It's official. This is the most ridiculous poll yet.

Is that what the people think? Perhaps we need a poll to find out!

The AFA is nothing more then a neo-nazi organization.

Not so - i've been a member for years and that is not in the slightest what they are about!! Plain and simple - it is a Christian watchdog group bringing the religious unfairness to light.

I don't see the big deal about all of this. Many Atheists are pissing off many Christians and vice versa on the situation. I feel like I'm watching a cheesy soap opera or high school hallway drama.

I'll stick to Merry Christmas because it's what I believe in, but I don't get offended by Happy Holidays, Happy Hanukkah, Happy (or Merry?) Kwanza, etc. People get offended way too easily these days.

@Claire - so the process of acknowledging a collection of similarly-timed religious holidays while neither singling out nor highlighting any one in particular... is religious UNfairness? That sounds more like the definition of fairness to me. Those who celebrate Christmas might call it unfair because they are losing the front-row prominence they have so enjoyed for all these years, but to call it "unfair" is a petty and ill-conceived adjective in this context. If the Yankees win the World Series for 5 years in a row, is the team that finally dethrones them just being "unfair?"

On a side note, "The American Family Association, a Christian group..."; why do Christians think they have a monopoly and highest authority on the American family? Are families of atheists or of Jews doing it all wrong? It's crap like this that makes it difficult to sympathize with Christians when they whine about Christmas being under attack while the decorations are going up before Halloween and the music is in constant rotation starting on Black Friday.

Look if its formal its holidays to ur bud x-mas or what ever it respect for everyone if u no the person is chirstan the say merry xmas or hauunacha. jesus was born in marchish when rome fell the church use the old pagan holidays to more of easier time for convertsion. wtf the faa is nazi o if someone is trying to help its nazism . their job is make sure it ok to fly. i say both

@Holly Ramar

Hahahahaha! That's great! A sense of humor is always the best thing to have :)

@Cat, there's plenty of literature, religious or otherwise, that strongly disagrees with that. How about this: the Koran is indeed the word of god. Don't want to follow it, or at least accept the truth within it? Then I guess you're going to hell.

When did Christams for a Christian become about materalism? This poll is so offensive to me. Why not worry about feeding the poor and visiting the sick?!?! My church is serving a meal on Christmas Day for those in our community who might otherwise go hungry. We are hosting the homeless too. That's what Christams is about. Not saying "Merry Christmas" and certainly not about the gifts under the tree. This is the most insane poll I have ever seen.

Christians saying they are treated unfairly? That's the sickest sense of irony I've ever heard.

Didn't the bible say something about worshiping in private? Why the hell are these faux Christians fighting so hard to stick their foolishness in our faces?

Peace on earth, good will towards men is something I personally believe Jesus would advocate.

This whole thing can be taken way too far. I am a Christian, but I would never want to force the words "Merry Christmas" on someone who did not believe as I did. I can see retailers not wanting to cover every single holiday that is celebrated this time of year and simply saying, "Happy Holidays." At the same time, I don't understand why people freak out at the sight of a manger scene since Christmas does happen to be celebrated this time of year. The Constitution did not demand that all religions be represented equally in the public square, just that the government not ESTABLISH a religion as a state religion. I realize that Supreme Court decisions have set a more equitable precedent, and I personally enjoy seeing the decorations of Chanukah and Kwanzaa displayed along with the Christmas ones, finding that preferable myself for a nation with freedom of religion. Also, from what I understand, a good many decorations we call Christmas decorations are actually Yule, or Solstice decorations. And, yes, I said Freedom OF Religion, not Freedom FROM Religion. If you can't see that there is a difference between the two, you need to go back to elementary school.

Definition of FROM...
2—used as a function word to indicate physical separation or an act or condition of removal, abstention, exclusion, release, subtraction, or differentiation

Please note the words "act or condition of removal, abstention, exclusion, release, subtraction, or differentiation..." associated with the word "from."

