Christmas cards

vikinganna87

I'm ordering a separate set of Christmas cards to send to my customers.  I would like them to be "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year" cards but while the majority of my customers are likely Christians, some probably aren't.

Is it okay to send a Merry Christmas card to someone who doesn't celebrate Christmas?

JCbride2015

In a business context?  Definitely not okay.

luckya23

I wouldn't consider myself Christian, but I do celebrate Christmas.

If you mean they are practicing other religions, then I don't think that is terribly appropriate. 

Customers and business relationships in general are exactly why "Happy Holidays" cards exist.

sarawifenow

I agree with JC. Definitely not ok.

 

I send my clients Happy Holidays cards because it encompasses everything.

lacqueredlover

I'm a Jew and I receive lots of christmas cards a year.  I find it a bit weird that they can't be bothered to just do "happy holidays" or "happy new year" but I'd probably think something snarky for about 10 seconds and then move on with my life.

princessofgenovia

I'm getting "Happy Holidays" for my business Christmas cards. I'd feel really weird sending a Merry Christmas card to a business client. I dunno what they celebrate, I'm not gonna make assumptions.

chibiyui

In a business relationship, I'd stick with Happy Holidays. 

I generally assume anyone who gets upset at "Happy Holidays" Is a fucking asshole and needs a festivus pole up their.

southernbelle0915

JCbride2015 said:

In a business context?  Definitely not okay.

This. If you have to ask if it's ok, it means you think it might not be. And you're right - err on the side of political correctness, especially when it involves your livelihood.

amelisha

Yeah, in my personal life people who get mad about it kind of annoy me (because graciously accepting all good wishes whether they be for baby Jesus or the Ghost of Christmas Past or the spirits of ancient Druids is the polite thing to do), but it's not a risk worth taking for business relationships. Just get the stupid Seasons Greetings or whatever it is and keep it inclusive.

vikinganna87

Thank you!  I went with Happy New Year.

holyguacamole79

My personal cards say Merry Christmas, but I do know that everyone who receives a card (family + friends) observe Christmas in some fashion.  I expect to receive "Happy Holidays" type cards in business settings.  

Funny-ish story.  I used to give the announcements at church in college.  I was about to wish everyone a happy winter break, but then I realized that it was pretty darn safe that everyone in the room was a Christian, so I said Merry Christmas.

princessofgenovia

chibiyui said:

In a business relationship, I'd stick with Happy Holidays. 

I generally assume anyone who gets upset at "Happy Holidays" Is a fucking asshole and needs a festivus pole up their.

I worked in a bookstore one year around the holidays. I said "Happy Holidays!" to one man and got a 20 minute lecture on how it was Christmas and Christians founded our great nation and on and on and on and then he goes "In less you're a jew...are you jew?" and I said "No sir, I'm a wiccan, blessed be" because we weren't allowed to slap customers but sometimes we should be allowed to slap customers.

I just posted up a status on FB that said "Can't believe next week is already Thanksgiving! Xmas is right around the corner!" and had someone respond "Did you mean CHRISTmas is right around the corner? Don't take the CHRIST out of CHRISTmas" I responded "STFU". She's a cousin, I'd unfriend her but then I'd have to tell her mother that I'm unfriending her because she's a holier then though uptight whiny little bitch. And I don't know how to say that nicely...plus she's good for a little drama from time to time.

novella1186

I send "Merry Christmas" cards to my friends who celebrate Christmas. They usually call me and are offended (like pretend funny offended, not seriously mad) that I didn't send a Happy Hannukah card because I'm a Jew. They think I shouldn't even SEND Christmas cards. Go figure. 

holyguacamole79

@princessofgenovia said:

chibiyui said:

In a business relationship, I'd stick with Happy Holidays. 

I generally assume anyone who gets upset at "Happy Holidays" Is a fucking asshole and needs a festivus pole up their.

I worked in a bookstore one year around the holidays. I said "Happy Holidays!" to one man and got a 20 minute lecture on how it was Christmas and Christians founded our great nation and on and on and on and then he goes "In less you're a jew...are you jew?" and I said "No sir, I'm a wiccan, blessed be" because we weren't allowed to slap customers but sometimes we should be allowed to slap customers.

I just posted up a status on FB that said "Can't believe next week is already Thanksgiving! Xmas is right around the corner!" and had someone respond "Did you mean CHRISTmas is right around the corner? Don't take the CHRIST out of CHRISTmas" I responded "STFU". She's a cousin, I'd unfriend her but then I'd have to tell her mother that I'm unfriending her because she's a holier then though uptight whiny little bitch. And I don't know how to say that nicely...plus she's good for a little drama from time to time.

If you ever get grief about Xmas again, let them know that X is the Greek letter Chi, which is the first letter of Christ's name in Greek.  So, Xmas is another way of saying Christmas.

http://thebiblicalworld.blogspot.com/2011/11/keep-chi-in-xmas.html

ETA:  FWIW, I have always loved and respected the Wiccan greeting of "Blessed be".  It just makes me happy.

theartistformerlyknownas

Bonus with sending New Year cards - so much more time to send them! Woo!

