn't this the month for Ramadan as well?

[ad-kay.livejournal.com]

It's soooo fun to make fundies heads' explode. Reading your anecdote made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Did it never occur to this twink that maybe I might be Jewish? Or Pagan? Or Unitarian, or atheist or... She probably believes that Jefferson and the other founders were "Christian" too.

[waleli.livejournal.com]

YIKES!!! I just wanted to hit the "We celebrate Christmas" lady as I read this!!!! As someone who has worked in retail around Christmas time for years, I sympathize seeing it's like a constant landmine. "Can't I just be shopping to be shopping? Do I HAVE to be getting someone ELSE a gift if I'm in here at this time of year? What IS it with you people" was something someone actually said to me once when I asked them if they wanted a Gift Receipt....sheesh. I say: Celebrate what you want. Celebrate it loud. Celebrate it proud!! No one can celebrate their holidays anymore without it offending someone else, so I just say "f**k them" BE YOURSELF and HAVE FUN doing it. True Tolerance means not having to be Politically Correct all the time, because if you are truly tolerant of someone else then you wouldn't be offended by them celebrating their holiday. I have friends of all walks and faiths in life and I send them all Christmas cards...even if they don't celebrate. In turn, they all send me various cards based on what they celebrate. I think it's cool because I learn more and more about them every year and they learn more about me. *sigh*
Awesome about the Mithra by the way..I knew that it had been taken from some other cultures holiday, but I wasn't aware of what exactly.

[goosegirl9.livejournal.com]

The woman was rude and insensitive.

[ffutures.livejournal.com]

There are some very stupid people out there - not usually worth worrying about them.

[moire2.livejournal.com]

This is the best damn post I've read in a long while. I hope you don't mind if I friend you.

Happy Holidays!

[autobadgirl.livejournal.com]

I love you. So so so so much.

Mithras *is* so totally the reason for the season, I just wish I could've been there to see you in action.

Happy Holidays to *you* too. and Happy Birthday! *gives you two kinds of cake* Holiday Cake and Birthday Cake! YAY!