The "War on Christmas" has just started on my Facebook page...

[CTyankee]

A friend of mine posting one of those "show you welcome God in your house...remember to say "Merry Christmas" instead of "Happy Holidays" type of crap. I didn't respond at all. I think she's gotten out of sorts lately.

Here's my philosophy: I say "Merry Christmas" to my Christian friends. I say "Happy Hannuka" to m Jewish friends and granddaughters. I say "Have a great holiday" to most folks where I don't know the religious connection. I just consider that to be polite.

What I don't get is why my friend is doing this on her Facebook page. Nobody is stopping her from practicing her faith. I really consider her to be divisive and she ought to know better.

[pinboy3niner]

1. I will be SO glad when the War on Christmas is over

So we can get on with the War on Easter.

[shenmue]

2. And then there's the War on Epiphany

[pinboy3niner]

6. So many religious holidays to desecrate, so little time

[tanyev]

43. I keep my powder dry for the War on Quinquagesima Sunday.

[CTyankee]

5. She ought to know better really.

[pipi_k]

12. That just gave me an idea

for a new TV series called "M.A.R.S.H."


It's about a mobile surgical unit for wounded marshmallow....err...


never mind.

[GeorgeGist]

3. Christians are very insecure.

[99Forever]

4. Many religious types are obnoxous asses.

It just doesn't sink into them that their "religious freedom" by it's very definition, has to include other peoples right to be free from their hokus pokus blather. I never pick a fight with one of them, but OTOH, when they get pushy about it, I have no qualms about dropping any pretense of "politeness" and let 'em have it with both barrels.

[TBF]

7. Who cares what she

puts on her page? It's hers. Now if she comes spouting bigotry or any other crap on YOUR page have at her.

[CTyankee]

9. Well, it showed up on mine. I'm kinda disappointed in her.

[bigwillq]

13. Then unfriend her.

If you choose not to, then you must accept the things she posts on her page.

Merry Thanksgiving.

[TBF]

23. Check to see if you're following her -

it should be on her page. If there is a little check mark by a button that says "following" just unclick it. Then you can check her page occasionally and not have it come up on your feed. If she actually tagged you in the post you can untag it. If all this sounds like greek (!) just ignore her or unfriend her. Sorry I know the posts the past few days have been very revealing from some people.

[tblue]

8. They're bullies. With way too much time on their hands.

Tell her to record a voice memo of her choice phrase and play it on a loop if she needs to hear it so bad.

Period end of story.

[Initech]

37. These people definitely need a hobby.

One that doesn't involve putting down other people of other faiths.

[seabeyond]

10. i say whatever i feel at the moment and never had a problem. happy christmas and merry new years

works well.

we get that in our area too. bumpstickers. so fox stupid.

[Bigmack]

11. Are you being persecuted?

http://www.vox.com/xpress/2014/11/23/7271135/flowchart-holiday-persecuted

[CTyankee]

29. Love it!

I may have to borrow it for my Facebook page!

[marlakay]

14. I think it's so stupid

I say happy holidays to customers in the store I work in because I have no idea nor would I ask what their beliefs are.

I have a friend that is Jewish so in the back of my mind I am thinking that could be her walking into the store.

So why in a country filled with a mixing pot are we supposed to only give respect to Christians faith?

[Mariana]

18. Better not to acknowledge any holidays at all.

Just be friendly and polite as usual. Some Christians, like the one the OP is about, absolutely will be highly offended if you say "Happy Holidays" to them. You can't win, so just keep your greetings and such totally generic.

[CTyankee]

30. Esp. since we know that it has nothing to do with the birth of Christ and was placed precisely

at the time of solstice just to move people over to Christianity.

[olddots]

15. Facebook is like cocaine

The first hit is sparkly ,leave it and you will feel better .

[Mariana]

16. I'll say Merry Christmas on Christmas day, and not before.

This year a bunch of the stores had their cheap tacky made in China Christmas crap out in the middle of October. C'mon, give us a break already. Like the song says, there are 12 DAYS of Christmas, not 12 WEEKS of it.

I generally don't change my behavior toward others at all during the holidays. I do my best to be friendly and polite as always - even when some rude jackass of a total stranger is trying to bully and shame me into acknowledging and affirming her particular flavor of religious celebration.

Edited for clarity.

[pipi_k]

17. Yeah, I've been seeing a lot of that

same crap on FB as well.

I just sigh and scroll past it all.

Also, I don't wish anyone a happy/merry anything first. I wait to see what they wish me, then I say, "Same to you" back to them.

Really, there's so much legitimate stuff to be offended over in this world, I have no patience for people who get all pissy over what to call holidays.

Anyway, if it really gets to be obnoxious, you can "unfollow" her without un-friending her, just until the holidays are over. She won't know, you'll still see her comments on other peoples' walls, but what she posts on her own wall won't be visible to you until you change the setting back.

[kimbutgar]

19. I live in San Francisco and my right wing neighbor has 2 giant banners on his house saying

Jesus is the reason for the season and stop the war on Christmas. A bus stop is right next to his house he is so unfriendly, and had a lot of work done on his house and had questionable workers working on it.

[RedCappedBandit]

20. I say happy holidays because it's inclusive

That's all there is to it.

[upaloopa]

21. I say merry Christmas because for 68 years

that is what I have been saying. It is not said for any special reason other than the day has been called Christmas as long as I have been around and I am wishing the day to be merry to who ever I say it too.
If that gets you bent out of shape that is your problem deal with it.