Definition of OF...
8 a—used as a function word to indicate a particular example belonging to the class denoted by the preceding noun

Note that there is no exclusion or subtraction. It is only used to show an example of a type of freedom-e.g., freedom of religion.

Definitions from merriam-webster.com. Note that I only used the part of the definition that pertained to the context of my post. It would get way too long if I posted the entire thing.

I'm an atheist and I find myself saying merry christmas and bless you when people sneeze, to me things like that are like whatever. Christmas today is now so commercialized that its not even religious. No one I know mentions god or jesus around christmas time, the only thing that is ever mentioned is presents and what they want or have to buy. The only things that really offend me are christians like these. I've never had as many problems of someone from another faith trying to push their beliefs on me as I've had with christians.

To each his own, but I go out of my way to offend groups like this one.

Saying "Happy Holidays" doesn't mean you're anti-Christmas; it means you are pro-all the other December holidays too. The two don't have to be mutually exclusive. This whole thing is ridiculous.

Emanuel, its because Christian Conservative groups, like the AFA feel that they must impose their beliefs on others. Because, you know, its wrong that there are people who don't believe as they believe(remind you of anyone), and you better start believing as they do, or your gonna burn in Hell. Religion, causing regression in humanity since 3000 BC

Spider, I would love nothing more than to discuss my lack of belief in any deities with you. It's my favorite thing to do. Well, second favorite...

I'm sorry you feel that way spider :( whatever your choice may be though, I will respect it through and through :) As a Christian that is how I have been raised. I don't like to meddle in one's affairs nor do I like to preach to those who don't want to hear it, it's definitely a nuisance to hear something you don't want to listen to, kinda like telemarketers haha. :)

Anyway, whatever you choose I hope you have a very Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays and a wonderful week!

Merry Christmas, Christians. Happy Holidays to everyone else. There.

Belief in the unknowable should be a private matter, but could someone please identify which opportunistic, screaming hysteric who came up with the idea that there is any kind of "WAR ON CHRISTMAS?" This is a war possibly more unwinnable than the War on Drugs or any kind of incursion into Afghanistan.

Again, just goes to show you how moronic religion is. What do you expect when you choose to believe stuff that cavemen invented to explain why their anus dripped green stuff when they were feverish and saw "god." It's so silly it would be funny if so many Americans didn't actually believe the ancient superstitious nonsense!

I'm an atheist and I don't care weather or not a retailer uses the term "Christmas" in their advertising or not... what really is disturbing to me is that so many Christians actually don't see the problem shoving it down everyone else's throats! Insisting even non-Christians play by your dogmatic sense of primitive morality is the true insult to humanity.

Vandais: People must really think you need Christ, if they are always "pushing " it on you, as you say. Perhaps it has something to do with your demeanor?

Claire-1573211

"Not so - i've been a member for years and that is not in the slightest what they are about!! Plain and simple - it is a Christian watchdog group bringing the religious unfairness to light."

Something along the lines of a junkyard dog, I suspect, that's hates everything.

"...alerting the media to the grave danger posed by retailers who avoid using the word "Christmas"..." with no quotes around grave danger? This is the craziest thing I have heard today well, I'm on the internet so let's say in the last ten minutes. What can this author possibly be talking about? What 'grave danger'? Will the christers finally start expressing the hatred that their leaders are building in their hearts and start bombing stores? The guy Wolk presents that paragraph like it's actually a sane and reasonable thing to say when, in fact, it's completely irrational. Grave danger to church collection plates? Religious hierarchies? What? No explanation. We have seen Islamic Jihadists, will we now see texas christer JeeHaa!ists? The only good in xmas is Santa Claus. The tiny little mind is twisted into believing in a fat god of greed who sees all, knows all, can fly like an E.T., rewards the passively compliant and shucks coal at the independent thinker. Then, when thoroughly convinced by all trusted Authority that this god is absolutely real, the child is told or ridiculed into the knowledge that all of these most trusted Authorities have lied to them. This can only be good when presented with their next lie, whatever god's milieu they have had the misfortune to be born into. The sceptical child is a boon to us all. And Santa is their first lesson in humanzee 'reality'. "But it's so cute" (to make a fool of your own small child). Ah, my species, my identity group, life amongst the humanzees. Maybe an extraterrestrial 'Jane Goodall' will bring us some nice bananas for Xmas. Merry Whatever and a Happier New Year to us all.

