Don't Say "christmas"

[Fierce Critter]

That's a relief.... now can you please shut off the light in the baby Jesus's head so I can use my Xbox 360?

<--- honestly laughing out loud at that one. I'm waaaay too visual.

[Steven]

It's easy when you're better than everyone else.

OOOH NUUU SHE DI'INT!

And what color am I, MutherFuckers? Keep in mind, I looooooove red. Though I actually prefer a nice, dark, vermilion-y shade...

HA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Steven]

NUUU WAAAI! Your christianinityness might infect my middle-of-the-road we all worship the same thing in different ways-nee-ness.

You still live in Michigan. You'll get yours in person someday. Mark my words.

<-- suddenly feels an urge to pull out her Godspell CD

I can one up ya (although I have Godspell) with my Jesus Christ Superstar VINYL

[Fierce Critter]

I can one up ya (although I have Godspell) with my Jesus Christ Superstar VINYL

Don't make me pull out my "I can play half the Godspell songs on acoustic 12-string guitar - and you can't" card.

Don't make me, Steven. I'm warning you. This hasn't gotten hurtful yet. But I have my limits.

[EAF (1)]

roflmao...heated debates between people i randomly add what i think and now DGN's infamouse randomness takes hold lol... i love this place

[Steven]

Don't make me pull out my "I can play half the Godspell songs on acoustic 12-string guitar - and you can't" card.

Don't make me, Steven. I'm warning you. This hasn't gotten hurtful yet. But I have my limits.

Dang - you really DO have the strongest hand Love.......

no...wait - I have JC Superstar with both Ted Neely AND Ian Gillen from Deep Purple on lead Vox....thats worht an honerable mention.....

[Fierce Critter]

Dang - you really DO have the strongest hand Love.......

no...wait - I have JC Superstar with both Ted Neely AND Ian Gillen from Deep Purple on lead Vox....thats worht an honerable mention.....

<-- too young to know or care who Ian Gillen is.

BOo-yaaa. Pulled the AGE card on ya, too...

Even I didn't know I was this evil.

<-- considers celebrating whatever those silly Satanists celebrate at this time of year...

[Msterbeau]

hey man I want one of those

Get in line. She called on me first.

[Fierce Critter]

Get in line. She called on me first.

SQUEEEE!! Mens be fightin' over'n me!!!

I'll give ya'll a break for a while. I'm going shopping for a new bustier and consulting with my hair do'ist about touchin' up mai hairz 'fore Saturday night...

Carry on..and on...

[Scary Guy]

this is such a waste of Scary Guy time.

and by the way stop shoving Bah Humbug in my face, it tastes like ass and its trite and powerless.

Scary will be at White Castle everybody.....

I don't think it's a waste of my time, not at all. People should hear what pisses me off and I should be able to ruin everyones day with my grievances, because they actually do ruin mine with their "joy".

I also love the phrase bah humbug, because it does convey my discontent with the holiday season in general.

I also fucking hate White Castle

He's an asshole no matter what comes out of his mouth.

Who, me or Bill?

Not quite. Thanks-alot (also known as Thanksgiving) is not a consumerist pile of crap. Mostly because pilgrims aren't really a marketable decoration.

I like the outline format, scary guy. That's new for you. Very professional.

And, interestingly, half of what you said you don't like about Christmas is what Christians don't like about Christmas. I, as a Catholic, wish that corporate America would stop using one of my holiest days of the year as an opportunity to sell more freaking Elmo dolls. It's not Christmas' fault that it got hijacked.

And we're supposed to stop saying Merry Christmas because it offends people? Has anyone on this board actually been offended when they were greeted with Merry Christmas? No? Okay, well, have you ever met anyone who was offended by 'merry Christmas'? I mean, who is this mysterious person? And why do their delicate feelings matter so much to everyone else? I have a sneaking suspicion that in twenty years we'll realize that we stripped our words of meaning to protect the feelings of someone who never even existed.

Yes it is, you need to buy a turkey or you don't love your family. I hate Thanksgiving almost as much since it celebrates how we snaked the land from people who were originally quite friendly to us. I doubt we'd have treated them the same way had they come over to England back in the day. I imagine it would be like first contact with an alien race today.

I'm also ALWAYS professional, and it is nothing new for me.

