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Some people prefer to say holiday tree instead of Christmas tree. What's your view on this?

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Some people prefer to say holiday tree instead of Christmas tree. What's your view on this?

I have never, ever heard the term "holiday tree" used in my life.

Who are these "some people".

18 ( +18 / -0 )

I have a Christmas tree in my house and I think it looks pretty damn fine. Smells good too. I am also looking forward to Christmas cookies and Christmas caroling with my neighbors. If someone wants to have a Holiday tree or holiday cookies or for that matter put a tree up in June and call it their Christmas tree, that’s all good to me. Doesn’t get in the way of my Christmas one bit.

11 ( +11 / -0 )

I myself have also never heard anyone use the term “Holiday Tree” in real life... sounds like a convenient straw man for certain people who want to find an excuse to get worked up over PC culture.

11 ( +11 / -0 )

C'mon no one says holiday tree , its Christmas Tree and always will be !

9 ( +9 / -0 )

I love Christmas trees. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all my PC and non-PC friends.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

It's a Christmas tree. Merry Christmas everyone!

6 ( +8 / -2 )

I;m with the above poster. I have never heard anyone say "Holiday Tree", just as nobody has ever tried to stop me from saying Merry Christmas, nor to change the name of Thanksgiving.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

If you are in the mood for a bit of divilment, I suppose you could use ‘holiday tree’ just to wind right wingers and uptight Christians up.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

It's not a holiday tree, it's a Christmas tree.

It's not Happy Holidays, it's Merry Christmas.

If you want to be PC and avoid the religious thing, Seasons Greetings works fine.

I'm not Christian (attending Christian schools from early childhood and having weekly Religious Education lessons cured me of that), but I don't mind people wishing me Happy Christmas. Or Happy Hanukah, or ˙happy any other religious festival'. I can appreciate the spirit in which the greeting is given. What I do mind is people wishing me Happy Holidays when IT ISN'T A DARN HOLIDAY in Japan.

'Scuse the yelling, but it really rubs me up the wrong way.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

The only country where I have heard of a Christmas tree being called a holiday tree is the U.S. I call it a Christmas tree.

Zichi, having a Christmas tree has nothing to do with being a Christian or non-Christian. If you had young children, you would know the sheer joy of seeing them eagerly unwrap their presents under the tree. I can't imagine not having a tree.

Besides, a Christmas tree with lights flashing is good for morale. Its presence cheers up a room or office or shop.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Likewise, never heard of ‘holiday tree’ either..although I heard some places say ‘happy holidays’ instead of Merry Xmas...(sigh)...life used to be so simpler and happier when I was a kid!

3 ( +9 / -6 )

I call it a holimas tree, just to cover all possible angles.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

oh c'mon really? They have to take the Christmas trees away too? Get your own things, don't take mine

2 ( +7 / -5 )

 as they are all 18th century inventions, not 2000 years old.

Depending on how you define "christmas tree", is not more like over 2000 years if it's the evergreen thing, or the 16th century in Germany if you're going with the decorated tree thing as a Christian tradition?

But I agree that people should be able to celebrate as they like (within reason). Otherwise people will be asking what on earth Jesus has to do with Eostre.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Never heard anyone call it a holiday tree. Anyway, it is basically a pagan symbol.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

If you’re anti Christian or anti Christmas, non religious or just a different religion, why have a holiday anyway? Why the need for the tree?

That sparked some memories. Here in Scotland, I have a memory of when Christmas was not a holiday. (Wikipedia says I'm wrong about this, but another site tells me it only became a public holiday here in 1958. That fits with an early memory of my dad having to go to work on Christmas day.) Yet we could hardly describe Scotland as a non-Christian country. It's said more women were burned to death as witches in Scotland than in most other European countries. Anyway, as a kid, New Year was always a bigger event here than Christmas. These days, not being totally stupid, we treat the whole Christmas-through-New-Year period as a big party (well some of us do). Generally, Christmas is for kids, and if things turn out fine, they'll be tired and sleeping by New Year when the adults can let their hair doon.

As for "Why have a holiday?", why wouldn't you have a holiday?

As for the tree, whatever.

https://blog.historicenvironment.scot/2016/12/timeline-christmas-scotland/

2 ( +2 / -0 )

It doesn't bother me at all. It is a holiday, and not everyone is a Christian. I

Anyone offended by this ought to ask themselves why it bothers them so much, what others do and say.

