This is the importance of saying “happy holidays” whenever possible. It isn’t just for show, it isn’t just a hippie expression, and it’s not conceived solely to oppress christians. It’s important to respect other people’s beliefs.
Also, well done to Evans on the Asian girl: she is well drawn! I don’t think I’ve seen an asian in Luann before.
I’m a great fan of Greg’s drawing skills generally, but I have to say… he has yet to master drawing pre-school or primary aged kids. Half of Luann’s students – which I think are supposed to be kindergarteners or first graders – look like miniaturized teenagers.
Where I live, virtually all my customers wish me a Merry Christmas, even when I start by saying “Best of the Season” to them, in order to be sensitive….and my customers are mostly Sikh, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist or no stated faith!
When I went to the supermarket, my Muslim cashier sincerely wished me a Merry Christmas.
And- I don’t think most of them know anything about my beliefs.
Why this fuss. Now it s Christmas, so I wish everyone a Merry Christmas who wishes to hear it. And everybody else I wish a Merry whatever it is whenever it is. Why are we trying to become a non offensive, boring and colourless suspension instead of enjoying our differences? We are so easily offended by everything these days.
I always say “Merry Christmas” as I am a Catholic, but include “and Happy Holidays” to cover everyone else. Nobody is left out except for those who celebrate Christmas but have to work that day…NOT so happy. To those, I say “God bless.”
Someone celebrates Kwanzaa? I know so many Africans and black people in my life, but not one celebrates Kwanzaa. (Not being snarky. I’ve always wanted to see firsthand what a Kwanzaa celebration is like, not just read about it. Like, I celebrated Hanukkah with some friends and it was more fun than reading about! :) I like experiencing new things)
I send Christmas cards to my Jewish friends. One of whom is orthodox. The cards are not religious-themed, just secular with skaters (of course). Everyone tells me how cute the cards are and how they enjoy receiving them…especially in a world where many people no longer send cards. It’s such a treat to receive mail that is not a bill or “junk” mail. --HAPPY FESTIVUS FOR THE REST UV US!
“Christmas” is NOT the month of December. And Christmas Season is December 25-January 6. This is Advent.
The people who have turned it into a shopping season and have centered it around the shopping mall get upset if people don’t use the WORD “Christmas.”
And weirdly enough, a lot of these evangelicals don’t even go to church on Christmas, and don’t even believe in Mass. But God forbid you don’t use the word.
Actually, in the United States, you should say Merry Christmas, because that is the federal holiday and you wouldn’t want to miss it, right? None of the others are federal holidays!
OK…..This is Christmas Time! Celebrate the other holidays in their own time. Don’t disrupt my celebration of Christmas or try to stifle the “Merry Christmas”. I will gladly celebrate with you your holidays in their time.
Ya know….I’m not a liberal, well not in the sense of how the word is used today….but when I see a map of our galaxy and realize that when you take that map, make it the size of a two car garage, at that scale even an electron microscope could not see the Earth. Then scale it up to the trillions of galaxies around us…..all the arguments about what to say to others during the holidays depending upon their beliefs kinda seems silly.
The red haired Bernice clone had it right. Just make it a simple ecumental Happy Holidays. If you try to write out all of the various holiday variations for this time of year, Luann, you probably will run out of room on that dry erase board, or, at least not stop writing until after the holiday break.
Greg, wonderful and sensitive way to celebrate the Holiday season, realizing that in a multi-cultural society there are all kinds of holidays, each worth observing, but commonly having a holiday season with the idea of love, sharing, tolerance for difference, celebration of variety, love of our country where all are respected, none marginalized, makes an old social justice shed a tear!
