My brother got harassed today for saying 'happy holidays'

[Tektonik]

We both work at the same retail joint for the time being. This middle aged man was returning an towel warmer that he decided to not give as a gift, but was being a hassle to the cashier and the manager taking care of his return. He was being loud and giving an attitude although my brother and the manager were taking care of his return by promptly giving his money back to him.

Well my brother who is not religious (our mother is a non-practicing Catholic and my father is a non-practicing Muslim, although my sister has become a devout Catholic :shrug: ) was told 'Merry Christmas' by the man as he was about to leave. My brother did not respond directly to the phrase, and the man aggressively asked my brother, "what are you guys asked to respond to that?" Well my brother responded by noting he says 'happy holidays' and he told him 'happy holidays'. The customer then went on a spiel about how he was happy he did not end up spending money at this retail location etc etc etc and that he and people on the internet are making a list of stores to not shop at because they are taking the Christ out of Christmas. :crazy: My brother just stood there bewildered.

Linens N Things does not direct their employees of what to say during the holidays, but most people I work with just say 'happy holidays', or they wait for the phrase to come out of the customer's mouth and respond back with the same phrase whether it be merry Xmas, etc.

My brother is now a victim of this horrendous war on Christmas. :cry: :cry: :cry:

If I was the one dealing with that issue I may have just retorted with a 'happy winter solstice to you too sir!'

[lapfog_1]

1. Hmmm...

When I was growing up... the proper response to "Merry Christmas" was "and a Happy New Year to you". "Happy Holidays" was perfectly acceptable at any time.

WTF is wrong with these people!

[TheFarseer]

28. I alway thought Happy Holidays was short for

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. There is certainly no need to be pissed off about Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays no matter what religious persuasion you are.

[bunkerbuster1]

30. "Happy Holidays" is indeed shorthand for that, but the Right Wing can't bear it.

These are the same morons who thought there were Commies under the bed in the 80s, and Terrorists under the bed in the 00s.

And Mitt Romney is mining this stupidity in his War on Secularism right now.

[gbate]

38. That's what I always thought.

It's simply an easier way of saying those two together. Get a grip, people.

[SharonAnn]

102. It's short for Happy Holy Days

[yellowcanine]

104. Also "holiday" is shorthand for "holy day" so to say "Happy Holidays" means

one is actually being more pious than to say "Merry Christmas" since "merry" implies partying while "happy" doesn't.

Also "Happy Holidays" includes Hanukkah as well as Kwanzaa which is what the Christofascists are actually pissed off about, I suspect.

[YOY]

62. Bill O'Reiley and the outrage for BS he creates

n/t

[EFerrari]

2. Tell your brother that I apologize for all the petty @ssholes

he'll have to deal with this month. And remind him, the month is more than half over!

:hi:

[pansypoo53219]

3. but but but

shopping is the gihad santa has against the babee jesus!

[Tektonik]

6. He's growing a beard and his last name is Rezai

He is already a jihadist! :scared:

[Cleita]

4. This is rather sad for the retailers who need the season

for sales and bottom lines. I guess they got caught up in their own BS.

[Lorien]

5. Holiday= Holy Day. Same thing

it just is a different Holiday for Mr. Goldstein than it is for Mrs. Smith. In America one should never assume that another shares their faith.

[EFerrari]

7. These ignorant idiots are outraged over invoking holy days.

Freeps. Stupid as a bag of styrofoam.

[NMMNG]

10. Well, how dare anybody invoke holy days other than theirs!?!

The audacity! :sarcasm:

[The Animator]

17. Hey back off of the Styrofoam!

It didn't do anything to you. Their are probably tons of styrofoam bags out there deeply offended by the comparison.

[The Animator]

19. I get idiots at work all the time.

I, being a stellar representative of my company's guest service, promptly tell them to go fuck themselves, and hope they fall of a bridge.

Sometimes just deserve a medal.

[EFerrari]

61. In the 70s when I worked as an "0" operator, I spent every holiday

apologizing to pissed off people for not being able to connect their long distance calls. Had I told them what to do, I would have been fired on the spot and maybe lynched before I left the building. Those were the days. lol

[NMMNG]

8. More manufactured outrage by people who merely think they're persecuted.

:eyes:

[EFerrari]

12. Where persecution is straight projection of self pity and resentment.

Really. Why don't they stay home and hate their wallpaper? That's the real spirit of Christmas after all.

lol

[NMMNG]

18. There's no fun in hating wallpaper

It doesn't have feelings they can hurt, or lives they can ruin.

