Aren't there enough wars already? Did we have to *invent* one?

[tzikeh]

Hey! Thanks to alyxbradford, you can prepare yourself for the next time you receive one of the "There Is a War on Christmas!" emails, or if someone demands "how dare you wish me 'Happy Holidays'?": the facts about Christmas, complete with Biblical canon and European and American history.

Not that you're likely to get results, but at least you won't be left flailing about in impotent rage or chopping people up for kindling.

Also, Charles Dickens? Fuck you. You wanna piece of me? Don't look at me, Charles Dickens. Ass.

Comments

[brewsternorth.livejournal.com]

Uck. I am glad I live in a city where the odds of people whinging about a "war on Christmas" are far lower (mainly because a goodly quantity of us have just started celebrating Hanukah [and happy holiday to them!]). Me, I treat it as a chance to bring people closer together.

And huddling together when it's this ^&%*ing cold isn't a bad idea, either.

[tzikeh.livejournal.com]

Oh, I don't think we get it much here, either (though I tend to avoid stores during this period of time), but folks get those chain emails, and lots of people do have to deal with it in their faces, so I thought it was a handy resource to point out for those who might need it.

[brewsternorth.livejournal.com]

True indeed. Forewarned is forearmed.

[sanj.livejournal.com]

In this thread here, where I was bitching about my sisters-in-law's inevitable Crazy Jesus Mess, swtalmnd came up with this gem:

"Well, then, I hope you have a happy Christmas and a miserable fucking New Year."

I'm kind of loving that one, though I doubt I'll actually use it. Tempting, though. VERY tempting.

[tzikeh.livejournal.com]

Oh, me likey.

[klia.livejournal.com]

Thanks, that was an interesting post! I always figured a lot of the country's religious fervor got reignited during the Cold War as a way to differentiate us from the communists, like adding "under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance, but I never knew Christmas as a religious holiday came from the same era. I only knew the Christian church superimposed its teachings onto pagan symbolism and feasts in order to gain converts. I learn so much on LJ!

My family has gone a little religion crazy in the last 10-15 years, to the point where they're not only bitching about erasing Christ from Christmas, they're bitching about how prayer isn't allowed in public schools anymore. And I have to keep reminding them that none of their kids ever prayed in public school, so why is it even an issue?

I just... *shakes head*

[tzikeh.livejournal.com]

Sigh.

(Oh, since you have read, I have edited my post to be less GRAR-inducing.)

I just... "happy holidays" is inclusive. Why is that bad? And I'm saying this as someone who doesn't celebrate *any* holidays--I can handwave it as "enjoy the pretty decorations and yummy food we get around this time of year!" I don't understand what else people want--and God forbid they recognize that "holidays" means "Holy Days." It's apparently Christmas or DEATH PANELS.

[mirandir.livejournal.com]

It's apparently Christmas or DEATH PANELS.

*cannot stop laughing*

[tzikeh.livejournal.com]

"Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer" takes on a whole new meaning....

[klia.livejournal.com]

I just... "happy holidays" is inclusive. Why is that bad?

I guess because it IS inclusive? And to some people, that rubs their noses in the fact that their country, which was intended to provide religious freedom, actually DOES? Oh. Em. Gee.

Frankly, I think huge numbers of Christian congregations have mutated into bizarre cults. They sure as hell have little to do with the teachings on which their religion was founded, that's for damn sure.

[ramblinsuze.livejournal.com]

THIS.

Not everybody celebrates Christmas. Not everybody celebrating Christmas celebrates like YOU. Get outta my holiday, man!

Can I gank your icon? I lurves it!

[tzikeh.livejournal.com]

Icon free to all, with credit if you please!

[reginagiraffe]

I made my own but your is better. Ganking!

Thanks!

[principia-coh.livejournal.com]

Why do I wish people happy holidays? Same reason I don't say 'bless you' to random people when they sneeze. I don't assume everyone around me is a Christian.

The War on Christmas people are the same type who bake birthday cakes for Jesus (not kidding; worked with one of them in the early 90s). We're talking about people who complain because the USPS makes holiday stamps during the extended season for things like Eid, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa, and they even bitch about Christmas-related stamps that aren't Christ-specific enough. I doubt any rational discourse on the matter is going to make them rethink their stance.

All I know is you don't see pagans running around complaining about Solstice being hijacked by those Johnny-come-lately monotheists with their menorahs and crosses. At least none that I've ever heard.

[ratcreature]

You'd think they'd first try to purify Easter from the syncretist influences what with it being most important for Christianity, and yet most people celebrating it are doing all the vaguely pagan spring fertility stuff, i.e. decorating with hares/bunnies and eggs, putting fresh blooming twigs into their homes, and lighting huge bonfires and sometimes even still firewheels. Actually I don't know whether you do that fire part in the US. So are these people campaiging agaist the Easter Bunny too?

[penwiper26.livejournal.com]

As a Christian, not to mention as a normal, non-teabagger citizen, I find this "War on Christmas" shit incredibly galling.

Jesus did not die on the cross so you fuckers could go around feeling put-upon because someone wished you "Happy Holidays," I want to say. Go someplace where there's real persecution of our religion (someplace, i.e., that's not here), and shut your yap.

[thefannishwaldo.livejournal.com]

My *father* who avoids religious discussion at all costs, because he has no patience for any of it, found himself explaining to a bunch of people the other day that Christmas trees are not of a CHRISTMAS origin.

He was trying to explain that it was a Pagan tradition to begin with, and to end with the Christians are OMG!Doing-it-wrong by CUTTING THE TREE DOWN!

So when people get uppity about a silly Facebook game calling it a 'Holiday Tree' or some such nonsense, they REALLY need to look at what they're defending. A co-opted tradition that they've butchered. Yes, this is something you should defend whole heartedly. *headdesk!*

(Why yes, I did spend the past week trying to explain to very, very culturally isolated 9-year-olds that not everyone in the world celebrates Christmas and it *has* made me a bit cranky, why do you ask? :p)