Heard A Great Joke About The "War On Christmas" Today

[ChoppinBroccoli]

I was listening to Sarah Silverman on the Al Franken Show tonight, and she relayed a joke she heard from a comedian named Todd Glass. In explaining that by saying "Happy Holidays," you're acknowledging that there are a lot of holidays being celebrated this time of year and you don't know which one the person you're talking to celebrates, so you say "Happy Holidays" to be inclusive, he said that the people who complain that you can't say "Merry Christmas" anymore are probably also mad that they can't say "Hi, Glenn" to every person they meet on the street.

[Historic NY]

1. I'd answer back because its my name...

[Binkie The Clown]

2. Maybe they are complaining that they can't say "Hi Glenn" to Glenn. nt

[Mariana]

6. But they *can* say "Hi Glenn" to Glenn.

In fact, they can say "Hi Glenn" to every person they meet on the street, if that's what they want to do. No one's going to stop them.

[Missn-Hitch]

7. Now - it's a War on Glenn!

[Mariana]

9. Poor Glenn, what did he do to get caught up in all this? nt.

[Iggo]

21. Fucking Glenn, I swear to gawd!

[Historic NY]

24. sad....what did I do.

Maybe they mean those one N'ers ?

[Missn-Hitch]

25. Correction: War on Glen(n)!

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

3. On a semi serious note,

back in the day it was common to address all Pullman Porters as "George". Which was at least better than "boy" which was the otherwise accepted alternative.

[yonder]

11. Thanks, didn't know that.

[Beartracks]

4. They complain that you SUPPOSEDLY can't say Merry Christmas...

... anymore. The "ban" only exists in their victim-complex minds.

=======

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

12. Right.

I personally find "Merry Christmas" to be a bit odd because I don't really celebrate Christmas in a religious way. But that's me, and my problem. If someone says Merry Christmas to me, I say Merry Christmas back, because I am honoring the sentiment. It has NOTHING to do with my beliefs or what I might celebrate, but only with the spirit of the season.

Which is exactly how most people feel, I suspect.

[Beartracks]

28. "Honoring the sentiment"

That's a great way to put it.

I remember many, many years ago mailing Christmas cards to high school friends I knew through a statewide academic organization, one of whom I knew to be an atheist. But I didn't want to exclude him, and in my Christian way I most certainly did wish him peace and love in the coming year, so I sent the card. Next time I saw him, the first words out of his mouth, in a sort of plaintive protest, were, "Why'd you send me a card? You know I'm an atheist!" He seemed ok with the reasoning, and I recall he seemed appreciative for the sentiment, but I didn't include him on future Christmas mailings so as to not make him uncomfortable.

Anyhow, I think a holiday wish/greeting should be regarded as a gift to the one to whom it is said, and it's the height of rudeness to refuse it or, as in the case of these "war-on-Christmas" types, to complain the well-wisher did in a way not to their liking. Just take the good wishes in the spirit in which they were intended, regardless of one's personal belief system, and let the blessing go with you for the rest of the day. Honor the sentiment.

==========

[Drahthaardogs]

5. Actually, "Holidays" stands for Holy Days

Because the 12 days of Christmas are full of Catholic high feast days including St. Stephen, Feast Day of Mary, and the Epiphany.

So, anyone who says "Holidays" is a way to make Christmas secular, is a moron.

[Mariana]

8. If what you say is true

then why do some Christians get offended when someone says "Happy Holidays" to them? Are they morons?

Anyway, no one says "holidays" as a way to make Christmas secular. They say "holidays" because there's more than one that's observed by various people this time of year, so it's correct to use the plural.

[lunatica]

10. That's a rhetorical question right?

The one about them being morons. Right?

[Drahthaardogs]

13. Well, first of all, I completely agree with you

No one does it to make it secular. However, you can verify for yourself all thr Catholic feast days. They were celebrated more before Vatican II, but they still exist. We used to call The Epiphany "Little Christmas" and La Befana would visit. Puerto Rico celebrates Three Kings Day.

Holidays = Holy Days, which just makes their argument all the more ridiculous.

On edit, here is a link


https://www.history.com/news/the-war-of-words-behind-happy-holidays

[Drahthaardogs]

15. Yes, they are morons

First because its nothing to get upset over and

Secondly, you can't claim "Happy Holidays" is secular, because it too has religious origins.

[Mariana]

17. They also like to pretend it's a new thing that started recently.

Here's a link to a Providence newspaper published Saturday, Dec. 17, 1881. It's only 4 pages. Look at the ads:

Attractive Holiday Goods
Holiday Store
Holiday Gifts
Holiday Novelties
Holiday Cards
Greatest Attractions for the Holidays
Diamonds for the Holidays

https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=V2uI0bKpj5cC&dat=18811217&printsec=frontpage&hl=en

[tanyev]

16. Because they think the season they celebrate is the only one that's 'right'.

[Iggo]

22. Yes. They are morons. (n/t)

[MissMarple]

29. Persecution complex.

They feel the larger culture disparages them and they really, really like to get their knickers in a twist. Those who promote their ‘outrage’ probably laugh at them off camera. But why do they seem to like wearing twisted knickers? ...It’s just too weird...and unChristian. Go figure. 🙄

[cantfixstupid]

14. You can't fix stupid

Right on Comrade
Many a tru word is spoken in jest

[Normanart]

20. The ultimate challenge

For the 21st century...how to fix stupid. Seriously, we can see the damage inflicted on society by stupid people, and if do not address the problem, it will only get worse. If I were smart, I might know how to fix stupid, but I don’t.

[Iggo]

23. "...how to fix stupid."

The answer is Education.

But, unsurprisingly, they're against that, too.

[Dukkha]

18. "Happy Holidays" was written by Irving Berlin

who also composed "God Bless America" so maybe he was a secret commie pinko

The song is also commonly associated with Birther Teabag Idiot Andy Williams

[not_the_one]

19. He WAS a secret "pinko".

He and Cole Porter had a relationship (and I'm sure there were others....)

Maybe it wasn't TOO much of a secret, since we all know it now...

Just think of all the great music we wouldn't have without the "pinkos" from Broadway.

I remember watching The Andy Williams Show on Sunday nights after church, Ed Sullivan and Bonanza. Loved it. It just proves how clueless I was. I was a country boy, and lived a very sheltered life. I remember seeing my first Catholic, in the 7th grade. I have NO idea when I saw my first Jewish person. There were none in the rural area where I grew up.

Apparently Andy was a (not so) secret polygamy accepting white supremacist.

[flor-de-jasmim]

26. I say Happy Holidays cuz many people have some sort of vacation at this time!

[gulliver]

27. Cecily Strong (as Fox "News" Jeanine Pirro) had a great one on the last SNL too.

"To my Christian friends, I wanna say, 'Merry Christmas!'"

"And to all you Jewish and Muslim folks out there, I said 'MERRY CHRISTMAS!'"