[CTyankee]

33. What I would like to say to her is "and peace and joy to you" because I wish that for

everyone and christmas is as good an excuse to say as any other time.

And we need more peace and joy in the world, IMO.

[upaloopa]

34. Agree

[Mariana]

39. Good for you.

Now, if no ione would get bent out of shape over "Merry Christmas", and if the people like the OP's "friend" would similarly just deal with it when they hear someone say "Happy Holidays", the world would be a better place.

[6000eliot]

22. "Holiday"="Holy Day"

It's the same damn thing.

[JEB]

24. Bah humbug. My personal favorite.

[LeftinOH]

25. The word "Holiday" IS religious in origin...

holiday (n).

1500s, earlier haliday (c.1200), from Old English haligdæg "holy day; Sabbath," from halig "holy" (see holy) + dæg "day" (see day); in 14c. meaning both "religious festival" and "day of recreation," but pronunciation and sense diverged 16c.

definition from Online Etymology Dictionary http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?allowed_in_frame=0&search=holiday&searchmode=none

[johnp3907]

26. I just wish everyone a Happy Merry!

And on facebook I just block or unfriend anyone who posts divisive crap.

[Orsino]

27. More holidays than I know of are coming between today and Valentine's.

Only Christian supremacists and their dimwit folliwers get all het up over such a stupid mon-issue. I'll say happy-holidays to everyone into the new year. Not everyone is lucky enough to get a day off work on whatever day happens to give a fundamentalust a chubby.

[Iggo]

28. Ask them why they're offended that people wish them Happy Holy Days.

"You're against Holy Days? Why do you hate god?"

Something like that really oughta get 'em going.

[noiretextatique]

31. so delusional. hell...we can't even get through Halloween

before corporations start their war on our wallets, aka christmas advertising. i am already over it, and it's not even Thanksgiving yet.

[Tyrs WolfDaemon]

32. Tell them it is none of their business

Then when they look at you funny or ask what your problem is you can tell them something like:

I don't want to marry Christmas, she is way to materialistic and thinks the world revolves around her. Then there is the 'Me, Me, Me' factor and how she expects everyone to be happy and chipper around her.


If they start to tell you about the difference between merry and marry, you can tell them that you understand that perfectly well. Since they couldn't have known if you are a Christian or not, it would be rude to make the assumption that you celebrate Christmas. That means they must have been commenting on your personal relationships. Then tell them that it is really creepy that they would just start in on who you should marry or not.

If you are lucky, their heads will explode.

[savalez]

35. Surprise!

Some people are self-righteous pricks. Just respond with Happy Holidays and be done with it.

[Algernon Moncrieff]

36. Reply with this, or simply post it to your timeline

[RobinA]

38. People Can Put

what they want on their facebook pages. If I don't like it I can ignore it or block them. I blocked some people who kept putting pictures of Christ with blood dripping off him and talking about "the blood of the lamb." It was just bothersome. Other people I don't agree with I keep around because we're friends and people can differ. This goes for constant "god bless the military" stuff. I grit my teeth and bear it. Their kid's in the military and they drank the Kool-Aid. Life's too short and our friendship is long.

[CTyankee]

40. Oh, I know, but she has gotten kinda unpleasant recently and I have liked her in the past.

For a long while I chalked it up to her grief over losing her husband to brain cancer. I know that grief can cause people to feel so many different things and I was understanding and sensitive. Now I am not sure. I think she is truly conflicted so I don't want to abandon her entirely. But she has said some pretty cutting things to me in the recent past. Things I don't understand. But I'm still trying...

[tanyev]

41. Tell her Christmas doesn't start until the evening of December 24th.

In the Christian liturgical year, the proper thing for her to say from Nov. 30-Dec 24 (daytime) is "Blessed Advent." After that, she may say "Merry Christmas" for 12 days, with "Happy New Year" also being allowable on Jan. 1st. From Jan. 6th forward, "Happy Epiphany" is the appropriate Christian expression.

Or, if she doesn't want to keep up with all that, she could just say "Happy Holidays".

[CTyankee]

42. It's funny. My next door neighbor makes a special effort to say "merry Christmas" and I wish

her the same because I know she is religious. But she doesn't crusade on it...

[tanyev]

46. I love how nary an eye is batted at the appalling commercialization of Christmas,

but heaven help the poor sales clerk who doesn't wish them a Merry Christmas as they pay for their Baby Jesus thong underwear.

[workinclasszero]

44. Oh right..its the "war on Christmas" time of year

Right after the "Halloween is going to send your kids to hell for trick or treating"....time of year

The right wing has to keep the peasants in fear 24/7 so they don't dare ask for decent wages and a middle class lifestyle.

Plus it drums up business at the local mega church...pass that plate and give it all to Jesus (hahahahaha) people!

[SomethingFishy]

45. War On Christmas.. the most ludicrous thing ever..

Yes poor Christmas, under fire from all directions.. Things are so bad you can't even get your shopping done until after Halloween! The holiday season now only lasts 8 weeks! And Bill O had to start his rants in October!! Kirk Cameron had to make an entire movie showing you how to properly celebrate mass market consumerism!

Good god man what is next? A return to the days when you couldn't even shop on Thanksgiving?

[JHB]

47. If anyone gives you crap for saying "Happy Holidays"...

...just cheerfully tell them "and God bless the chip on your shoulder!"

And for Facebook, just post a Bing Crosby song. No rebukes, no chiding, just an old-fashioned Season's Greetings.