Also *pointing at self* I'm offended, but does anyone actually give a shit. Fuck no.

[Steven]

I don't think it's a waste of my time, not at all. People should hear what pisses me off and I should be able to ruin everyones day with my grievances, because they actually do ruin mine with their "joy".

I also love the phrase bah humbug, because it does convey my discontent with the holiday season in general.

I also fucking hate White Castle

Who, me or Bill?

Yes it is, you need to buy a turkey or you don't love your family. I hate Thanksgiving almost as much since it celebrates how we snaked the land from people who were originally quite friendly to us. I doubt we'd have treated them the same way had they come over to England back in the day. I imagine it would be like first contact with an alien race today.

I'm also ALWAYS professional, and it is nothing new for me.

Also *pointing at self* I'm offended, but does anyone actually give a shit. Fuck no.

first - you dont talk bad about White Castle, some things are just sacred.

next - for someone so original you should come up with your own bah humbugizms.....say for example ...Ha Bumbug, there ya go, thats totally new...do that and then you'd have my attention but anyway while your all pouty and discontented and shit I'm having a hella good time pretty much all month long AND I'm going to White Castle and while my car is stanky from it to me it smells like Christmas....

next next - you may have a cool car and a spooky avatar but you have nary the nutsack to EVER ruin my day Johnny and I dont care how pissed you are that my joy filled festivities make your day sukketh because whilst im in the christmas spirit I can pretty much promise you that ruining Scary Guy's day just never creeps into my thoughts...

next next after next - we have turkey dinners AT LEAST 10 times a year, not because somehow if I dont buy one for thanksgiving it allegedly communicates that I dont love my family and jesus christ was that dumber than dumb. I buy turkey cause the skin gets nice and crispy if you coat it with mayo before baking and because I like it in sandwiches with mayo and lettuce but no tomatoe even though I generally love tomatoe in most sandwiches and also Turkey is good in soup if you use alot of pepper. I also like to eat Ham during Christmas but I only do that because if I dont eat ham on christmas like the man on teh TV says then I am a shitty american with rotten social values plus its good refired with eggs and rye toast but its really about being shitty.

next after next after next - "this land is your land, this land is my land....." PULEAZE Vato, the human species has been pillaging and plundering one another since we could pronounce pillage and plunder and while were on the subject Johnny them injunz your so concerned with did the same thing to one another and even ate each other from time to time but Id never eat an injun cause their skin does NOT get all wonderfully crispy if you coat it with mayo before baking but since your all up on championing pocohantus (by the way there'z injun in my blood too) send us your new address from the Rez and let me know when your doing your next "Gothic DJ's for Native Americans" gig....

[saechalyn]

next next after next - we have turkey dinners AT LEAST 10 times a year, not because somehow if I dont buy one for thanksgiving it allegedly communicates that I dont love my family and jesus christ was that dumber than dumb. I buy turkey cause the skin gets nice and crispy if you coat it with mayo before baking and because I like it in sandwiches with mayo and lettuce but no tomatoe even though I generally love tomatoe in most sandwiches and also Turkey is good in soup if you use alot of pepper. I also like to eat Ham during Christmas but I only do that because if I dont eat ham on christmas like the man on teh TV says then I am a shitty american with rotten social values plus its good refired with eggs and rye toast but its really about being shitty.

next after next after next - "this land is your land, this land is my land....." PULEAZE Vato, the human species has been pillaging and plundering one another since we could pronounce pillage and plunder and while were on the subject Johnny them injunz your so concerned with did the same thing to one another and even ate each other from time to time but Id never eat an injun cause their skin does NOT get all wonderfully crispy if you coat it with mayo before baking but since your all up on championing pocohantus (by the way there'z injun in my blood too) send us your new address from the Rez and let me know when your doing your next "Gothic DJ's for Native Americans" gig....

[Steven]

thanky thanky.

dangit I love Christmas.

[Kit Kat P]

I love Christmas, right down to putting bells on my shoes and a trees in my front room. Yes, in my book Santa is real, and if he doesn't show then someone is in trouble (my gf). I'm a holdiay person, I love nearly all of them and not for the consumerism and I enjoy researching them and perpetually learning new things about their roots.

[the eternal]

I just thought I'd remind everyone:

The reason BW posted this thread was because she needed to vent about

hypocritical pricks who use their power to make f$%^ed up contradictory rules at whim.