[ColbertWatcher]

22. Re: Manufactured Outrage

Well, we call that outraginess (http://wikiality.com/Outraginess) and it's perfectly acceptable for those wishing to proclaim their faithiness (http://wikiality.com/Faithiness) to the rest of the world.

All kidding aside, technically Christmas is only one day, so the Christers shouldn't be allowed to say "Merry Christmas" except for on that one day.

The rest of the time, they should be happy people are saying anything to them at all.

[Javaman]

55. Why do you hate christmas?

:rofl:

[hootinholler]

91. I smell some truthiness in that statement.

:shrug:

-Hoot

[ColbertWatcher]

96. Your gut is wise (n/t)

[hootinholler]

103. I hate to think it's that large for no reason ;) n/t

[Chovexani]

9. I can't stand these self-righteous martyr wannabes

Whenever these stupid bastards start going on about putting Christ in Christmas, I always tell them Christ was never in Christmas. Mithras is the reason for the season...or Sol Invictus. :shrug:

It's like it's not enough for them to be in the majority and have all the power, everyone has to cater to their particular worldview or else it's "persecution". There a zillion holidays celebrated by various religions and cultures during the Winter Solstice. 99.99% of them have nothing to do with Jesus. "Happy Holidays" is about not being a presumptuous asshole and assuming that everyone celebrates the same holiday you do.

I wonder how these asscarrots would feel if random people told them Happy Diwali or Blessed Samhain.

[Tektonik]

11. I pray to Ishtar around this time of year myself!

:hi:

[NMMNG]

13. Asscarrots!

:rofl:

[Chovexani]

15. It's the NyQuil talkin', I swear

:D

[Arugula Latte]

14. Another WACV

"whiny-ass Christian 'victim'"

What a martyr complex these a-holes have. No doubt he's a devoted Fox "News" watcher. :eyes:

[babylonsister]

16. Towel warmer? That's the first clue, my friend.

I'm sorry this person got into your bro's brain. Happy Holidays works whether that asshole thought so or not.

[EFerrari]

20. I thought a towel warmer was a cat.

lol

[Flubadubya]

56. ... LOL...

[SoCalDem]

71. And I though we were the only family with towels that "shed"

Bubby knows how to open the linen closet ddoor, and he hides in there..ON THE CLEAN TOWELS & BLANKETS :grr:

[Lorien]

76. Ahhh...hot linens on a cold day:

[Lugnut]

80. Smart cat.

:rofl: I just love tabbies.

[Greyskye]

21. somebody better tell Bill'O that he hasn't won the war on Xmas yet

:sarcasm:

[Sherman A1]

23. For those of us dealing with the recent snow storms

A greeting of "Happy Rock Salt" is in order.



:hi:

[Ian David]

24. The proper response is, "Merry Fucking Christmas, Asshole." n/t

[mmonk]

43. .

:rofl:

[Skittles]

25. I would have kicked that fundie-f***'s ASS

it would have been worth losing my job - yes INDEED

[shadowknows69]

26. But what would Jesus say?

Merry Me-mas?

[Eagle_Eye]

27. The right wing is entertained by forcing its views onto everybody else

The guy was angry about the towel warmer, and angry other people would dare to go outside of what he considered 'acceptable behavior'.

Anger and wanting people to only express the right-wing view. That seems to be a characteristic of the conservatives.

[TheFarseer]

29. whoa whoa whoa

WTF is a towel warmer? Do you mean a clothes dryer? Sorry had to be a smart ass, but the nearly useless devices we have these days is just astounding. Sorry to anyone in the towel warming industry!

[bunkerbuster1]

31. Just a heated drying rack.

They're usually made of chrome; probably generate a bit of heat in a chilly bathroom, and keeps your towels toasty warm. (I guess, I've never owned one.)

I suppose if you had it set on a timer, so it would warm up prior to taking a shower and shut off afterward it might be an ecologically responsible thing to have (i.e., you might be able to back off your furnace thermostat a bit in exchange for the perceived warmth from the towel/towel rack?)

