Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! Winter Solstice! Please find this 24-hour time period as non-offensive as possible.

Honestly, would have to see it up and lit before I made a decision.

Fake trees are the REAL war on Christmas.

\Not religious.

\\LOVE Christmas sooo much.

I'm not the first person to ever have pointed this out, of course, but I never thought I'd see the day when saying "Merry Christmas" would be some sort of political statement.

Needs more pictures.

Rufus Lee King: I'm not the first person to ever have pointed this out, of course, but I never thought I'd see the day when saying "Merry Christmas" would be some sort of political statement.

Thank you Faux News.

Rufus Lee King: I'm not the first person to ever have pointed this out, of course, but I never thought I'd see the day when saying "Merry Christmas" would be some sort of political statement.


I always say Happy Holidays as a return to the really fervent glassy eyed ones.

Fark that, trying to hijack a perfectly nice holiday.

Atheists aren't against xmas. Xmas is a national holiday with santa, reindeer, presents and trees. Xmas is cool.


We're against the religious parts that can come with xmas. Sure Santa is latin for Saint. Christmas has Christ in it, but as far as the names go, there is no religious implication in celebrating xmas.

Unless you go full retard with the nativity scenes and "KEEP CHRIST IN CHRISTMAS WHARRGARBL" we won't complain if a court house or a public school has a tree. Just don't put an angel on the top of it and we're all cool....

or heed the power of the Flying Spaghetti Monster and the Pastafarians.

"May the god, goddess, deity or deities of your choice -- or lack thereof -- bless, curse, or completely ignore you, as per your wish."

Did anyone else find it ironic that the tree is being produced in Bethlehem, PA?

Have a cwaaaaazy Kwanzaa!!!

If you like Christmas so much, keep it in December.

Britney Spear's Speculum: Atheists aren't against xmas. Xmas is a national holiday with santa, reindeer, presents and trees. Xmas is cool.


We're against the religious parts that can come with xmas. Sure Santa is latin for Saint. Christmas has Christ in it, but as far as the names go, there is no religious implication in celebrating xmas.

Unless you go full retard with the nativity scenes and "KEEP CHRIST IN CHRISTMAS WHARRGARBL" we won't complain if a court house or a public school has a tree. Just don't put an angel on the top of it and we're all cool....

or heed the power of the Flying Spaghetti Monster and the Pastafarians.

well,thats just full of win

Within the next five years the word "holiday" will be rendered offensive and therefore cannot be used in reference to specific days that are celebrated by the majority of people in this country.

Public figures will be encouraged to say, "Happy days near the end of the year that a lot of people celebrate."

Within ten years the word "happy" will be rendered offensive.

Public figures will be encouraged to just nod and not speak of any celebratory days.

I hate how the "Let's keep the Christ in Christmas!" people are completely overlooking how commercialized and pointless Christmas is to begin with. Religious holiday no more- it's mostly a lot of fat biatches waddling around Wal-Mart fighting with each other over the last Tickle Me Elmo. Who gives a shiat what you call it?

/godless heathen
//likes Giftmas- we don't buy big gifts in our family and almost kinda spend time together just because we enjoy each other's company

I work at a place where our client base is recent immigrants and consequently, many of the staff and clients practice religions other than Christian. I have yet to meet someone who is offended by the celebration of Christmas and most are delighted to share in our festive celebrations (Yes, we put up a Christmas tree in the lobby and we call it a Christmas tree). This conversation comes up frequently around this time of year and it seems that its the domestic Christians that are desperately afraid of offending people to the extent that they ruin their own celebrations.

/maybe its different up here in Canada
//or maybe its because we're in a "touchy-feely" social work atmosphere at work
///looking forward to saying "Merry Christmas" to all of my clients anyway

man_of_constant_sorrow: Did anyone else find it ironic that the tree is being produced in Bethlehem, PA?

Nope.

Rufus Lee King: I'm not the first person to ever have pointed this out, of course, but I never thought I'd see the day when saying "Merry Christmas" would be some sort of political statement.

Yeah, I always thought it was about family, church, giving. FOX "News" has turned it into a hate fest against the non-existent "war on Christmas".

And how many of those 'Keep Christ in Christmas' folks will be trying to step all over their fellow man most likely killing them trying to get $5 off some piece of crap next Friday?

NeverDrunk23: And how many of those 'Keep Christ in Christmas' folks will be trying to step all over their fellow man most likely killing them trying to get $5 off some piece of crap next Friday?