The "YES" people have got to be a bunch of idiots who will believe whatever their leaders want them to believe.

Think about what you're voting? YES, the retailers like to market against their own interest toward retail consumption? ARE YOU SERIOUS?????

And there's a Johnny Walker ad right here: "SAY IT WITHOUT SAYING IT". Say what? 'Screw you! I hope you drink this polluted organic solvent and get the throat and/or stomach and/or liver cancer you deserve!'?? And harmless pot for those who like it is illegal... sigh

Political Correctness SUCKS!...................Supporters of P/C SUCK too.

Jesus is the reason for the season in this country. Maybe not in the Middle East where Ramadan and Chanukkah are the holidays or Japan & China where New Years is most important but in the US Christianity is still the predominant religion. & it would be fine w/ me if we toned down the whole commercialism aspect of Christmas - might not be the best thing for the economy or for retailers but spending money should not be the barometer for Christmas.

As long as I score a few good deals, I don't care what you call it, to me it's called smart shopping...hohoho.

It is a toss up between Christmas and Valentines Day as too which is the phoniest. Gifting others is a nice jesture - until it is expected.

Its our God given right to follow the pagan holiday.

The only war going on is in some people's defensive little heads that is ginned up for ratings and attention. Rather than actually practice their religion they go around judging and shoving it down other people's throats! The only war going on is the Xtian War on anyone who believes differently than they do. Even at that, they read things into what is not there. Just leave the rest of us alone - enjoy your holiday, but leave the rest of us alone. Yours is not the only religion in the world - if you want it to be, you might as well join up with your fundamentalist twin, Al-Qaeda - it's the same thing they want: your way or no way!

seen too much -



And, yes, I said Freedom OF Religion, not Freedom FROM Religion. If you can't see that there is a difference between the two, you need to go back to elementary school.

You first.

Freedom from religion is an intrinsic property of freedom of religion. Jefferson went over this, as well as Madison; quite thoroughly. This has also been upheld by the Supreme Court.

One cannot have religious freedom without the guaranteed freedom from other religions that you do not follow. It simply wouldn't work.

The PC crowd along with the Atheists need to get a Grip. I say "Merry Christmas". If that offends anyone, too bad. I read an article the other day that says that approx 78% of the US population is Christian in one denomination or another. While I respect all religions, if the fact that Christmas is the dominant holiday this time of year offends you, maybe you should move somewhere where your faith (or lack thereof) is the dominant.

Merry Christmas to ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Most of the newsvine Christian haters seem to think very highly of our Christian President Obama. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

I say "Merry Christmas". If that offends anyone, too bad.

Doesn't offend me, and I'm an atheist. If I read the article correctly, it's the Christians who are offended by "Happy Holidays" - not the other way around.

I read an article the other day that says that approx 78% of the US population is Christian in one denomination or another.

The "majority rule" argument is invalid in the case of a country in which religious freedom is Constitutionally guaranteed.

While I respect all religions,

I don't. You shouldn't feel obligated to respect anything that is total unsubstantiated nonsense. One should tolerate it though, so long as those beliefs do not infringe upon the rights of others.

if the fact that Christmas is the dominant holiday this time of year offends you, maybe you should move somewhere where your faith (or lack thereof) is the dominant.

Again, the majority rule argument is moot in a country which guarantees religious freedom. Religious freedom includes freedom of and from religion.

Anyway, "Happy Holidays" is an all inclusive term - it INCLUDES Christmas, just in case you forgot. The only thing I see here, and I will put this as crassly as it is: are evangelist Christian zealots being butt-hurt that their particular religious holiday does not have the front row-center seat in a secular nation during a season in which many holidays are represented.

