View Full Version : Does anyone make cards with Happy Holidays on them?
nicecupoftea
18-07-2008, 10:10 AM
During a Christmas card epic making session last night I came across some free papers I've got with 'Happy Holidays' on. I did think the unthinkable about binning them because I know I won't use them and they will just keep annoying me when I look for something else. Dawn Bibby likes to keep telling us that more and more people are sending cards with 'Happy Holidays' but obviously that's because so many kits are American and despite QVCs 'huge buying power' they still can't seem to get many tailored for the UK market. I just think it's a nasty Americanism. Also, I've never had a problem sending a card with 'Merry Christmas' on but Dawn thinks this means we're all going to get drunk. I had never heard of that before I she said it. Maybe I'm just a naive teetoller.
Beginning to start to dread Craft Day already. Hope this the TSV is a British kit!
Jeanette
18-07-2008, 11:20 AM
TBH I don't mind 'Happy Holidays'!
NiceCupOfTea, I think Happy Holidays has gained popularity in the USA for two reasons (1) it is a non-faith related message and in America is often used on cards sent to people of non-Christain faiths particularly the Jewish faith, and (2) in the USA, they seem to have a much longer, winter holiday season, which starts with their Thanksgiving holiday at the end of November.
However, I personally don't like to send Happy Holiday cards!
I HATE the use of Happy Holidays. I would rather send a card without words than use those words.
Wellington
18-07-2008, 01:48 PM
No Happy Holidays from me - I ain't an American LOL And I prefer to use Merry Christmas so I can also say Happy New Year...Mind you I have also been known to say Happy Christmas & a Merry New Year :D
Julie
18-07-2008, 01:53 PM
I never put phrases on the front of my cards, just on the inside.
Sandra
18-07-2008, 03:32 PM
I'm a 'Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year' or 'Happy Christmas' person. Don't mind 'Happy Holidays' but DH hates it so I don't usually put it on my cards (.... he thinks he's inspection control when it comes to my cards :rolleyes: )
sheilaj
18-07-2008, 03:34 PM
I use
merry christmas
Seasons greetings
happy holidays
noel
anything else I fancy at the time
it depends on the style of cards
Phree
18-07-2008, 05:30 PM
OK you all have got me started now......so if ya don't want to hear Phree having a rant try clicking on forum jump ;)
HAPPY FREAKING HOLIDAY........ I HATE, HATE, HATE IT!!! I LOATH AND DESPISE IT.
Why?
Well it's the ulimate hypocracy is why....... it's used by the politically correct "our souls" (read that phonetically and you will know what I am calling them) who are so damn scared they will offend someone.... get a freaking grip!!!! "Holiday" is a contraction of the words Holy Day....so guess freaking what...... you STILL sending a relgious greeting you moron.
Reality check....... Christmas IS a regligous festival...... get that in to your stupid politcally correct head.... if you don't want to offend the non-religious.... don't send them a freaking card.... or send one that say Just for You or some other innocuous phrase of that ilk.
If they are of another faith.... well guess what..... if you choose to send them a greeting which is all about love and joy and they are OFFENDED by it.... who has the problem.....them or you......go work it out - it's the moron who TAKES offence at good wishes who is the one with the problem.
Ya know what, I am not a jew, I am not a muslim but if you want to wish me Happy Hanukah (Sp?) or Happy Ramadan (Sp?) I am more than happy to receive you blessing in the spirit in which they are meant.
Sorry
Rant over
I've never used Happy Holidays, don't like it. lol I'm not that keen on Seasons Greetings either but I do use it. Happy or Merry Christmas mostly for me.
OK you all have got me started now......so if ya don't want to hear Phree having a rant try clicking on forum jump ;)
HAPPY FREAKING HOLIDAY........ I HATE, HATE, HATE IT!!! I LOATH AND DESPISE IT.
Why?
Well it's the ulimate hypocracy is why....... it's used by the politically correct "our souls" (read that phonetically and you will know what I am calling them) who are so damn scared they will offend someone.... get a freaking grip!!!! "Holiday" is a contraction of the words Holy Day....so guess freaking what...... you STILL sending a relgious greeting you moron.