[TheFarseer]

32. sounds alright OTOH if it doubles as a space heater

I love my space heater for morning shower time.

[sweetpotato]

46. It also dries wet towels

so you don't have to wash your towel with each use.

I have one and I love it. The towel dries before the next usage and doesn't smell like mildew.
Its also a nice treat to have a warm towel to dry with when its cold.

[progressoid]

68. I think one of the wise-men gave a towel warmer to the baby Jesus.

But Mary traded it in for a Tickle-Me-Pontius Pilot

[Lorien]

78. List price: $1056:

'cause some jackasses just need new ways to waste their cash.

[BreweryYardRat]

87. A fucking GRAND for THAT?

Jesus! It's a $50 device at most!

[Name removed]

33. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[baldguy]

34. Sadly "aggressive" and "Christmas" have become interlinked.

Mostly because of Christians themselves.

[gbate]

37. That's very true.

One of my co-workers uses it as a weapon. When greeted with "happy holidays", she responds with "Merry Christmas to you." Blech.

[formerrepuke]

35. MERRY CHRISTMAS YOU F*CKERS!! MERRY CHRISTMAS!! SAY IT!! SAY IT!!:

oH, OH! OOOOHH!

[Thirtieschild]

36. 39 years ago our children said Happy Holidays - first time I'd heard it used

I've told this story before but it's appropriate here. In the late 1960s we lived in a half Jewish, half Christian neighborhood, with a sprinkling of Unitarians like us. Christmas 1968 Mr. D. was in Houston covering the Christmas Apollo shot, so Christmas Eve I took the kiddos out for lunch and then to visit Santa. The six-year-old asked the waitress if she was Christian or Jewish, waitress was mortified, so was I, figured we looked like itinerant preachers who'd left our GET SAVED signs outside. As soon as we were alone I asked the six-year-old why she asked the question. "Because I wanted to know whether to wish her a Merry Christmas or a Happy Hanukkah." The ten-year-old advised her it was safer to say Happy Holidays. She later told Santa Happy Holidays - wasn't going to take any chances.

[SoCalDem]

39. As a customer, I prefer a simple "Thank you" and that's it..

I don't want to hear Happy Easter, Happy 4th of July, Merry Xmas, Happy Holidays, Happy All-purpose Day,,

The merchants facilities that I frequent, have a service or item I want/need to purchase. It's a business transaction..that's ALL..

I do not go there to have my "festive" tingled.. i go there because I have to, and I just want to pay for my stuff and GTF out of there..

With family & friends who share my belief system and to whom I am close, it's a different thing.. we Do say Merry Christmas, happy Birthday, Happy Anniversary, etc..

The intrusion of business into our personal lives is offensive, and I doubt that the poor employees who have to (or are expected to) slather on the "holiday spirit" with every stranger who hands them plastic or money, probably wishes it would stop too:)

All I ever want from a store employee is this:

Greet me..say hello or at least make eye contact
Have an answer for my questions, or genuinely try to find the answer
Take my money, give me my receipt, and say Thank you
I do not go shopping for Holiday Spirit

[lame54]

60. grow your own veggies, sew your own clothes...

and stay the hell out of my store.
Some employees where I work wish a Merry Christmas or a Happy Holiday because that's what they are into not because they are forced too. They are many holidays of various faiths celebrated this time of year and our customers come from all walks of life. Yes master we are here to serve you....

"Greet me..say hello or at least make eye contact
Have an answer for my questions, or genuinely try to find the answer
Take my money, give me my receipt, and say Thank you
I do not go shopping for Holiday Spirit"

We are not Robots or non-people. I have come across your type of attitude more often than the other and find it much more de-humanizing and offensive. At least with the war on christmas attitude I can feel sorry for the person's ignorance but with yours, I'm made to feel like a servant.

this is my opinion not Lame's for he is an atheist and I'm still on the fence :shrug:

patty lame's wife

[intheflow]

69. Wrut-wro, Patty.

Did you know that posting under your spouse's account is the first step to your own DU addiction? I don't normally encourage addiction, but trust me on this one and open your own account. That way you can fight with him over politics and religion without ever having to raise your voice. :P Personally I enjoy sparring with my partner on DU even when we're sitting on the couch next to each other while in here! LOL

With that off my chest... Happy Eid al-Adha! :hi:

[lame54]

82. done now all I have to do is wait 24 hours

so in the mean time I will only read and this will be my last post on lame's account.


