The Marcolian Online

Nov. 30, 2006

War of the Words:
Happy Holidays vs. Merry Christmas

Joshua Thrash
jat001@marietta.edu

As America grows more and more frivolous in political correctness, sacred institutions are being attacked, and chief among them is religion. Particularly Christian ideals and morals. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m no extreme ultra conservative God freak, and the point of this is not to insult people of different faiths, because in no way am I trying to say that Christianity is better than other religions.

But come on, people, Merry Christmas is just two words put together. People act as if there is a magic spell put on them that will make them be someone they don’t want to be. I believe that saying Merry Christmas adds to the magic of the holiday season, and since Christianity is the most practiced religion in the world, a majority of the population can relate to the message.

Often times during the Christmas season, signs reading Happy Hanukkah are seen in windows and what not. In no way does this offend me as a Christian; I find that the diversity makes the season special in that everyone can share in the excitement through different faiths. If I were to walk into a store and was wished a Happy Hanukkah or a Merry Ramadan, I would respond in a manner back to that person. Obviously they are getting ready and excited for the coming season, and their faith is important to them. Just by saying Happy Hanukkah, I’m not accepting to practice Judaism, but rather joining in on the spirit. The same I believe goes for saying Merry Christmas.

These people who claim that Merry Christmas offends them, are more than likely to still unwrap presents from under a Christmas tree, make snow angels, or eat Christmas cookies. They also probably celebrate St. Patrick’s day, color Easter eggs, or dress up for Halloween. But no one ever makes a big deal about these, and they still choose to partake in those events. On top of that, they still name their kids with connotations of Christ using names such as Chris, Christian, Christy, and use names from the Bible such as Michael, John, and Peter. The biggest thing is that these are the people who take the Lord’s name in vain. Although they might not believe in the Christian ideas, they shoot from the hip using our terms in a prohibited commandment.

A saying that everyone is familiar with is, “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt.” This is exactly the feelings of saying Merry Christmas to someone. It’s not like the Christians are going to beat Christmas into someone. I wish everyone has a great break and continue to pray for peace.

Erin Siebel
siebele@marietta.edu

Merry Christmas versus Happy Holidays. It’s the age-old competition. It can breed a lot of strong opinion on both sides. It’s been argued a million times over; this is the second time I’ve argued it in a newspaper editorial, actually. But I always come up on the same side. When it comes down to it, wishing a stranger “Merry Christmas” can sometimes be offensive, depending on who you’re talking to. Wishing a stranger “Happy Holidays,” well, that just feels right to me.

Not everyone is Christian. We all know this. So logically, not everyone we know celebrates Christmas. And yet schools, businesses, any place where people of all different faiths congregate, are showering everyone with the same greeting: Merry Christmas. Now it seems even Wal-Mart has joined in the fun. No longer are they telling their employees to be politically correct and wish their shoppers a “Happy Holiday,” but they are now telling employees to say “Merry Christmas.”

So why does that just not sit right with me? My own personal beliefs aside, I tend to like the fact that everyone is free to believe what they want and that they should never be questioned or judged or criticized or made to feel bad because of it. Everybody is able to celebrate any holiday they choose. And yet, no matter what personal decision you make, you’re still told to have a “Merry Christmas.” It kind of makes that freedom moot. Yes, we agree that everyone is free to believe whatever they choose, but let’s not respect that during the Christmas season. I mean, it’s not really harming anyone when you tell someone to enjoy his Christmas, is it?

Well, I think it just might be. When corporations or schools choose one specific holiday to recognize, something’s not right. I’m happy to see that Marietta College has never really crossed that line between secular and religious while I’ve been here.

Everyone is free to say “Merry Christmas” if they want, but I don’t see how any type of business can make that kind of decision. No one has the right to decide which holiday you should recognize. Say Merry Christmas to your friends, say it to your family, say it to the people you know. I do—to those I know celebrate Christmas. But if I’m not sure, I like to err on the side of caution and respect. While it may be offensive to some to be told to enjoy their Christmas celebration, I don’t believe anyone would have their religious beliefs belittled by a stranger wishing them to enjoy their holidays. I mean, why are we discounting the wonderful holiday that is New Year’s Eve? That’s not included when you say “Merry Christmas.” I think the blanket greeting of “Happy Holidays” works just fine.