Reality check....... Christmas IS a regligous festival...... get that in to your stupid politcally correct head.... if you don't want to offend the non-religious.... don't send them a freaking card.... or send one that say Just for You or some other innocuous phrase of that ilk.
If they are of another faith.... well guess what..... if you choose to send them a greeting which is all about love and joy and they are OFFENDED by it.... who has the problem.....them or you......go work it out - it's the moron who TAKES offence at good wishes who is the one with the problem.
Ya know what, I am not a jew, I am not a muslim but if you want to wish me Happy Hanukah (Sp?) or Happy Ramadan (Sp?) I am more than happy to receive you blessing in the spirit in which they are meant.
Sorry
Rant over
Oh I soooooo agree.
Jeanette
18-07-2008, 07:02 PM
I'm happy to receive any greeting. Its just nice to know someone thought enough of me to send a card :D
Mrs D
18-07-2008, 07:16 PM
I use 'Happy or Merry Christmas' and I can't believe Dawn Bibby said Merry Christmas was associated with drinking too much. Well, maybe in her family but I have never heard anyone say that - it's a traditional greeting for goodness sake!
I think if you live in the UK you can't avoid Christmas and the whole card sending thing and I even know people of other faiths who also send Christmas cards because they want their friends to know they are thinking about them. In my opinion 'Happy Holidays' is purely a US phrase and I agree it is a nice sentiment but we could apply it at any time of year like Easter or school summer hols even?.....or maybe not?
maisie*daisy
03-08-2008, 09:43 AM
The Americans celebrate Thanksgiving at the end of November and call that a holiday aswell as Christmas. I used Happy Holidays on cards to Cousins in America but never on cards for anyone else
sheilaj
03-08-2008, 02:15 PM
Hey Phree.....
Happy Holidays!!!! :)
I'm happy to receive any greeting. Its just nice to know someone thought enough of me to send a card :D
I quite agree!
Phree
03-08-2008, 07:04 PM
LMAO.......... and a Very Merry August to you Sheila :p
purdycraft
04-08-2008, 09:54 AM
Phree, you have summed it up beautifully. As for 'Merry Christmas' suggesting drunkeness, I think that's just a ploy to try to get us to accept 'Happy Holidays'.
Phree
04-08-2008, 11:42 AM
I just re-read this thread, and in calmer mode perhaps I should say this - for me it's about respecting the beleifs of EVERYONE and to me Happy Holidays just does not cut the mustard in that department.
As I have said previously - the word "Holiday" is a contraction of the words "Holy Day", therefor this makes it inappropriate for those who are agnostic or aethiest, so go with "Just For You" or "Best Wishes" or whatever if you must.
For those of other faiths, as I have said, I am more than happy to respect their beleifs, infact I am shamed that I really don't know an awful lot about what things like Ramadan or Hanuaka are all about (once again I apologise if I am misspelling the names of these religious occasions), and I am even more ignorant about other faiths as I can't even put a misspelled name to any other religious occasions from other faiths. Never the less I am sure that they are about something good and postive and therefore any blessings given in the tradional words of those releigions can only be meant in much the same way as those who are Christian in their beleifs send greetings such as Merry Christmas, Joyous Noel etc. It is MY failing that I know so little of the faiths of others, but that does not mean I cannot be respectful to people who are hold those beliefs.
It's not the words "Happy Holidays" that bug the life out of me, it's what seems to be increasingly the reason behind these things - a fear of giving offence in a multi-cultural society. Sorry, but that just makes no sense - a truely multi-cultural society should have room for all and be able to show, at a minimum tolerance and polite acceptance of the beleifs or non-beliefs of others and perhaps from there we can all grow to a better understanding of each other.