The AFA won't be happy until the entire nation is sucking the toes of its "majority" religion, because it's the majority religion, and /s/ should have special priviledge over other religions /s/.

Those Christians who seem  to be so defensive and ASSUME so much while they pass judgment on others cannot shut up long enough to realize that many of us out in society are quiet about it all - mainly because it is a repulsive waste of time.

I do not mind the phrase "Merry Christmas" at all, but I do mind being told that if I respect the many different religions of many of my friends and myself by saying "Happy Holidays" that it is an attack on someone; it is not meant as an "attack" on anyone for any reason.

Christians are so proud of their "testimonies" while they forget that the best testimony is how anyone lives, how they walk, rather than how they talk - and these days Xtians are shrill! I see more Xtians than Christians. While all the Xtian energy is being put into the pseudo Xmas Wars, less energy is put into their spiritual beliefs.

Why not wear your religion in your hearts rather than on your sleeves! Enough already!

(Oh! Maybe if you would quit judging all other religions by their Fundamentalistic followers - like the Muslims- people will understand that Christians have their fringe elements, too! Why do Xtians have to have a scapegoat group to hate to be a religion anyway? Really? You have to put other people and beliefs down to prove who you are? That says more about you than what you hate. Sounds like your preachers need to be more concerned with personal spiritual growth than the collection plates and control.)
(Oh - And another thing: giving out Thanksgiving and Xmas dinners to pat yourselves on the back is not feeding the poor - it is actually a year round deal!)

Calm down, Shuklak. I don't mean that I intend to shove anything down your throat. I just want to make sure the "government shall not inhibit the free exercise of religion" part of Article Three of the Constitution also stays in effect. Freedom FROM Religion implies restrictions on religion. How would you like it if I said I wanted freedom from atheism? If freedom of religion means freedom from religion then it also means freedom from atheism because you claim that clause as your protection for your rights (and I agree that it protects your rights). Do you see what I'm getting at? I'm not going to scream that this is a "Christian nation" because that would be unconstitutional-against the Establishment Clause. It's a secular nation with freedom of religion. It's okay with me if people say Happy Holidays-I think I already posted that I understood that. I'm not going to try to take any of your rights away. Okay?

Okay, people, you are missing the principle. Conservative christianity is an evangelical religion. It is one of the tenents of their beliefs that the whole world is supposed to be Christian. If they cannot impose Christianity on everyone else and spread their "good word"--then the basic tenent of their religion is being thwarted. The whole idea is that they are supposed to use every possible institution to try and save poor little heathen souls.

When they are asked to please not go around saving poor little heathen souls, then they get deeply annoyed. It's what they do. It's what they live for. This is why they cannot understand the idea of "tolerance"--that one just leaves other people alone, not necessarily approving of them but tolerating their existence.

If we start believing that all religions are just different paths to God--OMG, we've turned into "Universalists!" This is a joke, of course, because the Founding Fathers were pretty typically Unitarian Universalists (which is the quintesentially American religion)--and the people who filed the most successful lawsuit against mandatory prayer in schools were also Universalists.

It's sort of like bigotry--if you insist that bigots have to be tolerant, well, they can't be bigots any more . . . can they? The same thing is true of intolerance--if one tolerates everything, one can't be tolerating intolerance. Well, one can if one just leaves people alone and they are content to stay by themselves--but they have to conform when in the larger society.

It's an interesting conundrum--but, of course, Christians like to see themselves as victimized when they cannot get that last 20-30% to go along with them, and others insist that the 20-30% be left alone. You cannot get past this--it's what puts the "fun" in "fundamentalism."