• Campus News • Viewpoints • Sports • Arts & Living • Greek wrap-up • Ask Marc • Spotlight • New faces at MC • Meet our staff • Staff profiles • Letters to the editor policy • History of the newspaper • Benefits of advertising • Ad rates		Nov. 30, 2006 War of the Words: Happy Holidays vs. Merry Christmas Joshua Thrash jat001@marietta.edu As America grows more and more frivolous in political correctness, sacred institutions are being attacked, and chief among them is religion. Particularly Christian ideals and morals. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m no extreme ultra conservative God freak, and the point of this is not to insult people of different faiths, because in no way am I trying to say that Christianity is better than other religions. But come on, people, Merry Christmas is just two words put together. People act as if there is a magic spell put on them that will make them be someone they don’t want to be. I believe that saying Merry Christmas adds to the magic of the holiday season, and since Christianity is the most practiced religion in the world, a majority of the population can relate to the message. Often times during the Christmas season, signs reading Happy Hanukkah are seen in windows and what not. In no way does this offend me as a Christian; I find that the diversity makes the season special in that everyone can share in the excitement through different faiths. If I were to walk into a store and was wished a Happy Hanukkah or a Merry Ramadan, I would respond in a manner back to that person. Obviously they are getting ready and excited for the coming season, and their faith is important to them. Just by saying Happy Hanukkah, I’m not accepting to practice Judaism, but rather joining in on the spirit. The same I believe goes for saying Merry Christmas. These people who claim that Merry Christmas offends them, are more than likely to still unwrap presents from under a Christmas tree, make snow angels, or eat Christmas cookies. They also probably celebrate St. Patrick’s day, color Easter eggs, or dress up for Halloween. But no one ever makes a big deal about these, and they still choose to partake in those events. On top of that, they still name their kids with connotations of Christ using names such as Chris, Christian, Christy, and use names from the Bible such as Michael, John, and Peter. The biggest thing is that these are the people who take the Lord’s name in vain. Although they might not believe in the Christian ideas, they shoot from the hip using our terms in a prohibited commandment. A saying that everyone is familiar with is, “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt.” This is exactly the feelings of saying Merry Christmas to someone. It’s not like the Christians are going to beat Christmas into someone. I wish everyone has a great break and continue to pray for peace. Erin Siebel siebele@marietta.edu Merry Christmas versus Happy Holidays. It’s the age-old competition. It can breed a lot of strong opinion on both sides. It’s been argued a million times over; this is the second time I’ve argued it in a newspaper editorial, actually. But I always come up on the same side. When it comes down to it, wishing a stranger “Merry Christmas” can sometimes be offensive, depending on who you’re talking to. Wishing a stranger “Happy Holidays,” well, that just feels right to me. Not everyone is Christian. We all know this. So logically, not everyone we know celebrates Christmas. And yet schools, businesses, any place where people of all different faiths congregate, are showering everyone with the same greeting: Merry Christmas. Now it seems even Wal-Mart has joined in the fun. No longer are they telling their employees to be politically correct and wish their shoppers a “Happy Holiday,” but they are now telling employees to say “Merry Christmas.” So why does that just not sit right with me? My own personal beliefs aside, I tend to like the fact that everyone is free to believe what they want and that they should never be questioned or judged or criticized or made to feel bad because of it. Everybody is able to celebrate any holiday they choose. And yet, no matter what personal decision you make, you’re still told to have a “Merry Christmas.” It kind of makes that freedom moot. Yes, we agree that everyone is free to believe whatever they choose, but let’s not respect that during the Christmas season. I mean, it’s not really harming anyone when you tell someone to enjoy his Christmas, is it? Well, I think it just might be. When corporations or schools choose one specific holiday to recognize, something’s not right. I’m happy to see that Marietta College has never really crossed that line between secular and religious while I’ve been here. Everyone is free to say “Merry Christmas” if they want, but I don’t see how any type of business can make that kind of decision. No one has the right to decide which holiday you should recognize. Say Merry Christmas to your friends, say it to your family, say it to the people you know. I do—to those I know celebrate Christmas. But if I’m not sure, I like to err on the side of caution and respect. While it may be offensive to some to be told to enjoy their Christmas celebration, I don’t believe anyone would have their religious beliefs belittled by a stranger wishing them to enjoy their holidays. I mean, why are we discounting the wonderful holiday that is New Year’s Eve? That’s not included when you say “Merry Christmas.” I think the blanket greeting of “Happy Holidays” works just fine.
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