:hi: patty

[SoCalDem]

70. Hey you.. I am friendly to clerks, I smile at them..I even engage them in small talk

if there's no line, and they are talkative.. I give "cuts" to people behind me with fewer items..

I am a courteous shopper..

I just do not need to hear a "robotic" (your word) .."have a nice day happy holidays merry christmas happy easter happy whatever"..

I was in management for years at a major grocery chain and trained many people.. the MAIN thing was to engage the customer, smile at them help them quickly and say thank you..

We taught the new clerks that the customers were there to conduct business, not to hang out with them like pals.. Be friendly, but not obsequious and unctuous..
:)

[lame54]

72. I too used to work for a major grocery chain in California

and this was the company line that management forced upon us and you could be fired or written up if you failed to do it in exactly that order.
" the MAIN thing was to engage the customer, smile at them help them quickly and say thank you.."
and that style worked for them but not for me, so I went to work for a grocery store that has a different style, more laid back. We are not being forced or "robotic" when we interact with or customers but truly do appreciate them and get to know them more on a personal level. I will however get a shopper who doesn't understand our "style" and get upset or rude if I go beyond the rules of engagement that you suggested. Sorry but your way makes me feel like I'm on an assemble line and very robotic. Because the major grocery store's (I used to work for) end game was to move the customers in and out as quickly as possible, cha ching cha ching.


patty lame's wife

[Habibi]

73. "and say Thank you"

Yeah. I'd really like to hear this one for a change. Hello, I'm spending money at your store! Mostly I don't hear it from grocery check-out folks. It's kind of annoying.

[Romulox]

40. Corporations want to USE Christmas to pad sales, but then get all circumspect about what to say...

as they are accepting cash hand over hand.

I do not sympathize.

[MedleyMisty]

45. The people who take your cash

are very extremely rarely the people who decide on the ad campaigns and the prices and all that.

When I worked at Arby's I always wondered why people thought I was working in the drive-thru on a Friday night if I had the power to change prices and set company policy. Even in my current job, people assume that I know everything about the company I work for and know everything about all of our properties when they see the company truck I drive.

I don't get it at all. When I go to a national chain store I don't assume that the person running the register is the CEO.

[Romulox]

84. ...are agents of their employers.

I couldn't give a fuck about whether a retailer tells their employees to say "Happy Holidays" or "Merry Christmas".

On the other hand, I do not sympathize with the self-styled dilemma retailers find themselves in, namely, how can they prise the most money out of the most people without offending anyone? If businesses make a decision that it is better for their bottom line to offend Christians, then they can feel free enjoy the benefits of that decision.

But don't whine to me that companies have a right to make money off of Christmas without actually acknowledging it. That's a cake-and-eat-it-too position, and it's just not reasonable.

[NewJeffCT]

41. If somebody says that to him, next time

he should say that it was Christian fundamentalists that originally started saying "Happy Holidays" or "Season's Greetings" instead of "Merry Christmas" because those fundies back in the 1950s were concerned that Christ's birthday celebration at Christmas was getting too commercialized with the advent of TV. So, in order to not have the birth of Christ associated with such crass commercialism, they started saying "Happy Holidays" or "Season's Greetings" because it would then apply to everybody of all religions, and not just Christians. It would help diffuse the association of the commercialism of the time between Thanksgiving & Christmas.

[mmonk]

42. They will succeed in turning Christmas into a day of hate,

mark my words. The extremist elements in our society need to be turned away somehow. But without a truthful mainstream media to show this is rightwing extremism at work, many will still fall prey to it.

[riverdeep]

44. Even corporations have to cater to that percentage of the population,

at LEAST twenty-five percent, that are suffering from stupidity poisoning. Or should I say, people like your brother, the suits are probably on their Florida yachts this time of year.

[NorthernSpy]

47. isn't using the words, "Merry Christmas" to pick a fight...

... akin to taking the Lord's name in vain?