Bubblegum5586

lacqueredlover said:

I'm a Jew and I receive lots of christmas cards a year.  I find it a bit weird that they can't be bothered to just do "happy holidays" or "happy new year" but I'd probably think something snarky for about 10 seconds and then move on with my life.

I am Jewish and do not care what kind of card I get. at all. I mean it is thoughtful they are sending me warm wishes for whatever day they want to say it is! And in most cases I am the only Jewish person that most of my friends know so I wouldn't expect them to go out of their way to get me a Hanukkah card!

I also find it so annoying that people get so worked up about all of this... on both sides. Just say what you want! The intent is to send/say something nice and now it's causing all this drama... it just doesn't make sense to me!

novella1186

bubblegum1309 said:

lacqueredlover said:

I'm a Jew and I receive lots of christmas cards a year.  I find it a bit weird that they can't be bothered to just do "happy holidays" or "happy new year" but I'd probably think something snarky for about 10 seconds and then move on with my life.

I am Jewish and do not care what kind of card I get. at all. I mean it is thoughtful they are sending me warm wishes for whatever day they want to say it is! And in most cases I am the only Jewish person that most of my friends know so I wouldn't expect them to go out of their way to get me a Hanukkah card!

I also find it so annoying that people get so worked up about all of this... on both sides. Just say what you want! The intent is to send/say something nice and now it's causing all this drama... it just doesn't make sense to me!

I agree that is annoying when people get worked up about something so silly. (Also a Jew, and I get excited when ppl send me Christmas cards). 

HOWEVER. The fact of the matter is, people DO get worked up about it, whether they should or not. So in a business setting, you should always just err on the side of caution and not risk offending anyone, and stick with the neutral, secular cards. 

lacqueredlover

bubblegum1309 said:

lacqueredlover said:

I'm a Jew and I receive lots of christmas cards a year.  I find it a bit weird that they can't be bothered to just do "happy holidays" or "happy new year" but I'd probably think something snarky for about 10 seconds and then move on with my life.

I am Jewish and do not care what kind of card I get. at all. I mean it is thoughtful they are sending me warm wishes for whatever day they want to say it is! And in most cases I am the only Jewish person that most of my friends know so I wouldn't expect them to go out of their way to get me a Hanukkah card!

I also find it so annoying that people get so worked up about all of this... on both sides. Just say what you want! The intent is to send/say something nice and now it's causing all this drama... it just doesn't make sense to me!

Oh I don't get worked up about it.  I just grew up surrounded by jews, christians and several hindu friends so "happy holidays" always seemed to work for everyone.  A nice sentiment is a nice sentiment.  That said, I hate cards in general so I don't send any unless it's a SomeECard that's inappropriately funny to my friends haha

jdluvr06

I had a friend send fill-in-the-blank cards a few years ago. They were really funny. Forget what they said but it was something like "happy/Merry (put holiday here) I hope you enjoy your tradition of (put activity here)". At the end it said "*I was going to fill in the blanks but got lazy. So fill in your own blanks and drink some wine"

chibiyui

princessofgenovia said:

chibiyui said:

In a business relationship, I'd stick with Happy Holidays. 

I generally assume anyone who gets upset at "Happy Holidays" Is a fucking asshole and needs a festivus pole up their.

I worked in a bookstore one year around the holidays. I said "Happy Holidays!" to one man and got a 20 minute lecture on how it was Christmas and Christians founded our great nation and on and on and on and then he goes "In less you're a jew...are you jew?" and I said "No sir, I'm a wiccan, blessed be" because we weren't allowed to slap customers but sometimes we should be allowed to slap customers.

I just posted up a status on FB that said "Can't believe next week is already Thanksgiving! Xmas is right around the corner!" and had someone respond "Did you mean CHRISTmas is right around the corner? Don't take the CHRIST out of CHRISTmas" I responded "STFU". She's a cousin, I'd unfriend her but then I'd have to tell her mother that I'm unfriending her because she's a holier then though uptight whiny little bitch. And I don't know how to say that nicely...plus she's good for a little drama from time to time.

I'm a Christian, and I want to slap the shit out of everyone who gets "It's Merry Christmas, not happy holidays" Like, dude, you don't have to be a dick about this. 

I had a couple moments last year where I did wish people a "Happy Winter Solstice" Cause really, Jesus was just a timely fill in for Christian appropriation of a pagan holiday. 

People don't like it when you tell them that though.

dcbride86

I agree with PP - if it's in a business context it's NOT okay.  It should say "Happy Holidays" or something.  But I'm Jewish and receive lots of Christmas cards from friends and I would never ever side eye that

raissyrais

Yes, the politically correct thing to say would be Happy Holidays.