I would say that retailers - specifically big chain ones - are really really good at tairloring their sales messages to their markets. If they say "Holiday" and not "Christmas" it might just be because "Holiday" sells better.

And so...don't you think that sort of proves the point of the group that started this protest against Target? Their point is (or at least reads to me as if it is): if you're not going to acknowledge our holiday, you must not want us as customers, so we're not going to patronize your business.

Their point is (or at least reads to me as if it is): if you're not going to acknowledge our holiday, you must not want us as customers

Except that it's obviously untrue. The idea that "Happy Holidays" is an anti-Christian statement is absurd.

And retailers don't "acknowledge" ANY holidays. They have sales and market said sales. It's not "in honor" or ANYTHING but their margins.

The idea that "Happy Holidays" is an anti-Christian statement is absurd.

How many holidays are there between Thanksgiving and New Year's? Christmas, Channukah, Ramadan, Winter Solstice/Yule, Kwaanza, Festivus, Christmakkuh.

Also, you can just as easily claim that holidays like Yule and Saturnalia were corrupted by Christians who stole all their symbols.

"Stole" is such a loaded word.

Once we'd slaughtered them en masse all those nice symbols were just lying around...

I suck.

My boss brought her cute and smart almost 5-yo in to work today (the pre school had no heat) and she keeps popping in and sort of expecting me to entertain her. Which, um, I don't and keep trying to work.

She's nice and cute and sweet and I feel like an ogre, but really, I do not have it in me to babysit today.

Well, with Saturnalia the slaughter wasn't all on one side.

Still, I do like responding to "Merry Christmas" with "Happy Saturnalia".

ETA:

I do not have it in me to babysit today.

And you should be expected to because why? Unless babysitting is part of your job description, in which case I'll just say I'm sorry you're feeling at a low ebb. Actually, I'm sorry you're feeling at a low ebb either way.

Unless babysitting is part of your job description, in which case I'll just say I'm sorry you're feeling at a low ebb.

Heh, no it's not.

This kid is like cats though- I'm probably paying the least attention to her and she's all up in my cubicle. She's trying to talk her mom (aka my boss) into asking me if I can show her what's in my drawers.

Boss/Mom: Let's leave Nora alone, she's busy
Kid: No, she's not!
Nora's Brain: uh-oh, has she been sneaking up on me surfing the internet?

My sister sent me the Christmas list for her kids this morning. (They solve the non-believer in a Christian god married to a non-believer in Judaism issue by asking for Christmas presents from us and Hanukah presents from BiL's family).

This year she has bypassed her habit of either asking for a gift card or directing us to a specific item in a catalogue to "I'm getting Youngest daughter this particular present, and either you or mom will pay for it."

This may just be my cranky talking, but she better damn well hope mom is willing to, because me, nsm.

This may just be my cranky talking, but she better damn well hope mom is willing to, because me, nsm.

I don't think that's your cranky talking; I think that's a perfectly reasonable response.