Jewish people have a holiday called Hannukah it starts Sundown on Tuesday night it is celebrated in the United

States by anyone Jewish or otherwise who wants to celebrate, we light a candle for 8 nights but it is hard

to find candles and wraping paper because we are a minority not the majority,so Happy Holidays

If I see one of those asinine little signs that say "we say MERRY CHRISTMAS in this store", or they feel the need to include one of those Jesus-fish in their advertising, they really don't want my pagan business. And, yes, we've got both of those here in the midwest. Some people just need to wear their God on their sleeve.

I never said it either. Now that I know it offends the trolls at AFA, I'm going to say it all the time. Happy Holidays!!!! Happy Holidays!!!! Happy Holidays!!!! Happy Holidays!!!! Happy Holidays!!!! Happy Holidays!!!! Happy Holidays!!!! Happy Holidays!!!! Happy Holidays!!!! Happy Holidays!!!! Happy Holidays!!!! Happy Holidays!!!! Happy Holidays!!!! Happy Holidays!!!! Happy Holidays!!!! Happy Holidays!!!! Happy Holidays!!!! Happy Holidays!!!! Happy Holidays!!!! Happy Holidays!!!! Happy Holidays!!!! Happy Holidays!!!! Happy Holidays!!!! Happy Holidays!!!! Happy Holidays!!!! Happy Holidays!!!! Happy Holidays!!!! Happy Holidays!!!! Happy Holidays!!!! Happy Holidays!!!! Happy Holidays!!!! Happy Holidays!!!!

Hey AFA, have I offended you enough to make your naughty list yet?

Your mom would be disapointed in you boy.

I only say "Happy Holidays" to the whacko AFA fundamentalist types. I say "Merry Christmas" to everyone else.

This war on Christmas stuff always makes me laugh. Christmas isn't going anywhere. All people are really whining about is that ANY other holiday gets mentioned or recognized. It reminds me of a petty child who, after getting the best doll, whines that their little sister gets ANY doll (even the hand-me-down). That's right.. take a few steps back and look around. And what they're really saying is "Christmas should be the only holiday talked about at this time of year! How dare you recognize anything else?"

It's a common misconception.. when a favored or privileged group sees anyone else been given time, they start whining about how they're being discriminated against. They fail to recognize that all that is really going on is that they're losing their privileged status over others. Again.. see the petty child analogy above.

You know why I said "happy holidays?" There's more than one holiday. Simple as that.

Growing up, I always thought Happy Holidays was basically a short way of saying "Merry christmas and happy new year!" ... Just sort of combined the two together into one greeting.

Do these @!$%#tards get bent out of shape over SEASON'S GREETINGS too ? Dumbasses.

The season is the Christmas seasonand Jesus Christ is the ONLY reason for this season.

Someone needs a history lesson on the origins of the Christmas season.

It's most definitely not the only reason.

Actually no, Jesus is NOT the reason for this season. There have always been celebrations of some kind at this time of year. Why? Because it is the winter solstice and therefore the longest darkest nights of the whole year. Some people celebrated the beginning of the return of the light, because after this point the days gradually start to get longer. Others simply threw parties to keep from going crazy in the winter. Whatever the reason, one thing is clear: Christianity stole their traditions and "rebranded" them. Nobody knows when Christ was born, but it is very likely he would not have been born in December.

I guess my point is, Jesus or no Jesus, God or no God, we would very likely be having holiday celebrations this time of year anyway!

Isn't it odd that these fundamentalists celebrate a fat man in a red suit coming down a chimney. And then get all up in arms about how stores aren't all about the Birth of Jesus?

There is a Jewish Holiday this time of year as well, in case they forgot. Secondly, what is happening to the land of the free? I thought businesses could do what they want, if they wanted to call it the freedom day's season, that's their choice.

These fundamentalists are no better than the fundamentalist Muslims that they claim are spreading their message of normalcy all over cable television. I thought Christians where supposed to love all of god's creation? Jesus did, he had friends who weren't Jewish, so why can't the modern Christians follow in his foot steps?