My brother did not respond directly to the phrase, and the man aggressively asked my brother, "what are you guys asked to respond to that?" Well my brother responded by noting he says 'happy holidays' and he told him 'happy holidays'. The customer then went on a spiel about how he was happy he did not end up spending money at this retail location etc etc etc and that he and people on the internet are making a list of stores to not shop at because they are taking the Christ out of Christmas.

And throwing a bunch of rancor at a total stranger is his way of "putting Christ back in Christmas"?

I think maybe it's really about his own ego and need to see his own religion as the recognized top dog of all religions in our society.

[raccoon]

48. Maybe a good reply to that man would have been, "Have a nice day."

Which you will recall has pretty much become a euphemism for "F*** you." :evilgrin:

[raccoon]

49. Also, sounds like that moran had a control issue big-time. nt

[riverdeep]

50. Picking a fight with lower echelon people with no power to respond

freely because of the threat of losing their jobs-yeah, that's the spirit of Christmas, alright.

[HughMoran]

51. Right-wingers lead sorry ass lives

I was leaving my haircut place and the lady said "Happy Holidays" and I responded "same to you". I could see the guy sitting waiting for a cut sneering in a way that said he was a right-wing moron. I so wanted to punch him in the face. Glad he kept his mouth shut because I am not in the mood for these ass hole - I may have actually blasted him.

[Buzz Clik]

52. Meh. I've seen the same thing.

"Say 'Merry Christmas' or I'll kick your ass!"

Nothing like getting into to the spirit of the holidays.

For those think that this is a "secular thing", you're wrong. Bing Crosby was a very religious man and was quite choosy about the songs he'd sing. Yet, he had not trouble singing "Happy Holidays", which never once mentioned Christmas.

Some people need to rethink what Christmas is all about.

[ieoeja]

53. "Well then, I hope you have a 'Merry Christmas', but that your Thanksgiving and New Years suck!"

"Since you apparently object to having someone wish you happiness for all the holidays that YOU, yourself, personally celebrate at this time of year".

[BlackVelvet04]

54. .........................

"what are you guys asked to respond to that".............we were told to say "Kiss my ass" but I thought that was rude so I say Happy Holidays.

[B Calm]

57. After the past 7 years, what's there to be merry about?

[DemGa]

58. You really find out just how much people (can) suck

when you're on the other side of that retail line.

[lpbk2713]

59. A Billo fan no doubt.

I remember a recent thread pointing out how this is one of O'Louffa's tirades du jour. This customer was just parroting what he was told to believe.

[redqueen]

63. I could never work retail.

I'd have said, "Well you stole it from the pagans so happy winter solstice, thief."

[kerry-is-my-prez]

64. I'm going to make it a habit to say "happy holidays" as much as possible just to PO right-wingers

What fun!! If they give me a hard time - I'll say I'm Buddist and I'm tired of all the rude people who say Merry Christmas to me when I'm not a Christian.

[Bill McBlueState]

65. uh-oh, not people on the internet!

people on the internet are making a list of stores to not shop at because they are taking the Christ out of Christmas

People on the internet do lots of things. That doesn't mean we should take them seriously.

[rAVES]

66. Just what the hell is wrong with saying Happy Christmas.. ffs.. the earth wont open up and eat you!

[rateyes]

67. I would have responded:

Have a terrible Christmas, asshole.

[Marr]

74. I'm sure Jesus would appreciate his hatred and support his planned acts of vengeance.

'Tis the season for stirring up anger towards your fellow man, apparently. Pharisees everywhere.

[Vektor]

75. It sounds like the customer was mentally ill.

Quite literally. In my experience, people who freak out over the whole "Happy Holidays" thing, and see it as a "war on Christmas" are not just religious people overreacting, they are actually paranoid/schizoid.

To percieve a universal holiday greeting as a personal affront and an "attack on Christ" displays a persecutory complex - i.e. schizophrenic/schizotypal disorder.

Untreated mental illness is rampant in this country. A lot of the annoying people we poke fun at like the "War on Christmas" folks and the frothing anti-choicers who loiter and wave signs around outside of abortion clinics are actually mentally ill. What sane person waves a picture of a dead fetus around in public while harassing patients, or sees an "attack on Jesus" in a benign holiday greeting and goes bat-shit over it?

Does mental illness make these folks any less annoying?

