Just a question? The future of "holidays"

[Shallow1]

We had this discussion at lunch today and it left many contiplating the future of holidays in this country,.....it started when someone commented that out of the 50 or so "holiday cards" we have hanging up not one says anything about Christmas even though thats why we traditionally have this time off.

So with all the politically correct discussion about weather or not you can or should say "Merry Christmas" or even acknowlege any type of "religion" affiliated with time off from work or school during this holiday season, do you feel someday we will lose our paid vacation days and school breaks because we have been conditioned not to view the holidays as a "Holy-day"?

Where will this end?

With companies and schools eliminating "paid holidays" and gaining a few work days during the year, and schools working though the breaks traditionally associated with Chistmas and Easter?

or

Will there be a movement to get back to tradition and reason for us to have these days as holidays? and drawing a line in the sand over individual beliefs?

or

Will we someday have a custom holiday schedule based on our belief system?
and What are the atheists going to do if they get no time off?


Just curious if anyone else has thought about this?

[codeorama]

You realize that "traditionally", this was not Chrismas, it was Saturnalia...

[rincewind]

Will we someday have a custom holiday schedule based on our belief system?
and What are the atheists going to do if they get no time off?

I don't believe in 'time off'.

[Shallow1]

You realize that "traditionally", this was not Chrismas, it was Saturnalia...

Thats funny because I don't see any "Saturnalia" trees, or tv shows, or music on the radio, or "Saturnalia Clause"???

Yet again, a ES poster goes out of his way to miss the point.



Reguardless of the origin of the "tradition" will the tradition eventually not be recognised because its not fair to a Jew,Christian, Muslum, atheist or any other religion? back to the original topic...

[Shallow1]

I don't believe in 'time off'.

Does that mean I shouldn't either?

[dfitzo53]

Yes, I think it's perfectly reasonable to grant individuals time off based on their own religious beliefs.

[ashburnskinsfan]

This has got nothing to do with religion. December 25 is a public holiday which most companies also close for. The reason is irrelevant whether it is called Christmas, the Winter Holiday or whatever.

If you work in the private sector, your employer decides which days are paid holidays. No company is required to close for Christmas Day, and of course many businesses provide service on that day. Other examples are Columbus Day or MLK Day. Outside of certain cities, how widely are these two days commemorated by businesses?

[ashburnskinsfan]

Does that mean I shouldn't either?

If you want to take a day off work for your religious beliefs, then you presumably have an off-time or vacation for that. Otherwise you can take unpaid leave.

Most Europeans get Good Friday and Easter Monday as paid holidays, but they don't get July 4th or Thanksgiving. If you are working somewhere and your desired holiday is not a paid day off, it's pretty simple what your options are.

[codeorama]

Thats funny because I don't see any "Saturnalia" trees, or tv shows, or music on the radio, or "Saturnalia Clause"???

Yet again, a ES poster goes out of his way to miss the point.



Reguardless of the origin of the "tradition" will the tradition eventually not be recognised because its not fair to a Jew,Christian, Muslum, atheist or any other religion? back to the original topic...

You are missing the point. The point is that the holiday will evolve, just as it always has. It was once Saturnalia, then became Chrismas and has become "The Holiday season". Its not JUST Chrismas. Its several holidays, including new years. IMO, the only "issue" is that many companies choose "happy holidays" over "merry christmas" because they are being inclusive, not exclusive. It seems that Christians are the only ones that want to exclude everyone.
Personally, I don't care, its a holiday, I get 2 weeks off of work, we could be celebrating flag day for all I care. "Merry Christmas" doesn't offend me, but neither does "Happy Holidays" or "Happy Chaunaka" or however you spell it...

[SkinInsite]

I think most people don't care about what the holidays are called as long as they get the days off.

[SoCalSkins]

You are missing the point. The point is that the holiday will evolve, just as it always has. It was once Saturnalia, then became Chrismas and has become "The Holiday season".

Nope. Didn't start with Saturnalia. The winter solstice, which Santurnalia and Christmas are based on were celebrated thousands of years before Christ in many different cultures.

It was a primary holiday for ancient Persian religions and is still celebrated to this day in many non-Christian countries. Stonehenge is believed to be built for the Midwinter night celebration (winter solstice) as well. Nordic people have celebrated the winter solstice as well.

The original root for the holiday is the rotation of the earth around the sun, not Jesus regardless of what the Christmas Nazis want to claim.

[Prosperity]

The world will end and everyone will die

[AsburySkinsFan]

The original root for the holiday is the rotation of the earth around the sun, not Jesus regardless of what the Christmas Nazis want to claim.

Oh for crying out loud!
Can we PLEASE stop with all this "nazi" crap! This is rhetorical tactic is so lame that is borders on lunacy. To equate those wanting to lift up Christmas to those who participated and orchestrated an attempt at the Jewish genocide, is just flat out dumb.

[nelms]

It's gotten to the point that if anyone says "Happy Holidays" to me, I respond with "**** you very much". I'm tired of the bull**** political correctness.

[DjTj]

There is still "spring break" even though most colleges don't even schedule it for Easter anymore. Christmas or whatever people celebrate at the end of December will be a holiday forever, and we'll always get those days off. If anything, we'll probably get more holidays over time, not less. There's plenty of good reasons outside of religion for everyone to have the same holidays.