The AFA would rather have everyone in America be a Christian( and their particular branch of it) and those who refuse to be killed or kicked out of the country. They want to ignore the 1st Amendment and take away the right to "Freedom of Religion"! I'm sorry, but I left my church because of bigots like the AFA. Catholics, Baptists, and Jehovahs all said I was sinning because I didn't practice THEIR way! My own church said other branches were evil. I left because of @#$% like that! Leave me to practice the religion I went to(I refuse to say which one) in PEACE!

You are partially right, but if you look past that and at least believe God is real, and Jesus Christ is the real reason why we celebrate Christmas it doesn't matter whether you are Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant (and I won't include all the various denominations), or a Christian Jew. I am a member of United Methodist church and we recognize all denominations and will accept their baptism to become a member of United Meth. church.

The other thing I'd like to see is public schools tell ACLU, and other atheist organizations to go to H**l, we're celebrating Christmas and we'll teach our students Christmas carols like Silent Night, Joy to the World, etc. like we did back when I was in school (yes, that'll tell you I'm not a youngster.)

Then we have to include the Dreydel song again, too. And add any song that is part of the celebration of Kwanzaa. What's fair is fair. When someone tells me "Merry Christmas", I answer "Happy Holidays". Remember, Jesus was a practicing Jew, not a Christian.

The AFA is a recognized HATE GROUP. Why the hell is an organization like that quoted as a credible journalistic source?

Umm Ed, it will be a cold day in your Christian Hell before my kids' public school starts forcing them to sing Christian religious songs like Silent Night, etc. Count on it!

Can't remember the exact quote -- it might have been attributed to Harry Truman, but we heard it from our Tennessee grandfather... But it was something along the lines of, "When you hear the Hallelujah chorus, hide the silver and take the horses to the woods."

No.

you would think so wouldn't ya?

As an atheist who isn't a fan of Christmas, I agree 100% that if you're going to have Santa, he should be allowed to say "Merry Christmas." I don't agree with the notion that "December = Christmas" or "pine tree = Christmas," but it's pretty lame to say that "Santa <> Christmas." With that being said, I don't think that Christians should flip out every time he says "Happy Holidays" either (again, provided that he is allowed to say "Merry Christmas" as well).

Holiday actually means Holy Day. Some atheists I've met even hate that term.

Because Santa is a SECULAR , commercial symbol...why the hell would he have to say Merry Christmas ? Also "Christmas" as a SECULAR holiday is commonly celebrated by people of many faiths. There are Jews, Hindus, Buddhists and others who celebrate it NOT for religious reasons but because it is supposed to be a celebration of friendship and family.

Wow.. how can you people exist in this world being as utterly ignorant as you are ?

If people from other religions celebrate Christmas it does not make it a non religious holiday.

The funny part to me is that "atheists" consider themselves superior to "Christians" because they believe in no God and that they are more accepting of other people, but from what I noticed, reading these comments, they are the ones who are just as much as if not more insulting than the others, while they accuse the rest of being non-accepting. From what I have seen, it is going both ways. It is funny how humans by trying to be so different end up being exactly the same.

smc31569, I'm not sure to whom you directing your hatred. Doesn't sound like you're getting into the Christmas spirit to me! :-)

But if you're suggesting that there is no connection between Santa and Christmas just because non-Christians celebrate Christmas, then you're failing to make your point. Santa is a symbol of Christmas, not of Hanukkah or Kwanza or the winter solstice or whatever. So why would the parade organizers forbid him from saying "Merry Christmas"? If others are celebrating Christmas, as you've said, then how can wishing them a Merry Christmas be offensive? And if you're afraid of offending someone by wishing them a "Merry Christmas", then why have Santa in the first place?

I'm not demanding anyone say "Merry Christmas", ever. I just find it odd that they'd have Santa out there, but then not have him say "Merry Christmas".

The funny part to me is that "atheists" ... believe in no God

Just to clarify a point: atheists don't "believe in no God", they simply don't believe in any gods. It's not a matter of being certain that there is no God, but rather a lack of proof that any of the gods put forth actually exists. If there is nothing observed in nature that *requires* that God must exist, then, they ask, why should I believe, absent any proof?

