Friday, December 25, 2009

How was your Xmas?

Does it offend you if I write Xmas? I have heard so many different reasons behind why it IS or IS NOT offensive. So who better for me to ask than the group of you out there who read my every word (he he. my minions!) and tell it like it is right back at me.

So -- what do you think? If I write Xmas, am I taking the "Christ" out of the holiday? I mean, for me, I mean no disrespect. I'm just a Jew (a lonely Jew) on Christmas who always used to write it that way, even in cards to my Catholic friends. And so I'm curious on the take out there. Ever since I had a huge discussion with a best friend of mine who is religious and observant of holidays and the like, and she said she wasn't offended and had no issue with it ... heck, she even wrote it herself sometimes ... I figured it was okay, but then I heard from people how offensive it was. And far be it from me to offend without intent. Kidding, I never mean to offend people, I just like to tell it like it is and all that comes with that. You know me. Right? Or you're starting to. Or you're saying to yourself, who the *F* cares? It's a holiday. Wish me a merry and be on your way, ey?


And speaking of ... how's your accent treat the word "merry?" I have a cousin named MERI who sounds like MERRY, but my father and his Yiddish accent say MARY, as does my husband and his Maine accent, although MARRY often sounds the same as the other two. Dare I go on? I think not. Happy Holidays and hope Saint Nick brought you loads of good cheer.

As for me, I got a stocking full of Sharpies (I kid you not!) and recipe cards (cool) and some Godiva chocolate covered strawberries (looking forward to digging into those on the drive home. But depending on the weather tomorrow, we should [might] be heading South to NY, but if the rain/ice/sleet hits the way it is expected we may be *stranded* here, which might be kind of fun, considering I tried my first frisbee-like-style sled tonight [if I am feeling generous I *may* share the video hubby took of me with you all, I just have not watched it yet.] What can I say? I grew up in Brooklyn, for goodness sake!)

5 comments:

  1. I'm not offended as long it is not your intention to offend, even then I don't think I would since you do not have the same beliefs as I do. Really, taking offense is a choice and a rather immature one at that, to allow someone elses ideas to ruin your day sure gives the "offender" a lot of power. Does that make sense? In the culture and time we live in little is considered sacred, sacred in a truly live-it-and-believe-it way. Many adopt the beliefs of their families and friends and follow them to the point of defending them but do you ever wonder how much of what they "believe" is really their own from personal sought after faith? I am a person of faith and have taken and still do take the time and energy to nurture and strengthen that faith. Anyway...tangent...one needs to KNOW what they believe before they can even think about taking offense. So, Merry Christmas and Merry whatever everyone else finds joy and faith in!

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  2. I love sharpies! And the kids always seem to steal mine and then lose them =(. As per the whole Christmas vs Xmas, I'm probably not the right one to be answering but I, like you, never really get the whole offended thing. X is the symbol for Christ anyways, so I dont get why people would take up arms over something so minute. But then again I'm not religious so as I stated before, I'm really not a good one to answer. I just wish the holiday wars in general would stop so everyone can actually enjoy this time of season instead of arguing over who has the rights to what holiday and why, etc. Maybe if people could stop being offended over small things and look to what the season is supposed to mean in general and fit for all types of beliefs out there (love, family, giving, etc) we could actually start living it too and realizing whatever people say or write, be it Christmas, Xmas, Happy holidays, etc, they do it out the love and happiness in their heart, not to purposefully tick others off.

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  3. Not at all offended, but I, would not be offended by that sort of thing anyway! Some people, as you have found, are. I am paranoid about saying "Happy Holidays" to people now that they might take offence to that. Ditto other commenters, it is a season of love and giving--however you put it shouldn't matter as much as the intent behind it (IMHO) Happy happy, Merry, Mary (My Southern tongue doesn't really differentiate a lot between the two words (Merry/Mary), kind of like "Dawn" and "Don" ... sounds the same! ;)

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  4. Well, as you know I'm a fellow Jew, so I can't comment on the xmas thing!

    We just got back in town last night, so I'm happy to be back on Blogger and catching up a bit.

    I love Sharpies, too. We are definitely kindred spirits!

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  5. Erin sent me over as a fellow MOT and said you were awesome, so here I am a new follower. Xmas does not offend me and frankly, because I was married to an Orthodox Jew, it is how I always think it, and it's easier to write, which is always a good thing.

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