Just wish them a Merry Christmas
Oh, please! In your Work&Money section of Sunday's paper ("Downturn? Slump? Party on," Dec. 2), Peter Handal of Dale Carnegie & Associates, states he made a mistake and gave "a Malaysian businessman a bottle of fine French champagne." And then apologized. I laughed. Yes, let's not offend the Muslims or anyone of any other religion. It's now only politically correct to offend the Christians.
I can solve everyone's gift-giving worries about Christmas. Stop and think: Are you a Christian? Yes? Then go right ahead and buy CHRISTmas gifts for your close family and friends. It's not necessary to celebrate the birth of Jesus by buying everyone you know a gift. Just wish them a Merry Christmas.
Not a Christian? This isn't your holiday. Stop buying into the retailers "Happy holidays" marketing. And retailers, stop slapping "Happy holidays" on everything if you want me to purchase my CHRISTmas gifts from you.
I just read this. It came from a newspaper in another state.
You know...I don't really call myself a Christian, because I don't really (ducking) BELIEVE, if you know what I mean, and refuse to go through the motions. That said, I don't over-think the whole thing. I will wish everyone a Merry Christmas, because that's what it IS. It's Christmas.
I have attended Jewish candle-lighting ceremonies for Hanukkah. I don't know if gift giving is traditionally associated with Hanukkah, or if it has got that way because kids felt deprived, seeing many of their Christian counterparts having all their greedy fantasies fulfilled.
I have no idea about other religious observances at this time of year. I'm pretty sure that Ramadan is not a big prezzie-fest, and Kwanzaa was just made up about 20 years ago. Not long enough to have traditions, in my view.
I was raised in a Christian denomination, and Christmas it is. Sometimes I even go to a Midnight service, just to hear the carols. I don't care what you say about it, the Christians have the best music.
I am as utterly sick of "political correctness" when it comes to Christmas, as you are, Letter Writer, and I also won't buy from places that refuse to acknowledge why we are shopping.
When I was younger, there was a push to "put Christ back in Christmas," as people feared it was getting too commercial. Now they are trying to take him out of it completely.
If you will pardon my opinionated language, that sucks.
Our schools have gone so far overboard--"Christmas Break" is now "Winter Break," and they don't seem to sell the same stuff at the fund-raisers any more. What's next? Kids will no longer be allowed to wear crosses? A teacher in our school district was forbidden from putting up "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" as a class production. Too Christian. That sucks, too.
So, Merry Christmas, one and all, and, if Christmas is not your "thing," just apply my good wishes wherever you like.
Mia's preschool program did not celebrate Halloween. Head Start, federally funded, you know. Both her morning and afternoon bus drivers (lovely ladies, both) gave the children little Halloween goodie bags, flying in the face of convention, I'm sure.
ReplyDeleteI'm waiting to see what Christmas brings.
The retailers can drag out the Christmas stuff in October but can't say "Merry Christmas?"
WTF?
(pardon my french as well.)
And the British public had the cheek to ostracise Enoch Powell when he told them that we would be under the thumb of the immigrants.
ReplyDeleteSorry if that sounds racist, it isn't meant to be.
Most problems seem to be religion based and not colour based. IMO
mtg May I suggest most problems are money based and pray on the fear of the unknown. In truth most of us wouldn't want the jobs taken by immigrants. At least in Texas. We just don't want to stand in line behind anyone and sure don't think that our taxes are being used for anyone who is "different". Rogers and Hammerstein described it best in the musical South Pacific "They've got to be taught...to hate all the people ...there relatives hate.
ReplyDeleteSorry I didn't intend to get off on that. I just want to agree with Ronnie. give them hell.
Y'know what's ironic is that I *am* a Christian, and yet I have no problem saying "Happy Holidays" to people. I'm very "do what you like" about this season b/c nowadays it seems like it means so many different things to people. I just want everyone to feel warm & fuzzy this time of year. I'm psycho that way.
ReplyDeleteWhat does make me sad, as lisa pointed out, is that this horrible PC-on-steroids trend is making its way across all holidays. Halloween and Easter have been on the block for a long time, but even THANKSGIVING is up for grabs. HEB, of all places, had "Happy Harvest" signs. Not "Thanksgiving". And this year BOTH of my stepkids came from from public schools (one MS and one HS) preaching to me that Thanksgiving was actually a horrible brutal day and we have NOTHING to be thankful for. Rather, we should all be ashamed for how we treated the Native Americans, and Thanksgiving should really be a day of mourning. So say their teachers. ~sigh~
Why can it be like this:
Easter = new clothes, candy, and bunnies.
July 4 = Fireworks! Whee!
Halloween = a costume and candy out the WAZOO.
Thanksgiving = football and way too much food.
Christmas = presents!!!!
NYE = Get yer drink on, woo-woo!
That's how it was when I was growing up. Why is that so hard?
I just wish there was a way to take the pressure out of it. As in, he always gives me something nice, so I can't forget to give him something. It's so expensive.
ReplyDeleteBetty, it is exactly the opposite in Britain. Immigrants get EVERYTHING in this country, free housing, furniture, money, transport and medical.
ReplyDeleteOn the other end of the scale, if you are British, to get a council house, you need to prove where you lived before, go onto a homeless register, or go on a waiting list.
All I'm saying is, lets be fair. After all it was my father and grandfather who faught for the freedom of Britain.
