• VisualBuilder4@feddit.de
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    1 year ago

    Well … Holiday comes from the Old English hāligdæg, meaning holy day. So it closer to it than one might think. But on the other hand … conservative christians might not get that connection

    • Honytawk@lemmy.zip
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      1 year ago

      It was also the default greeting in the 1800’s.

      They changed it somewhere at the start of 1900’s to force Christianity on more people.

    • ℛ𝒶𝓋ℯ𝓃@pawb.social
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      1 year ago

      Which is why I wish them a Merry Yule and the All Father’s blessing, and watch them act like they’re gonna die of contact with an unclean heathen…

      • ThatWeirdGuy1001@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        This usually gets downvoted but I love it when people remind Christians that all of their holidays are bastardized versions of other cultures holidays.

        • ℛ𝒶𝓋ℯ𝓃@pawb.social
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          1 year ago

          Yule, Ostara (easter), Samhain (All Hallow’s Eve / Halloween)… It was the forced removal and conversion of entire cultures and ethnic lifestyles, often with the threat of death for those who don’t re-identify themselves. If only there was a word for the killing of entire ethnocultural groups…

        • afraid_of_zombies@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          What about the obscure ones only followed in like one village in Europe cause some Saint died there?

          Oh before I forget, have a Happy Michealmas! Will you be serving the traditional michealmas bread and goose?

    • Honytawk@lemmy.zip
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      1 year ago

      I don’t get why they are allowed to keep “News” in their name.

      Nothing “news” about opinions.

  • Mudface@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    I’ve never understood this.

    I’m a Christian, but I don’t make the connection on purposely avoiding greeting someone’s religious celebration.

    I have no problem saying ‘happy Diwali’ to my Hindu neighbours. Do you think they feel uncomfortable saying ‘merry Christmas’ to me?

    • Dienervent@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      It’s when you’re dealing in an official capacity or speaking to a broad audience or when you don’t know the person’s culture.

      The CEO saying Merry Christmas to his 140 employees, when 5 of them are Jewish is going to be not feel so great for those 5 Jewish people. Happy Holidays should be fine for everyone.

      But if you know the person is Christian (or celebrates Christmas) it should be perfectly fine to tell them Merry Christmas.

      Of course in some places that may be considered insensitive because a Jewish person might be hearing it. Which is absurd and that level of sensitivity is not acceptable IMO.

        • Em Adespoton@lemmy.ca
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          1 year ago

          I wonder how much Hispanic people squirm when they hear Father Christmas referred to as Santa.

          Just saying that transgender people in popular Christian culture seem to have been around for a significant amount of time….

            • Em Adespoton@lemmy.ca
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              1 year ago

              “Santa” is the Spanish term for a female saint. Hence Santa Anna, Santa Barbara, etc.

              And then there’s Santa Claus, AKA Father Christmas, named after Saint Nicholas.

              (Of course, there’s also Sinter Klaus, but I’d rather go with calling a very masculine saint “santa”)