Seb’s having a full-blown Daily Mail Moment about people who try to ban Christmas imagery for fear of offending people — he’s even used the cliched "Political Correctness Gone Mad" headline!
It is a legitimate point, of course, but in general I don’t think "Christmas-phobia" is as widespread as the hysterical tabloids would have us think. I have, however, noticed that stupid, meaningless Americanism "Happy Holidays" creeping in a lot this year.
I do get annoyed when people write Xmas instead of Christmas, not because it’s erasing Christ’s name or anything like that, but because the growing use of txt msg spk has made me hateful of almost all abbreviations. On the other hand, Jesus X would make a kick-ass film title.
Anyway, we’re all perfectly comfortable celebrating Christmas round these parts, so I’d like to point out that Hatton’s Model Railways is open until 5.30pm tonight, giving you ample time to nip down there and get me that crucial last minute gift. :-)
25th December 2003 at 12:39 am
Wow, I haven’t had a Hornby train set since I was about 11, but that Voyager set looks fab!
(seriously. no irony intended in the slightest. if i didn’t spend money on other hobbies such as comics, model railways would probably take over)
Oh, and I was well aware that it would be a Daily Mail-ish moment, hence the use of the classic headline. However, I felt it was a valid point. It was mainly sparked by the constant use of the word “Holidays” instead of “Christmas”, as you pointed out – particularly on “Friends”, with Ross giving out “holiday cards”…
25th December 2003 at 5:37 am
Sorry, Rob, but I’m disagreeing with both of you here. I don’t want any bullshit about happy christmas thrown down my throat when I don’t even celebrate the fucking thing. Seb’s point about remembering that this is a Christian holiday seems to forget the history of the celebration; Christians have no monopoly on celebrating solstice irrespective of the bizarre imagery they associate with it.
25th December 2003 at 10:18 am
I don’t disagree that Christmas shouldn’t be forced down the throats of those that don’t celebrate it, that’s kind of my whole point.
If you don’t celebrate Christmas, you have no right claiming *parts* of the holiday under a different name. In my opinion. If you don’t celebrate it, ignore it. I know that’s kind of hard to do, but blame television.
For example, if I decided I liked certain things about Hannukah (however you spell it), such as getting presents every day or whatever happens, it would be wrong of me to celebrate that part of it, give it a different name (“Happy Present Festival”), and ignore the original beliefs behind it.
29th December 2003 at 4:46 pm
Oh, man. I go away for a day and all hell breaks loose in the comment forms.
As far as I’m concerned, everyone is wrong except me. 🙂