Is it actually harming or oppressing anyone? (Which excludes guff counter-arguments like "Soon we'll all be forced to blahblah...")

Is it removing anyone's right to celebrate how they choose to?

Does it have any kind of impact on your own life, at all?

If you believe religious and cultural holidays ought to be celebrated or marked only in their original form, and only by the people who believe in them, then you'd better get rid of your own tree now, and that Santa too, as chuck the Christmas cards on the bonfire too, as they are all 18th century inventions, not 2000 years old.

And get ready to rock up to work on the 13th next month, because that shizz don't concern you.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

Erratum: actually the tree, cards, and Father C., are 19th century inventions, not 18th. Pesky numbers.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

The term may well be Christmas, but for many there are limited religious connotations.

It's simply a name for a form of celebration with many new customs & add-ons, far removed from the original.

Many such "events" are enjoyed by non-believers / non-christians who don't feel it's necessary to change the name.

Examples abound - Easter, Halloween, Valentines, May Day, Thanksgiving, St. Patricks Day etc etc.

In Japan, as in most countries, it's similar with the modern content often moulded into something barely recognisable to the first practices.

For example - Obon has become a summer festival with dances (Bon-Odori), feasting & craziness being particularly popular. Or Setsu-bun which now has become essentially a commercial engagement in selling long maki-sushu. I can't for the life of me, think that people here would want to change such names because they no longer adhere to the religious roots and beliefs.

And tons of words in daily english have religious roots, but no-one (I think) complains about them.

For Example Bigot (by god), Hocus Pocus (Hoc est corpus meum - Catholic mass "This is my body") or Noon, latin nona from the Liturgy of the Hours or prayer time etc etc.

Merry Xmas.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

It wouldn't be a holiday if it wasn't Christmas!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Being ridicule does not kill. You don't have to do anything related to Christmas folklore, but if you do, keep the name. Like if you want to draw a Doraemon on your t-shirt, you call it a Doraemon t-shirt not a Jesus Christ t-shirt.

For example - Obon has become a summer festival with dances

And you want to call the dance "holiday dance" ?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Freedom of speech? Sure. As long as we know what people are talking about. Re: Holiday gifts, holiday cake, holiday wreath, holiday cards, etc. Next some of us will realize holiday means holy day, and then what?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Holiday tree? That's safe, I guess. Doesn't offend anyone.

But isn't "Father" Christmas sexist?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Next some of us will realize holiday means holy day, and then what?

Then someone will discover it means "Holly Day", and we'll be back to prickly times.

I think yuletide tree is fairly safe.

But as long as we can eat chocolate, who really cares?

(Sorry, on the mulled wine already.)

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Other people can have a holiday tree if they want, but the one in my house is a Christmas tree.

I'm working on the day, so it won't even be a holiday. The kids might be at school, I've not checked.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Erratum: actually the tree, cards, and Father C., are 19th century inventions, not 18th. Pesky numbers.

Actually Father Christmas had been around for much longer, but only became confused and then synonymous with the Dutch/American Santa Claus in the nineteenth century. He has origins in pagan midwinter celebrations of feasting.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Neither. I say "Festivus for the rest of us."

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Then someone will discover it means "Holly Day", and we'll be back to prickly times.

Very good :)

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Coskuri - thanks for your comment on my comment re Obon & Bon-Odori.

I think you missed the gist of my post if you think I even slightly suggested that they be re-named Holiday Dances.

Please read again.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I suppose you can just ignore tradition and call a Christmas tree a holiday tree if you want, but I've never heard that before. I imagine this might cause some confusion:

Shopper: Excuse me, do you have holiday trees?

Clerk: Holiday trees?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Holiday Tree? How would you like some Freedom Fries.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I am anti-political correctness, so I say Christmas Tree.

-2 ( +10 / -12 )

If you are in the mood for a bit of divilment, I suppose you could use ‘holiday tree’ just to wind right wingers and uptight Christians up.

Did you just call Santa Clause a right-winger? I’ll let him know. Some coal for your stocking I’m guessing. Happy Kwanza!

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Too funny.

So are the presents under the holiday tree “holiday presents”?

If you’re anti Christian or anti Christmas, non religious or just a different religion, why have a holiday anyway? Why the need for the tree?

Invalid CSRF

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

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