I worked with a Fox News Republican who was always quoting talking points like the “Soros-funded protestors,” “Obama’s birth certificate,” “voter fraud,” “trial lawyers,” etc. The last December we worked together — 2012 — he actually said he was thinking of going into a department store, loading his cart up with Christmas gifts, and then just leaving and abandoning it if someone said “Happy Holidays.” Speaking of being “thin-skinned” and “throwing a fit,” you know. Conservatives accuse everybody else of being “easily offended” and “perpetually outraged” when they’re the biggest snowflakes in the world and Fox News keeps them constantly worked up about some manufactured outrage.
Oddly enough, most Jews, Muslims and non-believers I know are pretty accepting of the fact that they’re surrounded by a culture where people say “Merry Christmas!” The people pitching a fit are the ones having a hard time coming to terms with the fact that America will soon be a white minority country, the number of people identifying as religious Christians has fallen by a fifth over the past decade, and that Fox News Republicans are dying off several times faster than they’re being replaced. So enjoy your ghost dance, LOL.
If I may quote Luann, Peace. To all of you regardless of your beliefs, preferences, or opinions of how another side is wrong. May you have a happy and healthy holiday season, whatever holiday you celebrate. I wish you joy and peace.
That’s nice, now all those kids can talk together about their different faiths, explaining what they entail. Knowing about the others make them human and not “OTHER!”
Almost all cultures in the northern hemisphere concentrate their holidays around December and considered the winter solstice a sacred time. (Even the people who live in the southern hemisphere now are mostly descended from people who came from the northern hemisphere who brought the traditions with them.) This makes perfect sense when you think about it, since they were almost all agrarian societies who had nothing better to do in the winter months. So the blanket term “happy holidays” is good enough if you find yourself in a multicultural situation.
The real problem is extremism on both sides. One side can get all riled up about “we don’t celebrate Christmas/or any holidays and we resent it if the majority culture does, and we feel so left out so nobody should say anything about holidays at all.” The other side can get all riled up about a “War on Christmas” and painting anyone who’s not a conservative/libertarian with the same wide brush of leftist extremism. And it drums up listeners to listen to right-wing radio to share their outrage.
But guess what? It’s not all black and white. You have a few nutjobs on either extreme pole, but the overwhelming majority of us, religious or not, Christian or not, conservative, centrist, most liberals, white, non-white, etc. don’t really mind “Merry Christmas”. Immigrants to the US know that they are immigrating into a culture that considers Christmas to be the #1 holiday, and they/we adapt. Conversion to Christianity is not required, and people universally understand the idea of holidays, sharing and getting together with family.
“Holiday Political Correctness” is a silly kneejerk reaction by well-intentioned people who are so concerned about not stepping on a minority culture’s toes that it comes off as patronizing.
I’m Christian, so I’ll say “Merry Christmas”. If I know you celebrate a different tradition, I’ll greet you in that spirit. If I don’t know you, simply respond in your tradition (unless you’re a militant atheist – no one wants your derision and smugness).
The summer and winter solstice have been around for 100s of thousands of years and will continue. All the rest are just made up by humans to serve their own purpose and when humans die out in the future the species that are left will not give a crap.
I honestly think far far fewer people are concerned about any of this than meets the eye. A greeting is a greeting. Just accept it and move on. That’s what most of us do. And I also feel really bad when I hear all Christians being described in these negative ways. This is not true. When did the term “Christian” become identified ONLY as a FUNDAMENTALIST?! What about all the Methodists, Lutherans, Episcopalians and other mainstream Churches???? Do they not even count in today’s narrative? I guess not, since they are mostly peaceful and loving.
This is what you get when you try to be “even-handed.” Diversity for its own sake tends toward divisiveness. Rather, e pluribus unum. Luann’a heart is good but her head is weak….
I crack up when I hear about this phony “War on Christmas” when for going on a month now I’ve been hearing about Happy Honda Days and the Lexus December to Remember Sales event.
Just to throw another infant pigeon into the babble – A friend recently pointed out to me that Christmas is Christ Mass. Since protestant Christian religions don’t celebrate mass, why are they so bent on everyone saying Christmas?