Thanks for listening.
sheilaj
05-08-2008, 07:19 AM
I just use whatever greeting suits the syle of the card....for a traditional card that might be "Season's Greetings" "Noel" "Wassail" or a variety of other greetings; for a more modern or transatlantic one Happy Holidays might fit better. If I was making truly religeous christmas cards, then I might also use "Emmanuel" or a variety of other greetings....but mostly my cards aren't....let's face it, there is nothing particularly religeous about postboxes, robins , father christmas and christmas trees!!! (at least not christian religeon)
I certainly don't use any greeting to avoid offending the sensibilities of peoiple of other faiths....I would think that if they are truly religeous, then they would be less offended by a faith related card than by a secular one.
I would far rather have 'Happy Holidays' than 'Merry Xmas'- can't bear that one little bit.
Jeanette
05-08-2008, 08:14 AM
I would far rather have 'Happy Holidays' than 'Merry Xmas'- can't bear that one little bit.
I'm with you on that one 3BC! I was thinking, I'm not religious one little bit! Does that mean I shouldn't celebrate Christmas? To me it is a holiday when all my family are actually together in the same place at the same time. That doesn't happen very often nowadays. :D
Phree
05-08-2008, 09:42 AM
I am a bit of a traditionalist I guess because I like "Merry Christmas" and "Season's Greetings". In fact I often think Season's Greetings is the the most generic of all the sentiments we use at Christmastime. Season? What season - you can take what you want from that word, it does not have to specifically mean the Christmas season or be seen as having any reference whatsoever to a specific religious celebration, it could simply mean the winter season.
That's a good point Phree. HH and SG are both non specific, but we are much more used to the latter in this country. At the end of the day, it just comes down to personal preference, which is fine because I'm sure that no-one wants everyone to be exactly the same. And as I always x2 (or x30!) through Ms Bibby, I never hear her telling us what to put on our cards.
Just don't wish me a Merry Xmas.
sheilaj
05-08-2008, 11:20 AM
I would far rather have 'Happy Holidays' than 'Merry Xmas'- can't bear that one little bit.
oddly the use of X in "Xmas" is not irreligeous but as an abbreviation for "Christ"dates from at least 1021 AD!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xmas
(but I have to say that pronounced "Ecksmas" I don't like it either!)
oddly the use of X in "Xmas" is not irreligeous but as an abbreviation for "Christ"dates from at least 1021 AD!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xmas
(but I have to say that pronounced "Ecksmas" I don't like it either!)
Well, it just goes to show that people have been lazy for centuries!
Still hate it though, mostly because people who use it probably don't even realise that it's short for Christ and pronounce Ecksmas.
Nicecupoftea, what have you done with your papers in the end? You have certainly given us something to talk about!
sheilaj
05-08-2008, 02:55 PM
not lazy, originally it was all part of the fact that Christians were persecuted and it was actually dangerous to be one so they used "Chi Rho" (a symbol that looks like an X and P) and also the fish among others to indicate to other Christians that they were part of the new movement.
Sorry to bore on...its just so interesting how the way things are perceived gets changed
Phree
05-08-2008, 02:58 PM
It's not boring sheila, I find that kind of stuff interesting, althought I suspect it does kind of fall into the category of "useless facts". We all have loads of those stuffed into corners of our brain I guess..... stuff we learn over the years that peaks our curiosity but probabaly is never going to be really useful stuff to know.
Little Jan
05-08-2008, 05:28 PM
Being a little like winnie the pooh (one of little brain) :confused:I find any facts interesting and usefull. and I collect them so I can look clever at dinner parties:D shame I never get invited to any,:( still its nice to have some interesting facts just in case:rolleyes:
oddly the use of X in "Xmas" is not irreligeous but as an abbreviation for "Christ"dates from at least 1021 AD!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xmas
(but I have to say that pronounced "Ecksmas" I don't like it either!)
Thanks for the info Sheila. I still don't like the look of it though and won't use it.
blarf
11-08-2008, 12:32 PM
The only time I would ever send a happy holidays card is to my Hindu friend who lives in San Francisco, because the post takes so long to get to her it ends up covering Diwali and Christmas - literally two holy days! (well diwali goes on a bit but you know what I mean).
I almost always use merry christmas, happy just seems like a blah word sometimes. Perhaps we should all start using "wonderful" or "delightful" something more enthusiastic.