No. Definitely not. Sorry your brother had to deal with this individual.

[Rex]

77. I would have said, 'fuck you and a merry motherfucking sleighride

to hell!' Wait, I would have said 'thanks.' :thumbsup:

[kineneb]

79. "happy holidays" because there are more "holidays" than just Christmas

December holidays/festivals, this year, in order of occurrence:

Hanukkah
St. Nicholas' Day
Eid-al-Adha
Solstice/Shab-e Yalda
Christmas
Kwanzaa
Boxing Day/St. Steven's Day
New Years' Day
Orthodox Christmas/12th Night (in Jan. but still part of "season")...

...and probably others I have forgotten.

[JuniperLea]

81. I'm ready to say...

Happy Holidays... and if I get snark, I'll just say...

I don't believe in racial profiling, and you very well could have been Jewish, or Muslim, or some other religion, and I would hack off my right arm before I'd ever chance offending someone of another religion, or lack thereof. It's just wouldn't be prudent.

[Dawggie]

83. When I was in retail back in the 70's I always said "happy holdays"

out of respect that not all customers are Christians.

[Iggo]

85. Egad...I worked the window at Carl's Jr...

...way back in the wayback. And I found that a quickly uttered "fuck you very much" through a huge smile did the trick almost every time. They never knew what hit 'em, and I still felt really good about it.

[Postman]

86. Should've told him "I'm a shock troop in the 666 Brigade/Anti-Christmas Division

n/t

[Kansas Wyatt]

94. Then give an evil scowl while saying you have his name now.

He probably would have pissed himself.

Thanks, I'll have to remember that one.

[pstans]

88. Why not just say...

Merry Christmas, Happy Hannakah, fantastic Kwanza, delightful Winter Solstice, a joyful New Year's Eve, and a wonderful New Year's day.

I mean, it would only take a few minutes to rattle off all the holidays.

[eagler]

89. There are Christian fanatics and there are anti- Christian fanatics

i like to use the word fanatic in place of fundamentalist. It gives of much clearer picture of the real problem.

[Swamp Rat]

90. Crappy Holidays!

Merry Crustmass!

:D

[hootinholler]

92. Perhaps the customer would have preferred

Happy Yule? or Happy Solstice? or even Happy Chanukah?

-Hoot

[WolverineDG]

93. Here's what your brother could say next time:

Get off the cross. Someone needs the wood.

dg

[MasonJar]

95. Just read a couple of days ago (on DU probably) that Happy Holidays

comes from Happy Holy Days. Tell your brother so he can inform the ignorant next time.

[Geek_Girl]

97. Somehow I don't think the point of Christmas is to act like a douche bag

These so called Christians are suppose to be spreading peace and joy during Christmas not acting like asshats and pissing everyone off. I think it's the Christians that are taking Christ out of Christmas.

[dapper]

98. Happy Winter Solstice!

I want to hear and see people's reaction to that reply to "Merry Christmas"

Dap

[HeeBGBz]

99. I don't wish anybody anything any more at work

Someone has to wish me whatever first. I will ditto whatever greeting they feel comfortable with. Screw it. I make my money from tips. The greeting one way or another doesn't make one shit to me unless they want to get assholey about it and I will get assholey back. The War on Christmas bullshit has spoiled any natural holiday cheer I might have offered in years previously.

[Mojambo]

100. I always wait for them to say something and then just say, "You too!" n/t

[yellowcanine]

101. He could have said, "Happy Materialistic Pagan Tree Worshiping Day" but I doubt that the guy

would have been any happier with that even though it is probably more true than "Merry Christmas". I wonder if the dipshit even knows that there are Christian groups in this country who think that celebrating Christmas with trees and lots of gift giving is a pagan practice.

[yellowcanine]

105. Also "Christmass" = "Christ's Mass" so to say "Merry Christ's Mass" sounds a bit

sacrilegious if one wants to get really technical about it. One should not be merry at a mass.

[beltanefauve]

106. Happy Winter Retail Holiday!

[Radical Activist]

107. I think I would have given a good old fashioned

Go f--- yourself.

[madeline_con]

108. Idiots forget about Hannuka, Kwanza and New Year's

like Christmas is the only thing being celebrated right now. We need to launch a war on idiocy.