For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for December 01, 2009

Its not hard to buy a gift for me. Just give me a gift card, and I’m set. That, and my fiance knows what I like.

…..ain’t THAT the truth! :o|

One of those Hickory Farms boxes works for most men.

I think she has After Shave Lotion in one hand - and “ho ho paper” in the other - as in, the sales clerk is also going to wrap the after shave lotion for her - and use the “Ho! Ho!” paper.

I like the fact that Lynn refuses to say “Happy Holidays” because the rest of Canada and US has been beaten down by secularization and find “Merry Christmas” offensive.

To the “Anti-Christmasers” I say

I never thought I’d say it, but… LOL, howtheduck!

I like gift cards. I bought my wife one to Cabella’s and one to Hooter’s. Wonder if she’ll buy me a new couch?

Not being able to say Merry Christmas is like not saying Happy Independence Day on the Forth of July.

bah, humbug!

Like some of the others here, I am also pleasantly relieved to see a store employee who has not been intimidated into shying away from the word “Christmas”. Merry Christmas indeed!!

Wouldn’t it be nice if you were only expected to buy presents for people you knew well enough to pick out something they’d actually like? And how much junk we wouldn’t have? (I’m not a gift card fan either- but maybe we should all just take out $500 and hand it out to friends and family and they can hand us ours?)

I sincerely hope that those who complain that “Christmas” is being sanitized out of existence remember that sentiment when you find yourselves the minority in a land that doesn’t even recognize Christmas as a legal holiday (Israel, Saudi Arabia, or Japan) or whose culture observes the holiday on the “wrong” date (Russia, where Christmas is celebrated AFTER New Year’s Day, in accordance with the Orthodox calendar.) Will you be as willing to be snubbed as you expect Jews, Muslims, and even those who do not profess to be of any faith whatsoever, to be this time of year in the US (and apparently Canada as well)?

News flash, people: non-Orthodox Christians weren’t the first ones to live in either the US or Canada, nor are they the only ones. Other cultures and faiths also observe sacred holidays in December, and some (like Hannukah, for instance) even involve shopping for gifts, just like Christmas. Who are you, therefore, to insist that Christmas is the only December holiday that counts, and that everyone should be forced to observe it regardless of whether or not they actually DO observe it?

And, back on topic: Elly is right, but men aren’t the only ones who are difficult to shop for. HOLIDAY shopping (as I mentioned, Hannukah also involves the giving of gifts; how did the sales clerk know that Elly wasn’t Jewish?) for adults in general is a pain; at least with kids, you KNOW what they want (because they make a point of telling you – repeatedly!), but what do you get an adult who may already have ten of everything?

Last year my boyfriend gave his dad money in a Christmas card and his dad also gave my boyfriend money in a card. The look on their faces was priceless!

For more of the proper sentiment, re Christmas gifts, see Terry Pratchett’s “Hogfather,” p. 231-232. ;)

Allan Claus, my dad pointed out that since people started making such a big deal about just saying, “Happy Holidays,” he has never had so many people wish him a “Merry Christmas!” :) And I, for one, will continue to say, “Merry Christmas!”

Elly sounds a lot like me. I’ve had people tell me I’m hard to buy for but I never have a problem finding things I like. At times when I have to shop for others I always wish I could be getting stuff for myself and then feel so selfish! Sometimes it is hard to find just the right gift for someone and giving money is impersonal. A gift certificate is much better since you probably know where the person likes to eat or a store they like to shop at. That way they can pick out their own gift.

As for Merry Christmas vs. Happy Holidays I find it so sad that store employees risk being fired for saying the former. When I shop I wish them a Merry Christmas. All this garbage about people being “offended” at Christmas is hogslop. If they don’t like Christmas decorations and nativity scenes let them look the other way. Those who observe other holidays have chosen to immigrate to the US or Canada where Christmas is observed. It’s wrong for them to try to take our holiday away from us. I am not planning to move to Saudi Arabia or Israel or Russia etc, if I were I would be prepared to accept those countries’ celebrations of their own holidays. So they can accept our celebration of Christmas. I don’t like Halloween but I can ignore it for the most part. They can ignore Christmas. All this talk about being “offended” is nothing more than an attempt at control. And every year it gets worse.