Unfortunately, yes, this can lead to a sense of being better than those who do believe, but that's true of anyone, not just atheists. Christians may mock believers in past lives, or believers in the Roman gods, just as readily as an atheist may mock a Christian (or anyone with any other religious belief). We're all capable of believing we're better than somebody else. If we can address that shortcoming in ourselves, then we can make our own little worlds at least a little better.

Wrong dragondog. Bellow is the definition of Holiday.

1.

a day fixed by law or custom on which ordinary business is suspended in commemoration of some event or in honor of some person.
2.
any day of exemption from work ( distinguished from working day).

3.
a time or period of exemption from any requirement, duty, assessment, etc.: New businesses may be granted a one-year tax holiday.

4.
a religious feast day; holy day, especially any of several usually commemorative holy days observed in Judaism.

5.
Sometimes, holidays. Chiefly British . a period of cessation from work or one of recreation; vacation.

Holy day is only one part of the definition. But I don't think a tax holiday is considered holy.

I am an agnostic, and that being said, I have no problems with Christmas... I celebrate it with my family every year.. but make no mistake... the "Christ" in Christmas has all of the significance and meaning for me as does the "Reuben" in Reuben Sandwich... which is precisely zero.

I am an athiest, and I agree with WarBeast. For me, Christ is not the meaning, but the celebration is a family tradition I respect. You don't have to be religious to love your family.

Damn....and I lost my voting boots!! What am I ever to do????

Merry Christmas lobo

@lobolumuze I agree with you, but you have to check your spelling or people won't take you seriously. I believe you meant to say "occupy your voting booths" no "boots".

LS-315070 ask for some voting boots as a holiday gift. OOPS.

You need your voting boots to get through all the slimy b.s. between you and the polling station, and they better be high boots... ... and you'd be better off high, too, when you vote cuz it kills some of the smell and you don't have to hold your nose so tightly while you're voting.

Please! Declare victory and stop talking about it. Don't we have enough real problems to worry about without this phony war. No one hates Christmas-- what they hate is others imposing their religious views on them. The US has prospered as a nation because we espouse separation of church and state.

I celebrate and love Christmas because it is a time of giving and good feeling- NOT because of what some retail establishment tells me when I go to the register. What ever happened to Peace On Earth Good Will Toward Men????

You mean by saying Happy Holidays?

BTW, Jesus was born in Spring.

and Columbus was a murdering tyrant, but I don't have a problem with Columbus day.

Then you'd best not refer to it as Yule or Yuletide. That's the old Norse solstice celebration.

Unsurprising, most christians have no problem with murder and slavery.

You are ridiculous. What do you base this carp on?

Christmas has very little to do with Jesus. It was always a winter solstice celebration coming from various pagan groups (that's where everything, from decorated trees to giving presents originate). The birth of the mythological Jesus was attached to a centuries old festival. The whole "christ" thing is a Jesus-come-lately.

" ... but I don't have a problem with Columbus day. ... "

So you are saying that you don't have a problem with murdering tyrants? You ARE a Christian I would guess.

m>G/Mead: Gefilte fish? Altho I think it's the other way around...

Are you saying that Liberals are anti-religion? Really......I missed that study!

boooyow? now its your month? My God doesnt require me to be affiliated with anything except my God.

"Get yer own month and religion" ??? LMFAO. This from someone who belongs to a religion who STOLE the month of DEC and the PAGAN SOLSTICE celebration and photoshopped their mythical diety into the picture. HOLY @!$%#... the IRONY of it all.

"Get yer own month and holiday"...... LMFAO !! This from a stooge who belongs to a religion that STOLE a month and a pagan holiday ( WINTER SOLSTICE ), along with ALL of it's traditions and symbols and then photoshopped their imaginary deity into the picture. (((( FACEPALM !! )))) Oh the IRONY of it all !!