We have a lot of anti-immigrant rhetoric flying around in this country. Here, the truth is that the illegals give much more than they get, even financially. People scream about schools, food stamps, medicare, etc, but the truth is that they (as a group) pay millions into Social Security that they will never see again, and also true that our economy would collapse without them.
ReplyDeleteThe situation may be different in Britain.
When you think about that bunch in the Whitehouse are ripping off you Country, how dare they not make way for hardworking people.
ReplyDeleteI think the medical situation in your country is a disgrace. I don't know enough about anything else to comment. I just know that the poor and the ill should be taken care of, immigrant or not.
Well, unless you are very educated on the issue, don't get too high and mighty about how we treat illegal aliens. There is a huge difference between what aliens get as opposed to citizens when it comes to healthcare. Pregnant aliens are given free prenatatl care and hospital stays for delivery of their babies. We are legally bound to treat them, for free. All the while, many, many American women who fall into that the uninsured catagory, but "make too much to apply for governtment help", go without the proper care and often end up with huge medical bills they can't hope to pay. Don't even get me started on the welfare system, that's another post for another day.
ReplyDeleteWhat I REALLY wanted to say was, GO RONNI! Many times we are on opposite ends of the spectrum belief wise (which is why I am glad we are given the right to have our own views, everyone it entitled!), this time, you hit the nail on the head. Being politically correct gets so old sometimes!
Having once been not only poor in this country, but pregnant as well I am grateful for our so-called welfare in this country. It saved my life when I was diagnosed with cancer in 1976.
ReplyDeleteLuckily I was able to get back on my feet and go back to school, get a degree and be a taxpayer once again. I don't begrudge my taxes helping others less fortunate.
It was scary getting off of it though...if you earned enough in wages to lose your cash benefit and your medical benefits, but don't earn enough to be able to afford medical insurance, it can make you think twice about staying on it. In my case, I now had a pre-existing condition and children to support. But I made it and remain grateful that it was there at the lowest time in my life.
And I am glad you had it countrygal! I hope you did not misunderstand what I was saying about the welfare system. In your case it worked in the way it should, I just am ashamed of the many ways it does not work.
ReplyDeleteYears ago when I was young and newly married, I found myself pregnant with my first child. My husband and I had no insurance. I was working and he was also working AND going to school. Unfortunately the government chose to fight and fight us on the fact they thought we made too much money to qualify for help. Here we were, doing our best to better ourselves and they tried to deny us help. But hey, if one or the other of us had quit our job, we would be perfect candidates. I just never thought it was fair. We thankfully ended up coming in just under their income barrier and were covered, but it was REALLY scary!
There was a time, in the state of Texas, when the Attorney-General's office would charge a custodial parent to pursue a non-custodial parent for child support, unless the custodial parent was on Welfare. That's how SSS got away with going for five years without paying any support at all. It wasn't until the AG changed that policy, and decided to protect single parents and children BEFORE they wound up on the Welfare rolls.
ReplyDeleteBoth my daughters were born at home, partly because SSS had no coverage, and I was a stay-at-home wife.
Midwives cost a lot less than hospitals. Of course, I liked the idea, or it never would have worked.
Speaking of being "politically correct," tonight I heard that kids in day care no longer sit "Indian style." They call it "criss-cross," or some such.
ReplyDeleteI feel a rant on child-rearing coming on.
Um, high and mighty? Me?
ReplyDeleteI also used midwives for both my childrens births. One at a birthing center, the next one at home. Both times it was because I preferred the care of a midwife. Second time around we actually had great insurance, but of course they didn't cover the midwife. We ended up paying more than we would have by going to the hospital, but it was worth it to me!.
ReplyDeleteCriss-cross-applesauce is the term I think you are looking for. I never made the connection it was due to being politically correct. Ugh! When will it end????
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ReplyDeleteDon't worry, Mgt--We allow "high and mighty" here.
ReplyDeleteeefolsom is a nice person--just, like many Americans, a bit defensive about criticism from somebody in another country.
Personally, I like a bit of perspective from somebody who can see us from the outside.
Apologies, Ronni. Glad you know I was not trying to offend. Just can't get the idea of the woman screaming in pain until she died, while hospital staff walked around her and past her.
ReplyDeleteI have a real go about the British, too. Maybe I should have commented on the numpties in our Government who have no idea who has entered the country nor any idea where they are.
The one really good thing about this Country is the Nation Health Service, which is free, totally free.
Numptiness is a universal trait in government, Mgt, and I appreciate your comments on ours. Lord knows, our messes are all over the international news, so it's not as if you are uninformed!
ReplyDeleteYes MGT, I really wasn't trying to insult you. I was actually just trying to point out there are so many facets to this "alien" thing, even many Americans (including myself) don't know all of them.
ReplyDeleteI do get bothered by a friend of mine who is not an American who constantly pummels me with insults about my country. I find it quite amusing how so many of these countries who badmouth us, are also recieveing much aid from our country. And they are the first ones to ask us for help when they need it. I remember the US getting critisized for not responding to the tsunami quickly enough (even though we responded very quickly), and then I barely saw any other countries come to our aid when the hurricane hit Louisianna. Well Ronni, looks like maybe I should start a rant of my own;).
Go for it!
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, most of the money that is sent to these countries is gobbled up by corruption.
ReplyDelete