Ok I’ll get off my soapbox now.

How about just giving a card to everyone on your list. In each card is a note saying a donation was given in their name to a Local Homeless shelter or Food bank or a Women’s Domestic Violence Shelter. All of these places and more are having their funds drastically cut back now. Be in the true spirit and give to those who really need. Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah :o) Oh yes and Boxing Day to you up North. :o))

Homo Sapien Cologne may hit it big. They could use those Geico Cavemen using it to be more civilized. :-)

“I’ll have the roast duck with the mango salsa.”

In re: Merry Christmas vs. Happy Holidays:

I don’t understand what all of the fuss is about over saying Happy Holidays. I celebrate Christmas, and yet at work I say Happy Holidays to customers. I’m not at risk of being fired over it, but I live in an area with a large Jewish population and I grew up in an area with a large Muslim population. After a few Merry Christmas slip-ups and getting shrugs as responses I was embarrassed enough to switch up to Happy Holidays.

Not everyone in the US celebrates Christmas, folks. It’s not about “conforming” to the main religion of the country, because no matter what you try to think, there’s not one here. It’s just a fact that eventually you’ll encounter someone who’s doing Hannukkah shopping instead and look at you like you’re an idiot. How is your expectation that everyone should celebrate Christmas different than someone “taking away” the holiday from you?

the holidays are too commercial and now workers are required to be “politically correct” and cannot say what they want to say as a greeting. well if they cannot say Merry Christmas, then just let them say hello like the rest of the year

Good one, Coffee-Turtle!

The only person I really enjoy shopping for is my wife. I pay special attention throughout the year when she sees something that she likes or fantasizes about. I also know her tastes so well that I can buy her surprises like jewelry, etc. that often thrill her. My rule for Christmas shopping is to stay away from malls and big box stores. Instead I visit small local shops and try to find unique gifts for my friends.

Has anyone here actually gotten in trouble for saying “Merry Christmas” to anyone? Were your decorations and tree ripped down because someone said “happy holidays” to you instead of “Merry Christmas”? Didn’t think so. Every year I hear far more complaining from people who are offended because someone said “happy holidays” than I hear complaining from people who are offended because someone said “Merry Christmas.” Freedom of religion means you’re free to practise whatever faith you wish; it does not carry an obligation for everyone you meet for a month to acknowledge your Christianity. And if a clerk not wishing you “merry Christmas” is really such a drag on your celebration, then I feel very sorry for you, and I suggest you’re the one who doesn’t understand the spirit of the season. I say “merry Christmas” at this time of year, and I’ve never had anyone get upset, just like I don’t get upset if my Jewish friends wish me a happy Hanukkah. But I also say “happy holidays” and that’s when people start whining about “political correctness” and talking about how “this is a Christian country, and if you don’t like it, you can leave,” never minding that America was founded by people who wanted, among other things, freedom from having a religion imposed upon them. Meanwhile, Christmas decorations go up earlier and earlier every year, before Thanksgiving, before Remembrance Day, before Halloween in some cases, so something tells me Christmas can take care of itself. And not for nothing, but the word “holidays” comes from “holy days.” And the X in “Xmas” comes from the Greek spelling of “Christ.”

excellent Daniel77!

i agree. take the greeting - in whatever form it takes - in the manner in which it was extended. it isn’t any different from those who wish you a nice day. accept it and move on.

I went PetSmart the other day, and they have big banners stuck to their entry doors that say Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa and Happy Holidays. Nice effort to please all souls.

and Daniel77, yes people have lost their jobs for saying Merry Christmas instead of Happy Holidays. That’s what the hoopla is all about: not what you say, but what you are forced to say.

kfaatz925… Too true! MBowser, my parents were going to buy a goat last year, (for a homeless family somewhere), and they took ages to get around to it! In fact, I’m not sure if they’ve even done it yet…

I have no problem with whichever greeting I am greeted with… as long as the person using that greeting does so of their own free will.

One of my sisters once sent me a link to a video by Ben Stein (a Jew) about this subject.