NOT to go off on some OReilly rant about saying the word Christmas

I'm sure we've all had those kind of bosses before.

Dumber than you and they know it, and so to compensate, they act like arrogant, incomprehensible,

douchebags

Anyway, I just want to thank Phee and Mstrbeau for saying what I don't have the energy to right now.

And for Steven going back to his humble self. He seemed a little angrier than usual in this thread.

And for all three of you for playing this out so Bean doesn't have to spend time bitchslapping some Ho,Ho,HOs

up in this byotch.

As for me, all I'll say is personally, please don't wish me Merry Christmas.

I won't riot.

I won't whine up and down and be ultra-offended.

Just don't do it.

I appreciate the gesture. I really do.

You want to spread cheer and include me in the joy and love you're feeling of the season.

That's great.

But I'm Jewish.

I don't trim a tree.

I don't wait for a BMI-impaired man to come down a chimney.

And I certainly don't celebrate the birth of any Jewish carpenters.

If you don't want to wish me "Happy Holidays,"

wish me nothing.

I don't need to be reminded that I'm one of a small group of people who are left out during the bombardment of all that is Christmas.

But forget me for a sec, because I know I can be an annoying prick.

Please think----

that the next time you're wishing a child "Merry Christmas,"

if they're not Christian,

and it's in a Christian town,

they won't complain to you,

they won't say they're offended,

they'll probably just retreat,

BUT they may feel even that much more isolated than so many do already,

and their parents may have to sit down AGAIN and explain to them,

why everyone gets a visit from Santa Claus but them.

Please try to see it from the other side. (I realize not everyone is sensitive,

some don't care,

but for those that are, a little restraint really goes a long way)

AND...Words DO affect people.

I almost ran home and cried once as a kid, because a little girl in my class said I was nice and so...

It was really too bad that I'd be going to hell when I died, and that there'd be lots of fire and I would burn for ever and ever.

Who the fuck teaches a 7-year old, crap like that anyway??

Of course, it probably didn't help that my synagoggue had recently had a Holocaust survivor as a guest speaker, (they used to visit a lot--Never Forget is kind of an unofficial motto)

And so through stories and images,

I already had a vivid mental picture of what it would be like to be burned alive for ever and ever,

and I didn't like it.

And I certainly didn't want it to be me.

One more thing:

I will forgive the earlier post in this thread that referenced Caroling at me during the High Holidays

(which would be quite odd since they usually fall in September)

Beacause, I don't think people understand the importance of Yom Kippur to me,

or what the High Holidays mean to a Jew.

But if anyone DID

purposefully come up to me and sing Christmas Carols during the one time of the year

when I spend 24 hours straight--

praying,

fasting,

and begging G-d's forgiveness for being such an asshole, and

committing to being a better human being next year and for the rest of my life,

If someone had so much disregard for me that she came up and did that---

I swear I'd fucking punch her in the face.

Merry Christmas.

PS. For the rest of you, that really was sweet that you want share your love and warmth.

So, in lieu of wishing me a "Merry Christmas," I will accept cozy fireplaces and chai

So, my VPO at the company I work for had to act the part of captain badass today.

We were doing this holiday thing where I work where we've been sending out an e-mail every week about different holidays around the world from different cultures. Yes, a few of them were Christmas related, but not all of them. The focus was on cultural differences, not religion.

Well, our VPO bitched about it, saying we can't say the word Christmas (oh yes, you read correctly), and we have to stop doing the e-mails because we are offending people. Maybe they were, maybe they weren't. I don't know, but I think it is absolute crap coming from a man who threw a shit fit and would not allow one of our account managers (who is Jewish) to take off the first day of Hanukkah. He also would not let her take the day off on the most holy day of the year for Jews. I think she was probably offended by that.

We get Christmas Eve and Christmas off of work. We don't get other religious holidays off. If we want to be so PC, we should get those days off too...Hanukkah, Kwanzaa...etc.

Let me tell you something. I was raised pagan/Buddhist. Yeah, we put a tree up and I got presents on Christmas, but we didn't celebrate the holiday as Christians would. My parents just wanted me to fit in and not feel bad because I didn't receive presents. I am not offended by "Christmas" or someone wishing me a Merry Christmas.