Namrepus almost 5 years ago
Just remember, our diversity is our strength.
Lifeflame almost 5 years ago
Bodi day, it’s today but still.
dadoctah almost 5 years ago
Io Saturnalia!
Templo S.U.D. almost 5 years ago
What Japanese holiday is Ōmisoka?
fretlessman71 almost 5 years ago
Celebrate ’em all! As long as peace and love are the message, what harm?
syzygy47 almost 5 years ago
I’m not serious when I say this, totally tongue in cheek, but “The frontline soldiers in the ‘War on Christmas’”
JasonBall almost 5 years ago
This is the importance of saying “happy holidays” whenever possible. It isn’t just for show, it isn’t just a hippie expression, and it’s not conceived solely to oppress christians. It’s important to respect other people’s beliefs.
Also, well done to Evans on the Asian girl: she is well drawn! I don’t think I’ve seen an asian in Luann before.
VincentGoudreault almost 5 years ago
Nothing divides humans more than religion.
SactoSylvia almost 5 years ago
I’m a great fan of Greg’s drawing skills generally, but I have to say… he has yet to master drawing pre-school or primary aged kids. Half of Luann’s students – which I think are supposed to be kindergarteners or first graders – look like miniaturized teenagers.
kenhense almost 5 years ago
Christmas is a national holiday for everyone. We need to learn how to respect individuality without being divisive.
Brdshtt Premium Member almost 5 years ago
Happy Happy!
blunebottle almost 5 years ago
Where I live, virtually all my customers wish me a Merry Christmas, even when I start by saying “Best of the Season” to them, in order to be sensitive….and my customers are mostly Sikh, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist or no stated faith!
When I went to the supermarket, my Muslim cashier sincerely wished me a Merry Christmas.
And- I don’t think most of them know anything about my beliefs.
Love and Peace to all this Holiday Season!
GollyGosh almost 5 years ago
Oh look, a comic strip concerning PC culture. Better prepare for the inevitable boomer takes and religious fights in the comments section!
gnmnrbl almost 5 years ago
I say merry christmas, i really don’t care if someone else doesn’t like it.
Johnie almost 5 years ago
Why this fuss. Now it s Christmas, so I wish everyone a Merry Christmas who wishes to hear it. And everybody else I wish a Merry whatever it is whenever it is. Why are we trying to become a non offensive, boring and colourless suspension instead of enjoying our differences? We are so easily offended by everything these days.
Enter.Name.Here almost 5 years ago
I always say “Merry Christmas” as I am a Catholic, but include “and Happy Holidays” to cover everyone else. Nobody is left out except for those who celebrate Christmas but have to work that day…NOT so happy. To those, I say “God bless.”
Aladar30 Premium Member almost 5 years ago
I love how Luann treats every child with love and respect. We need more people like her ♡.
TwilightFaze almost 5 years ago
Someone celebrates Kwanzaa? I know so many Africans and black people in my life, but not one celebrates Kwanzaa. (Not being snarky. I’ve always wanted to see firsthand what a Kwanzaa celebration is like, not just read about it. Like, I celebrated Hanukkah with some friends and it was more fun than reading about! :) I like experiencing new things)
GirlGeek Premium Member almost 5 years ago
The redhead in panel 3 is reading my thoughts exactly. Just put Happy Holidays and call it a day.
dlkrueger33 almost 5 years ago
I send Christmas cards to my Jewish friends. One of whom is orthodox. The cards are not religious-themed, just secular with skaters (of course). Everyone tells me how cute the cards are and how they enjoy receiving them…especially in a world where many people no longer send cards. It’s such a treat to receive mail that is not a bill or “junk” mail. --HAPPY FESTIVUS FOR THE REST UV US!
Ignatz Premium Member almost 5 years ago
“Christmas” is NOT the month of December. And Christmas Season is December 25-January 6. This is Advent.
The people who have turned it into a shopping season and have centered it around the shopping mall get upset if people don’t use the WORD “Christmas.”
