I was listening to the radio the other day when the local DJ was talking about how we'll never hear the term 'Holidays' from him "Because it's Christmas".
What are y'alls view on this? Does it matter how we refer to this time of the year?
CBC News released an interesting article on the matter.
[...]In 2005, the tinsel hit the fan when word got out that Boston was calling the huge tree it gets from the province of Nova Scotia each year a "holiday tree" on its official website. Christian televangelists threatened to sue. A columnist in the Boston Globe, who is Jewish, called it part of the "annual effort to neuter Christmas."
[...]Supporters say it’s simply showing respect for the growing numbers who belong to religious minorities – an effort to be sensitive to the fact that many people are not members of the dominant religion. Others call it politically correct nonsense.
[...]North American society – especially Canadian society – is becoming more and more non-Christian. The 2001 census showed that 70 per cent of Canadians identified themselves as either Roman Catholic or Protestant. In the 1971 census, those two Christian denominations accounted for 90 per cent of Canadians.
[...]Many non-Christians, of course, do mark religious holidays or festivals in the fall or winter months. Jews mark Hanukkah – the festival of lights – usually in December. Many Buddhists mark Bodhi Day on Dec. 8. Many Canadians of African heritage celebrate Kwanzaa in December. Hindus celebrate Diwali – the festival of lights – in either October or November.
The "let's celebrate everyone's holidays" theme was the thrust of a 1998 declaration made by the city council of Birmingham, England. The city, which is home to many non-Christians, declared its Christmas-time festivities would be called Winterval. Critics said the council was trying to take the "Christ out of Christmas" and accused it of being overly sensitive. In the end, the name didn’t catch on. Birmingham's official website now has a special feature on "Christmas in Birmingham."
What are y'alls view on this? Does it matter how we refer to this time of the year?
CBC News released an interesting article on the matter.
[...]In 2005, the tinsel hit the fan when word got out that Boston was calling the huge tree it gets from the province of Nova Scotia each year a "holiday tree" on its official website. Christian televangelists threatened to sue. A columnist in the Boston Globe, who is Jewish, called it part of the "annual effort to neuter Christmas."
[...]Supporters say it’s simply showing respect for the growing numbers who belong to religious minorities – an effort to be sensitive to the fact that many people are not members of the dominant religion. Others call it politically correct nonsense.
[...]North American society – especially Canadian society – is becoming more and more non-Christian. The 2001 census showed that 70 per cent of Canadians identified themselves as either Roman Catholic or Protestant. In the 1971 census, those two Christian denominations accounted for 90 per cent of Canadians.
[...]Many non-Christians, of course, do mark religious holidays or festivals in the fall or winter months. Jews mark Hanukkah – the festival of lights – usually in December. Many Buddhists mark Bodhi Day on Dec. 8. Many Canadians of African heritage celebrate Kwanzaa in December. Hindus celebrate Diwali – the festival of lights – in either October or November.
The "let's celebrate everyone's holidays" theme was the thrust of a 1998 declaration made by the city council of Birmingham, England. The city, which is home to many non-Christians, declared its Christmas-time festivities would be called Winterval. Critics said the council was trying to take the "Christ out of Christmas" and accused it of being overly sensitive. In the end, the name didn’t catch on. Birmingham's official website now has a special feature on "Christmas in Birmingham."