Probably the same amount as tolerant, Obama supporting, atheists.

darwinwench: I work at a place where our client base is recent immigrants and consequently, many of the staff and clients practice religions other than Christian. I have yet to meet someone who is offended by the celebration of Christmas and most are delighted to share in our festive celebrations (Yes, we put up a Christmas tree in the lobby and we call it a Christmas tree). This conversation comes up frequently around this time of year and it seems that its the domestic Christians that are desperately afraid of offending people to the extent that they ruin their own celebrations.

/maybe its different up here in Canada
//or maybe its because we're in a "touchy-feely" social work atmosphere at work
///looking forward to saying "Merry Christmas" to all of my clients anyway

I would be totally thrilled to visit a business that is celebrating a holiday I'm not familiar with. Great opportunity to learn about different cultures and share in some good feelings. I think the big lean toward being so politically correct is harmful to our "melting pot" (*gag* cliche) society- part of everyone coming and living together is accepting and embracing differences, not ignoring areas where people differ.

I don't think real Christians bother with Christmas or Christmas trees.

I so offended by that, I would go as far as saying I am outraged.

darwinwench
"I work at a place where our client base is recent immigrants and consequently, many of the staff and clients practice religions other than Christian. I have yet to meet someone who is offended by the celebration of Christmas and most are delighted to share in our festive celebrations."

This.

My ex-boss was Jewish and he always called our annual Christmas party just that. Of course you could usually tell his gift in the annual swap because the paper had menorahs on it.

Here's the company web site. The fake tree isn't the horror you might think.
Link (new window)

Britney Spear's Speculum: Atheists aren't against xmas. Xmas is a national holiday with santa, reindeer, presents and trees. Xmas is cool.


We're against the religious parts that can come with xmas. Sure Santa is latin for Saint. Christmas has Christ in it, but as far as the names go, there is no religious implication in celebrating xmas.

Fun fact:

The "X" in Xmas was originally shorthand.

X = + = a cross.

this just reminds me how important it is to be happy and just use the season (religious or not) to love one another. I couldn't care less why people are smiling and singing, as long as they are doing it. Let the Scrooges of the world keep their outrage.

/yeah yeah, I sound like a pinko commie, whatever.

Any hate filled jackass spewing anti-christmas crap needs a holiday tree shoved up their ass......lights and all.

/Merry Christmas!
//Happy New Year!
///Get a doctor to look at that thing in your ass.

"Holiday" means, literally, "holy day." The word is inherently religious. It is not some neutral, generic placeholder. It is the essence of sacred spirituality. Those of you who say "happy holidays" with the intention of avoiding religious controversy are actually fomenting religious controversy.

Happy Festivus! Whatever.

You can celebrate the holiday however you want, but the holiday is called Christmas. If you don't like it, shove it up your blueberry pie hole. It's just a name. For some it isn't, but we aren't forcing them to water it down.

Nobody is forcing you to believe in the holiday's tradition. I don't go around raising a stink about Kwanzaa, Passover or anybody else's starvation-based traditions. Neither should you.

Nakito: "Holiday" means, literally, "holy day." The word is inherently religious. It is not some neutral, generic placeholder. It is the essence of sacred spirituality. Those of you who say "happy holidays" with the intention of avoiding religious controversy are actually fomenting religious controversy.

By using the generic "happy holidays" in place of the very specific "Merry Christmas", you are invoking a much more inclusive greeting, since, as you pointed out, the base "holy day" is inherently religious, rather than inherently Christian.

But, you know, if you guys want to go on being buthurt over others' use of language who are only doing so because they are buthurt over others' use of language, go right ahead. Those of us who can appreciate the irony of the situation will just sit back and watch as you all revel in everything the festivals and celebrations of the season are not about.

Mein Fuhrer I Can Walk: Britney Spear's Speculum: Atheists aren't against xmas. Xmas is a national holiday with santa, reindeer, presents and trees. Xmas is cool.


We're against the religious parts that can come with xmas. Sure Santa is latin for Saint. Christmas has Christ in it, but as far as the names go, there is no religious implication in celebrating xmas.

Fun fact:

The "X" in Xmas was originally shorthand.

X = + = a cross.

Well, not to be pedantic or anything, But I think the "X" is the Greek letter "Chi", the first letter in the word "Christ". Anyway, we must all work to preserve our precious bodily fluids.

wmoonfox, the word "butthurt" is spelled with a double t because it is derived from "buttocks." It's good to know how our words originated, isn't it?

Nakito: "Holiday" means, literally, "holy day." The word is inherently religious. It is not some neutral, generic placeholder. It is the essence of sacred spirituality. Those of you who say "happy holidays" with the intention of avoiding religious controversy are actually fomenting religious controversy.