And weirdly enough, a lot of these evangelicals don’t even go to church on Christmas, and don’t even believe in Mass. But God forbid you don’t use the word.
Tyge almost 5 years ago
Merry Christmas!
Skeptical Meg almost 5 years ago
Happy Festivus
Qiset almost 5 years ago
Actually, in the United States, you should say Merry Christmas, because that is the federal holiday and you wouldn’t want to miss it, right? None of the others are federal holidays!
Silverbear07 almost 5 years ago
OK…..This is Christmas Time! Celebrate the other holidays in their own time. Don’t disrupt my celebration of Christmas or try to stifle the “Merry Christmas”. I will gladly celebrate with you your holidays in their time.
Willywise52 Premium Member almost 5 years ago
Or…do away with ALL religions.See how many more people stay alive.
rf_in_va almost 5 years ago
Seems like you can’t have immigration and traditions based on European customs any longer.
chris_o42 almost 5 years ago
They forgot “Blessed Yule”.
montylc2001 almost 5 years ago
Ya know….I’m not a liberal, well not in the sense of how the word is used today….but when I see a map of our galaxy and realize that when you take that map, make it the size of a two car garage, at that scale even an electron microscope could not see the Earth. Then scale it up to the trillions of galaxies around us…..all the arguments about what to say to others during the holidays depending upon their beliefs kinda seems silly.
Glen.A.Zerbi almost 5 years ago
Next thing you know, Mr. Hankey shows up… “Hi-dee-ho!”
Uncle Dan almost 5 years ago
It’s nice to dee the diversity, including the non-believer.
William Timm almost 5 years ago
If you live in the USA, it’s MERRY CHRISTMAS. Get over it!
Schrodinger's Dog almost 5 years ago
My tree is decorated and the front lights up, so I’m OK with the holiday.
Yakety Sax almost 5 years ago
“You don’t need religion to have morals. If you can’t determine right from wrong, then you lack empathy, not religion.” Anonymous
" The soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war." Douglas MacArthur
jamessveta almost 5 years ago
Oh my head aches.
Cincoflex almost 5 years ago
also Bhodi Day, Rohatsu, Mawlid, Diwali, Hogmanay and Three Kings Day!
LtPowers almost 5 years ago
Ha ha, it’s funny because people are multicultural now.
WilliamVollmer almost 5 years ago
The red haired Bernice clone had it right. Just make it a simple ecumental Happy Holidays. If you try to write out all of the various holiday variations for this time of year, Luann, you probably will run out of room on that dry erase board, or, at least not stop writing until after the holiday break.
Ellis97 almost 5 years ago
So many holidays, so little time.
ForrestOverin almost 5 years ago
Isn’t Omisoka the Goddess of Overimbibing?
Sportymonk almost 5 years ago
When I say Merry Christmas, you reply Happy Hanukah or whatever. Let us all celebrate in our own way without infringing on others.
Merry Christmas!
Pohka almost 5 years ago
Happy Hogswatch!
Le'Roy Hawkins almost 5 years ago
Take off “Peace”. That will offend some people.
odojoe almost 5 years ago
Anything but Happy Holidays.
NobodyAwesome Premium Member almost 5 years ago
As long as friends and food are involved, counting me in!
Don’t care what you call it.
luann1212 almost 5 years ago
Greg, wonderful and sensitive way to celebrate the Holiday season, realizing that in a multi-cultural society there are all kinds of holidays, each worth observing, but commonly having a holiday season with the idea of love, sharing, tolerance for difference, celebration of variety, love of our country where all are respected, none marginalized, makes an old social justice shed a tear!
Lou almost 5 years ago
I just say “Merry Everything” or just “have a good Tuesday”
atomicdog almost 5 years ago
IDIC.
GaryCooper almost 5 years ago
A happy season to one and all!