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=1134772n%3fsource=search_video

YEA, Daniel77!! I hear people complain about “Happy Holidays” all the time too, but I have never in my life heard anyone complain that someone said “Merry Christmas” to them. I’m a Christian…I say “Merry Christmas”… and whatever greeting I get in return is just swell. I have never felt oppressed. (Help, help, I’m being oppressed!…Monty Python fans?)

Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays and others are not bothering me at all.

Tis’ the season to be jolly.

I have to add… while I do not mind if someone uses either the greeting “Happy Holidays” or “Merry Christmas” to me, which greeting used does tell me something about that person.

If someone uses the impersonal and generic greeting of “Happy Holidays,” that tells me that they don’t really care. They don’t care about the holidays themselves, nor do they care about me as an individual or what holidays I might celebrate.

If someone says “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Hanukkah” (or what ever holiday that THEY celebrate) then it tells me that they value that holiday and also that they value me and wish to share what they care about with me.

On the other hand, if anyone were to wish me a “Happy Winter Veil,” then THAT would indicate that they care not only about me as an individual, but also about my personal interests and the specific holidays that I celebrate.

(Admittedly, I do celebrate Christmas as well as Winter Veil.)

Daniel77: not sure if you will see this, but click this link

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,471744,00.html

LOL! This one is awesome! Exactly how I feel getting anything for anyone anymore. Then I start to think, “if everyone has so much stuff that I can’t buy them anything they really want, doesn’t THAT go agains the spirit of Christmas?”

Wow what a lot of comments!

Ok if someone said happy hanukkah to me I’d accept it in the spirit in which it’s intended. They mean they want me to have a good day. I think most people accept Merry Christmas the same way even if they don’t celebrate it. Back in 1981 I worked in a department store and we said Merry Christmas to the customers. This was before all the stuff about happy holidays came around. Some customers would tell us they didn’t celebrate Christmas, either they were Jews who celebrated hanukkah or atheists or whatever but not one got huffy or offended, they just accepted the wish as it’s intended in a kind way.

No one who celebrates Christmas is trying to force it on anyone but telling you you can’t have a nativity scene because it offends them is ridiculous. If I saw a menorah somewhere I wouldn’t be bothered at all. I’ve always wished I had some Jewish blood, they are still God’s chosen people after all.

Thanks for the link. I’ve seen that one. The fact that you had to go back until last year to find a case of a worker supposedly losing her job because she said “Merry Christmas” only indicates to me that this is a completely overblown threat. And this story is exactly like any other of the rare stories I’ve heard, in that all we have is what one person claims happened. How do you know she’s telling the truth? And let’s say, for the sake of argument, she IS telling the truth. Isn’t she being fired not so much for saying “Merry Christmas” but for not following instructions from her employer? Let’s say she’s supposed to say “thank you very much” to customers, but instead decides to say “up yours” to customers. She’s probably going to get fired. Does that mean her right to freedom of speech is being violated? Of course not. Don’t get me wrong — I think it’s foolish for companies to avoid referring to Christmas in advertising or to instruct employees to do the same; just as I think this threat to Christmas is overblown, I think companies are more worried about offending people with “Merry Christmas” than they really need to be. I see far more outrage from Christians who hear “happy holidays” than I see from non-Christians who hear “Merry Christmas.” Read the comments in this thread; no one has been annoyed by the idea of people saying “Merry Christmas,” but several are annoyed by the idea of people saying “happy holidays.” But that’s why it’s silly that anyone looks to a business for guidance on celebrating the holidays. Businesses exist to make money. That’s it. What does that have to do with Christmas? If your Christmas is affected in any way because a Wal-Mart clerk said “Happy holidays!” instead of “Merry Christmas!” then, again, I feel sorry for you. People in North America are going to enjoy their national holiday in their houses festooned with wreaths and lights, opening Christmas gifts, watching the Christmas movies that have been playing on every television station for the past few weeks, listening to the Christmas music that’s played on the radio for weeks — all the while grumbling that they’re supposedly not allowed to celebrate Christmas anymore.

Newsflash, Roger: Just because someone disagrees with you, it doesn’t make them biased or dishonest. But thanks for the insults, even if that’s not what Christianity’s supposed to be about either.

haha the top box in the first panel says “PITS”