I like seeing Chirstmas trees and lights everywhere. I think it's pretty. I'd have lights up year round, but that would be viewed as weird.

When I was younger, I was on the whole "happy holidays, don't say Christmas" bandwagon. Now that I'm older and wiser, I think it's crap. Yes, we need to respect other people's religious beliefs, but this is getting ridiculous.

I hate that the joy and good will is being sucked out of everything and being turned into a big pile of shit.

I hate that my VPO can waste time being a tyrant instead of actually working to see what can be improved in our company to make things better for our clients.

Tomorrow, I'm putting an Christmas tree, lights, and a menorah in my cubicle. My VPO can kiss my holiday loving ass.

[bean]

mmkay people...you took one line out my entire post and decide to run with that. My issue wasn't really with the "Merry Xmas" vs. "Happy Holidays", I shouldn't have even put that line in. My bad. Piss in my cornflakes a little more.

My entire fucking point was that my VPO is a hypocritical fuckbag that could care less about improving our company and is more concerned with being a fascist tyrant who likes to order us around. I was bitching that we are not allowed to use the WORD Christmas. The word. Christmas. Christmas. In and of itself, as a word. That is taking things too far. As a former Athiest/Pagan/current Buddhist/soon to be convert to Judaism, I am not offended by the word Christmas. What offended me was that this asshole had the nerve to tell one of our account managers that she could not take days off to celebrate her religion, yet we can't say Christmas. It makes no sense to me. I'm not even Christian, ok. It's about this man's hypocrisy.

I do not wish people "Happy Holidays, "Merry Christmas" or anything else because, hey, guess what? Some people don't celebrate any holidays at all, and I'm not going to assume what religious beliefs people have or don't have and I don't know people's sensitivity levels for such things.

What I will never tolerate is hatred. I would be offended if someone decided to celebrate "Anti-fat Day". I would be offended if someone celebrated "Yay! Anorexic Day". I would be offended if someone walked up to me and called me a "Wop" or a "Dago". I would be offended if someone were to come up to me or my fiance and sing Christmas carols on Yom Kippur. I would be offended if you told me that Buddhism is bullshit.

[Destroit]

Yes, I have to ask. I don;t know how much of an asshole people view me ass.

For the record Gaf, you're definately level burnt sienna...

No doubt about that. Not a bad place to be imo...

NOWHERE in the US Constitution does it say anything about protecting American Citizens from "being offended". PERIOD. you have no legal right to stand on to complain about being offended. Period. So get over it. If i want to walk around singing Christmas carols on Yom Kippur I can and if you get offended, thats not my problem. If you want to run around and start telling people you celebrate anti-fat day and all the chubbies out there should go on a diet, hey- If it offends my fat ass thats my problem not yours. There are bigger problems in life than whether or not someone offends your poor lil feelings. seriously people, get over yourselves.

Oh and.... : That is all.

[Steven]

Eternal....

all I will say to you at this point is that I did not have my first Christmas till I was 16.

I was raised a Jehovahs Witness.

I WAS that kid who was the outsider, who didint get anything, who watched everybody else celebrate.

And it wasent just Chrsitmas either - it was literally any and every holiday and general social function.

I remember it well.

I also know what its like to fast and pray for days on end (yes even Christians do this) seeking God's will...I get that.

and words DO affect people, of course they do.

and being Jewish - then you understand the principles of spoken blessings and cursings - you no doubt have studied this in the old Hebrew writings....

When I was the odd kid and folks said "Merry Christmas" I didint hold it against people back then, I knew they simply wished me well. As a grown up - I know it even more - and YOU know it too.

But Merry Christmas is no curse. or songs for that matter.

look at the speaker in the same way God would look at you during your fast.

you'll still have to choose (choose) to be wounded or choose to appreciate the well wishes of the person in question...

Steven

PS - forgot to add: "angrier than usual" ..... sometimes bro you good people mistake my passion for anger, but Im not pissed about it (little joke there).

[the eternal]

And this why i love my Bean. We're almost always on the same page.

That and she's purty

[Steven]

mmkay people...you took one line out my entire post and decide to run with that. My issue wasn't really with the "Merry Xmas" vs. "Happy Holidays", I shouldn't have even put that line in. My bad. Piss in my cornflakes a little more.