I like to think of it as 'The Spirit Of Giving':

When some glazed eye fundy says a very pointed 'Merry Christmas' with that slight air of desperation, I give them EVERY reason to feel more persecuted during 'Their' holiday.

Hey, it beats 'And Fark You Very Much', doesn't it?

I'm in favour of celebrating as many holidays as I can. I happen to celebrate Christmas, Halloween, Hogmanay, Diwali, Guy Fawkes Night, Thanksgiving and even Independence Day. Oh yeah, and Burns Night, St Andrews Day, Johannestag, Oktoberfest, and probably others that I don't remember because of the hangover.

Dammit, there's little enough fun in our humdrum lives, without becoming all solemn about holidays.

Merry Christmas, when it comes.

Nakito: wmoonfox, the word "butthurt" is spelled with a double t because it is derived from "buttocks." It's good to know how our words originated, isn't it?

Seriously? You're going to go all nazi over the spelling of a made-up word? You must be a fun guy at parties.

Docanthro: You are a wacko fringe group like Scientology or Westboro.

Lol, you think militant atheists are a fringe group.

/i'll give you wacko, however.

Meh, I'd be impressed if someone started selling LED christmas lights that didn't turn on and off 30 times a second.

At least they're faster than the ones in Europe, EvilVanMan.

True Tillmaster, I'd really go insane at 25 FPS.

Oh would you whiners get over it already?

Christmas is nothing but a co-opted pagan celebration anyways, so what is the big friggin' deal?

Docanthro: No wonder they are hated more than any other identifiable minority group

Hatred towards others. Probably the most cherished tenet of religiosity.

Docanthro: 4) But these non-believers are not particularly atheist. That number hasn't budged and stands at less than 1 percent. (Agnostics are similarly less than 1 percent.)

Eighty-two percent of Americans believe in God or a higher power.

What makes up the other 16%?

jaytkay: Hatred towards others. Probably the most cherished tenet of religiosity.

I have a coworker who is Mormon. He is the biggest asshole I know, extremely vulgar, wishes ill-will upon those he does not like, goes out of his way to avoid helping people. He once told me "I don't understand the basis of morality without a belief in god."

[Atheists] attack you, trash your beliefs, traditions and values. Atheists seem to be all about hatred. Atheists seem to be all about hatred.

Only in your fevered imagination. You really should lay off the AM radio. It's bad for your blood pressure.

How did a story about using an artificial tree because it is cheaper than a natural one devolve into a War on Christmas™ debate?

I'll give you Pantheism
Animism is part of religions, not one in itself.
Wiccans believe in gods
I'm not sure what New Pagans are, but paganism is not a religion
Taosim has gods

P.S. religion and agnosticism are not mutually exclusive

I'm going to go with jaytkay, lay off the AM radio

I don't have a problem in celebrating the winter solstice on December 25 and giving/receiving presents.

Just because I'm not religious doesn't mean I should miss out on such a fun holiday that's really more about family than anything else.

I don't really have a desire to get into a flame war here, but I do have to say: Docanthro, I take issue with your characterization of atheists. The atheists I know (and there are a few), are not extremists. We don't take issue with religion nor attempt to dissuade people from it, we just don't feel that it serves any purpose for us.

For many people, religion provides a framework of hope or morality, eases their fears or concerns, offers explanations, just makes them feel good, or offers them some other benefit. I am not religious because it never provided me any benefit (well, the Bar Mitzvah money was nice). I am agnostic because I am not compelled to devote blind faith to believing in a deity which I have no proof exists.

Just like any group, a few vocal/outspoken members can shadow over or misrepresent the whole membership. I hope this sheds some light on the beliefs of atheists/agnostics.

Docanthro:
This is the problem with atheists. They, like you, tend to see religious people as monolithic, as all the same. This allows them, as all people of prejudice are prone to do, to put them in the category of "other" and to allow them to hate wholesale rather than retail.

My post was an ill-thought attempt to discredit you and I apologize. I try not to judge people based on their religion, as there are good and bad apples in every crowd. I also make a point of not criticizing anyone's belief structure; to restate what I have written elsewhere, to each his own.

EvilVanMan: Meh, I'd be impressed if someone started selling LED christmas lights that didn't turn on and off 30 times a second.

You mean full wave LED Christmas lights. It's about damn time.

/Merry/Happy Christmas/Whatever, Thanksgiving's closer than Christmas.
//Real men use DC.