Sorry for the double post... I like this one better. I meant to say HOLIDAY and not RELIGION. ( or is that DELUSION ) ?

Because if you don't care if stores say "Happy Holidays" or "Merry Christmas" you must be a liberal right? Stereotype much???

Festivus for the rest of us!

Festivus for the restive us, also... (jeez, must be bedtime)

Too tired to take the Festivus POLL?

Yes to festivus!!!! :-)

They'll say "You too, Ma'am" and move on with their day. They don't have time to waste on your politics.

Christmas shouldn't be made into a political cause. Its about peace on earth and goodwill towards men- right ??? Supposed to be a season of joy- not shopping

Not some phony war started by overly zealous Christians! I'm sure most retail establishments on the list secretly love

Christmas because of their bottom line-- which isn't what Christmas is supposed to be about either...

I shop on the internet to avoid crowds at the mall-- Internet sites don't greet me with either, LOL.

I've never had one person say they were offended when I offered a Merry Christmas to them. One person did tell me that she doesn't celebrate, but would take the message with the sentiments that I was offering....a happy time. Isn't that just the easiest thing to do??

@Andrea & LS

I'm with you two. Some of the other comments are disturbing.

Live long and prosper

i don't know if non-Christians get offended by hearing "Merry Christmas" as much as getting annoyed by the presumption of when a Christian saying it to everyone they interact with, as if everyone does (or should) celebrate it. FWIW, I personally don't apply this to seeing Merry Christmas written somewhere or on a sign; most Americans celebrate Christmas, so it's not crazy to put out a general, passive message that probably appeals to most people - I get it. Specifically, I'm talking about the face-to-face "Merry Christmas."

If you are Christian and frequently interacted with a lot of Jews, and around Channukah (or any other Jewish holiday) they consistently greeted you with "Happy [whatever]", that wouldn't throw you for a loop at all, ever? You would never feel the slightest bit tempted to say, even politely, "oh, thank you, but I don't celebrate [said holiday]?" Think about it...

Just say "Thank you"

Problem solved!

What about the rest of us who are just sick of being labeled complainers and ignorant and think X-mas is as important and special as President's Day?

"Long live the fallacy that Lincoln freed the slaves and Jesus was more than an anti boogie man!"

@Tina, have you ever had someone forget your name and call you by a different name? You very likely have. What do you do? People usually politely correct them. I promise you that if everyone around you presumptuously said "Happy Channukah" to you around that time every year, after a couple decades you might be less than delighted to simply respond with "thank you." If someone called you the wrong name a few times, let alone for decades on end, would you continue to ignore their mistake and respond as if they got your name right?

@2sticks How is it being stripped down. Do you mean that our children are no longer forced to worship it in our schools or that douchbags like Roy Moore cannot put bible monuments in government buildings funded by public tax payer dollars? If anything, we have right wingnuts trying to force their versions of it on the rest of us. Freedom of religion also means freedom from religion. I wish the AFA had more stores on their Naughty list.

@2sticks What about the reversal of your post? I'm pretty sure the term "Happy Holidays" refers to the big three. Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Eve.

Actually, when signing the holiday into law, it was listed as "December 25" not "Christmas".

Me too, KR! Merry Christmas to all!!

And the more I want to avoid stores that pander to nuts like you. SO that I can avoid nuts like you!

Good for you George. I make a concerted effort these days to find out which businesses have or push a religious agenda and then I avoid them like the plague. I'll be damned if any of these zealots are going to get any of MY hard earned $ to support their arrogance, self-righteousness and bigotry.

@George and @Smc - there is no "Christmas" without "Christ". That is what we Christians are celebrating - the birth of Christ. That is what the holiday is for. We are not nuts, we just believe in Jesus Christ. There is no need or room for hate or calling ppl nuts.

Wasp are not first in line? Who is,Kiss?lol

WASP is way better than KISS neither is the first in line. However, DIO, who is pretty much god is the last in line