Lenavid almost 5 years ago
One brick at a time…
ve6rgp almost 5 years ago
Many people celebrate Christmas, just because some don’t, is no reason for those that do celebrate it to change their activities.
SandShark Premium Member almost 5 years ago
Hey! What about Festivus? He left out Festivus!
pdking77 almost 5 years ago
It’s Yule to me.
Judy Saint Premium Member almost 5 years ago
“Imagine no religion. It’s easy if you try…” Happy life, folks. No need for seasons or holidays to wish happiness.
lpbrennan almost 5 years ago
And hogmanay!
tcayer almost 5 years ago
What about being one faith means another can’t be celebrated?
sobrown51 almost 5 years ago
and people wonder why (and get offended) when they are wished Happy Holidays (which is especially funny since holiday is a contraction of Holy Day.)
KevinCarson1 almost 5 years ago
I worked with a Fox News Republican who was always quoting talking points like the “Soros-funded protestors,” “Obama’s birth certificate,” “voter fraud,” “trial lawyers,” etc. The last December we worked together — 2012 — he actually said he was thinking of going into a department store, loading his cart up with Christmas gifts, and then just leaving and abandoning it if someone said “Happy Holidays.” Speaking of being “thin-skinned” and “throwing a fit,” you know. Conservatives accuse everybody else of being “easily offended” and “perpetually outraged” when they’re the biggest snowflakes in the world and Fox News keeps them constantly worked up about some manufactured outrage.
mavinminx almost 5 years ago
And the shortened version of the above greeting is brought to you by Ren and Stimpy————Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy!!!
KevinCarson1 almost 5 years ago
Oddly enough, most Jews, Muslims and non-believers I know are pretty accepting of the fact that they’re surrounded by a culture where people say “Merry Christmas!” The people pitching a fit are the ones having a hard time coming to terms with the fact that America will soon be a white minority country, the number of people identifying as religious Christians has fallen by a fifth over the past decade, and that Fox News Republicans are dying off several times faster than they’re being replaced. So enjoy your ghost dance, LOL.
BillHensler almost 5 years ago
If people don’t want to celebrate Christmas then that’s O.K. That means they have a work day.
Plumb.Bob Premium Member almost 5 years ago
To all who are militant about how you are greeted at this time of year Gruss vom Krampus!
drbeth almost 5 years ago
If I may quote Luann, Peace. To all of you regardless of your beliefs, preferences, or opinions of how another side is wrong. May you have a happy and healthy holiday season, whatever holiday you celebrate. I wish you joy and peace.
Teto85 Premium Member almost 5 years ago
And a Joyous Festivus for the rest of us.
GreggW Premium Member almost 5 years ago
Omisoka is just Japanese new year’s eve, doesn’t count.
cabalonrye almost 5 years ago
That’s nice, now all those kids can talk together about their different faiths, explaining what they entail. Knowing about the others make them human and not “OTHER!”
yangeldf almost 5 years ago
Almost all cultures in the northern hemisphere concentrate their holidays around December and considered the winter solstice a sacred time. (Even the people who live in the southern hemisphere now are mostly descended from people who came from the northern hemisphere who brought the traditions with them.) This makes perfect sense when you think about it, since they were almost all agrarian societies who had nothing better to do in the winter months. So the blanket term “happy holidays” is good enough if you find yourself in a multicultural situation.
ZeMastor almost 5 years ago
The real problem is extremism on both sides. One side can get all riled up about “we don’t celebrate Christmas/or any holidays and we resent it if the majority culture does, and we feel so left out so nobody should say anything about holidays at all.” The other side can get all riled up about a “War on Christmas” and painting anyone who’s not a conservative/libertarian with the same wide brush of leftist extremism. And it drums up listeners to listen to right-wing radio to share their outrage.
