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| Trader Joe's Hanukkah; Was I wrong? | |
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| Topic Started: Nov 30 2007, 08:01 PM (490 Views) | |
| Post #1 Nov 30 2007, 08:01 PM | hamsters |
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Today at Trader Joe's, which is new to my community as of about 2-months ago, I noticed that all the checkout stand poles had been nicely decorated with Christmas paper and wreaths. Nothing overtly religious per se, but holiday nice. I am for 'inclusion'. I like all denominations or religions included in holiday celebrations as opposed to nothing being celebrated to make the politically correct crowd happy. So, as I was paying the manager happened by my checkstand and I asked him that since I was unpacking my Hanukkah stuff this weekend getting ready to put things around my house, would he consider letting me help decorate one (1) checkout stand pole with a Hanukkah theme? I had thought it over, for just one minute, and after I asked I realized I may have been impulsive in making the request. The manager seemed a little uncomfortable. He said he would take care of it, had thought about it. When I asked if he needed any supplies he said no. He said he thought he had kept the decorating to a nice 'non-religious' theme and I agreed and said that the Hanukkah should also be 'light' and non-religious. I told him that when a Jewish patron would come to Trader Joe's and see the Hanukkah, it would make them feel good. I felt uncomfortable walking out and thought I did the wrong thing. I have very much disliked the removal of "Chistmas" from public places, school plays and concerts. I have always loved Christmas carols and participated in singing them when I was younger. It is a bright and shiny spirited time of year that we each celebrate in our own way. Another issue for us Jews is when someone asks me (like last weekend) if I got all my Christmas shopping done? Or, wishes me a Merry Christmas. Do I disappoint their spirit by saying I don't celebrate Christmas? On the occasion I did that, you get the strangest reactions from people. They feel very uncomfortable. It is the RARE person that turns it around and asks me to tell them about my traditions of Hanukkah, etc. Interesting time of year. Any thoughts from the Civility crowd? |
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| Post #2 Nov 30 2007, 11:28 PM |
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Not sure you were wrong per say. Though if his display was religiously innocuous, asking for explicitly Hanukkah related decorations would make it decidedly less so. The problem with the store manager's thinking is that he could hang any seemingly non-religious "holiday" decorations and not have them be specifically seen as "Christmas" related. Most people, especially in this country, see all non-religious "holiday" decorations (such as candy canes, snowmen, poinsettias, holly) explicitly as "Christmas" decor, even though they do not have any inherent religious meaning in themselves. I would submit that unless he decorated specifically for Hanukkah, or Kwanza or some other specifically religious holiday, his decorations would be seen inherently as Christmas decorations... that's just the tenor of the country... it would take generations to change that mindset even if every last Christian moved to China. But that is partially because of how non-religious "Christmas" has become in our society. To 'properly' decorate for the specifically Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, I suppose one would have to decorate with nativity scenes and bright North Stars, Angelic Choirs, and trumpeting Cherubim... because how much of what we have considered 'Christmas' decorations have anything to do with the actual events of the incarnation of Jesus Christ? Very little. To me, the battle to take Christ out of Christmas in our society was won long ago... current politically correct efforts to further the cause are simply being redundant. I mean, honestly, all this talk on the air waves of how people are being offended by the presence of Christmas trees in public places?! If someone can please tell me the symbolic Christian meaning behind the Christmas Tree, I will personally go and lobby for every one of them to be removed from public view... it's all quite silly really. The objection is not to the symbols themselves. It's the name of Christ that continues to offend, as it will until He returns. Which is why we hear more and more about Holiday Trees, and Holiday decorations, etc... and people can say 'holiday' until they are blue in the face.. but the problem with political correctness and the euphemisms it employs is that everyone 'knows' what you are really saying... it's like saying "the n-word" instead of saying the n-word... |
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| Post #3 Dec 3 2007, 08:24 AM |
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Hamsters, I sort of understand your situation. As a practicing JW back when I was going through puberty - some time ago at this point, it was strange to have people say "Merry Christmas" and "what are you doing for Christmas?" or "what did you get for Christmas?". But I think it taught me at an early age, that not everyone celebrates the "traditional" Christmas. When ever I have been in retail, I have made it a point to say "Happy Holidays", this way I didn't offend anyone. I try to only buy cards that say "Happy Holidays" or "Season's Greetings". My hubby doesn't understand, but I've had Jewish friends over the years and I don't want to offend them by sending them a "Merry Christmas" card. But I also want to include them on my card sending list. And since I wasn't sure what a lot of friends' religious preference was/is - it was just easier to be a bit "generic" when choosing cards. Or I had couple friends that one was Jewish and the other Christian. This year my cards have a nature theme for the most part, they are either green or red, but not the two colors on the same card - too "Christian" Christmas theme in my opinion. During those years that I didn't do Christmas, it was just easier to say "Happy Holidays" back. Especially as a kid, if you say to an adult that you don't celebrate any sort of holiday they get all sad and think you are missing out. And at 12, I wasn't prepared to handle an adult's questions or sympathy for not celebrating Christmas or any other religious themed holiday. So I hope, from a Jewish viewpoint, such as yours, that I'm doing the right thing by saying "Happy Holidays". I'm really not a Politically Correct person, but I am considerate of individuals that I associate with. Happy Hanukkah, to you! |
Civil Servant
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| Post #4 Dec 3 2007, 03:41 PM |
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I read somewhere that 95% of Americans celebrate Christmas. Since a lot less than 95% of the population is Christian, a lot of non-Christians celebrate Christmas. So, unless I know for a fact that someone does not celebrate Christmas at all or I know for a fact that someone celebrates a specific other holiday, I avoid the wishy-washy "Happy Holidays" and go straight for the "Merry Christmas." On rare occasions, I will get a "Happy Chanukah" or such back. I respond in kind and usually get a "Merry Christmas" in return. To me, it's no big deal. The greeting (whichever one) and response (again, whichever one) should be given received with a sense of joy. If it is received (or given) in a sense of one-upmanship, then that is the unfortunate problem of the one-upman, and I move on. Nothing more need be said. |
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| Post #5 Dec 7 2007, 12:33 AM |
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| I belive we should keep all eligious holidays out of government, but in our homes and our stores we can and should say whatever is in our hearts. If someone smiles and takes the time to wish me a merry Christmas or a happy Hanukah or a joyous whatever, I find an equally uplifting response. Why must we look to correct someone's good wishes for us? |
Civil Servant
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