My entire fucking point was that my VPO is a hypocritical fuckbag that could care less about improving our company and is more concerned with being a fascist tyrant who likes to order us around. I was bitching that we are not allowed to use the WORD Christmas. The word. Christmas. Christmas. In and of itself, as a word. That is taking things too far. As a former Athiest/Pagan/current Buddhist/soon to be convert to Judaism, I am not offended by the word Christmas. What offended me was that this asshole had the nerve to tell one of our account managers that she could not take days off to celebrate her religion, yet we can't say Christmas. It makes no sense to me. I'm not even Christian, ok. It's about this man's hypocrisy.

I do not wish people "Happy Holidays, "Merry Christmas" or anything else because, hey, guess what? Some people don't celebrate any holidays at all, and I'm not going to assume what religious beliefs people have or don't have and I don't know people's sensitivity levels for such things.

What I will never tolerate is hatred. I would be offended if someone decided to celebrate "Anti-fat Day". I would be offended if someone celebrated "Yay! Anorexic Day". I would be offended if someone walked up to me and called me a "Wop" or a "Dago". I would be offended if someone were to come up to me or my fiance and sing Christmas carols on Yom Kippur. I would be offended if you told me that Buddhism is bullshit.

forgive us bean for we know not what we do.

plus it was a wide opn door for a heady topic that comes up this time fo the year every year.

(I loved your post by the way)

[Gaf The Horse With Tears]

I'm sorry Bean's boss is such a twat. I'm also sorry that we dare speak about what we see as the root of the problem, that being the fear people have of offending, when clearly we should have been speaking about the superficial surface problem that it causes.

and eternal... noone was going off on an O`Riley rant... someone was making a joke.

[the eternal]

Eternal....

all I will say to you at this point is that I did not have my first Christmas till I was 16.

I was raised a Jehovahs Witness.

I WAS that kid who was the outsider, who didint get anything, who watched everybody else celebrate.

And it wasent just Chrsitmas either - it was literally any and every holiday and general social function.

I remember it well.

I also know what its like to fast and pray for days on end (yes even Christians do this) seeking God's will...I get that.

and words DO affect people, of course they do.

and being Jewish - then you understand the principles of spoken blessings and cursings - you no doubt have studied this in the old Hebrew writings....

When I was the odd kid and folks said "Merry Christmas" I didint hold it against people back then, I knew they simply wished me well. As a grown up - I know it even more - and YOU know it too.

But Merry Christmas is no curse. or songs for that matter.

look at the speaker in the same way God would look at you during your fast.

you'll still have to choose (choose) to be wounded or choose to appreciate the well wishes of the person in question...

Steven

It's not about the child holding it or not holding it against an adult.

I am merely making a suggestion that we be respectfull of the fact that if there are only a few Jewish kids

in a neighborhood, and everyone else is celebrating Christmas, they may feel left out.

I had a couple friends who had "chanukah Bushes." My sibling converted to Christianity because she didnt want to

be part of the minority.

Jews are converting out in record numbers to assimilate, turning their backs on their amazing rich and beautiful heritage.

Because it's easier than try to maintain self-identitiy.

It's quite sad.

I never resented anyone, and no one else I knew would either, but as a kid every "Merry Christmas" is just a reminder that there's a big party going on and you're not invited.

"Enjoy your 4-sided top, loser!"

So, it's not the kid's responsibility.

I think we should be a little more respectful as adults that not everyone celebrates Christmas, and it's not giving into a vast political correct conspiracy to make a slight adjustment to our language.

My .02

[bean]

forgive us bean for we know not what we do.

plus it was a wide opn door for a heady topic that comes up this time fo the year every year.

(I loved your post by the way)

thanky...

yeah..I wasn't really thinking about that before I posted the topic...

[bean]

I'm sorry Bean's boss is such a twat. I'm also sorry that we dare speak about what we see as the root of the problem, that being the fear people have of offending, when clearly we should have been speaking about the superficial surface problem that it causes.

and eternal... noone was going off on an O`Riley rant... someone was making a joke.

People's fear of offending is a big part of things, but in this case, the real issue is that the VPO is an idiot. He could really give 2 shits whether or not people are offended.

[Gaf The Horse With Tears]

Whats his stated Justification for banning the word Christmas?