But guess what? It’s not all black and white. You have a few nutjobs on either extreme pole, but the overwhelming majority of us, religious or not, Christian or not, conservative, centrist, most liberals, white, non-white, etc. don’t really mind “Merry Christmas”. Immigrants to the US know that they are immigrating into a culture that considers Christmas to be the #1 holiday, and they/we adapt. Conversion to Christianity is not required, and people universally understand the idea of holidays, sharing and getting together with family.
“Holiday Political Correctness” is a silly kneejerk reaction by well-intentioned people who are so concerned about not stepping on a minority culture’s toes that it comes off as patronizing.
BlueKnight1966 almost 5 years ago
I’m Christian, so I’ll say “Merry Christmas”. If I know you celebrate a different tradition, I’ll greet you in that spirit. If I don’t know you, simply respond in your tradition (unless you’re a militant atheist – no one wants your derision and smugness).
kozmikgal almost 5 years ago
The “War on Christmas” is a straw man in a red suit.
Code the Enforcer almost 5 years ago
Someone earlier, Sandshark, I believe, said they left out Festivus!! … But I guess the kids HAVE been observing The Airing of Grievances’!! :)
David Huie Green LoveJoyAndPeace almost 5 years ago
“’Ave a good day, mates.”
Uncle Kenny almost 5 years ago
Seasonal felicitations to you, and, if applicable, to yours.
majobis. almost 5 years ago
Luann is good with kids she would make a great mother some day.
Airman almost 5 years ago
What an incredible waste of time. Make cartoons funny again.
Schrodinger's Dog almost 5 years ago
tomorrow: Tiffany finds odd things in Des’ couch!
tomtommactom almost 5 years ago
The summer and winter solstice have been around for 100s of thousands of years and will continue. All the rest are just made up by humans to serve their own purpose and when humans die out in the future the species that are left will not give a crap.
kenhense almost 5 years ago
The black T-shirt always suits Luann very well.
eladee AKA Wally almost 5 years ago
She forgot Feliz Navidad!!!!!
bakana almost 5 years ago
In keeping with Tradition, Bah, Humbug.
eladee AKA Wally almost 5 years ago
I honestly think far far fewer people are concerned about any of this than meets the eye. A greeting is a greeting. Just accept it and move on. That’s what most of us do. And I also feel really bad when I hear all Christians being described in these negative ways. This is not true. When did the term “Christian” become identified ONLY as a FUNDAMENTALIST?! What about all the Methodists, Lutherans, Episcopalians and other mainstream Churches???? Do they not even count in today’s narrative? I guess not, since they are mostly peaceful and loving.
Sisyphos almost 5 years ago
This is what you get when you try to be “even-handed.” Diversity for its own sake tends toward divisiveness. Rather, e pluribus unum. Luann’a heart is good but her head is weak….
aims almost 5 years ago
Yikes. The comic sums it up nicely, somebody wanted to say let’s enjoy the season and everybody got uppity. SMFH
robtgordon almost 5 years ago
I crack up when I hear about this phony “War on Christmas” when for going on a month now I’ve been hearing about Happy Honda Days and the Lexus December to Remember Sales event.
There’s your “war on Christmas”.
TraceySmith almost 5 years ago
Bah Humbug
hildigunnurr Premium Member almost 5 years ago
Merry Yule!
6foot6 almost 5 years ago
I still want to know why I can’t get a holliday tree for easter and the 4thof july.
gorgolo_chick almost 5 years ago
Joyous Yule to all.
gorgolo_chick almost 5 years ago
Just to throw another infant pigeon into the babble – A friend recently pointed out to me that Christmas is Christ Mass. Since protestant Christian religions don’t celebrate mass, why are they so bent on everyone saying Christmas?
Call me Ishmael almost 5 years ago
Right now, in India, 1 billion Hindus are attacking 200 million Muslims. The issue, as usual, is competing myths. I am SO sick of religion …
Don Draper almost 5 years ago
COEXIST!
coffeemom88 almost 5 years ago
Not “solely” to oppress Christians, eh? And that’s a capital “C”, sweetie pie.