Seasonal Greetings

[FalcoPhil]

Please accept, with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non-addictive, gender neutral, celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practised within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all... And a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2009, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make Britain great (not to imply that Britain is necessarily greater than any other country or is the only "Britain" in the northern hemisphere), and without regard to the race, creed, colour, age, physical ability, religious faith, choice of computer platform or sexual orientation of the wishee.

By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms. This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wishee to actually implement any of the wishes for her/himself or others, and is void where prohibited by law and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher.

This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year, or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher.

[Samray]

Not the Happy Christmas that Britney wished her audience in Japan then?

[D-Rider]

Not the Happy Christmas that Britney wished her audience in Japan then?

I'd not heard about this so I did a search and found:

Britney Spears really embarrassed herself in Japan during her promotional tour. The rash singer wished Merry Christmas during a guest appearance at a Japanese TV show. This would not be a strange thing if the Japanese were not Buddhists who did not celebrate Christmas.

Despite her ignorance, the singer returned to the stage spotlights and managed to win over the crowd. Britney said she loved her time in Japan.

...... Which really shows the ignorance of the journalists rather Broccoli Spears / Brittany Ferries or whatever she's called ....

Japan is quite a complex society as far as religion (and many other things) are concerned (and I don't pretend to have a great understanding of it). However:
Principal religions are Budhism and Shinto but there is also a Christian presence and, I guess, other religions too.
Many Japanese people embrace more than one religion.

Beyond religion, if you visit Japan's shops at this time of year, you will find them full of Christmas paraphernalia as people prepare, to some degree, to join in the commercial christmas that the festival seems to have become here too.
Of course Japanese people will not be on holiday for Christmas itself as they have a bigger New Year celebration.

I'd be very surprised if offence was taken at a Gaijin (foreigner) wishing the Japanese people a Happy Christmas.
I have certainly wished a number of Japanese people a Happy Christmas as they have done to me.

[Kwackerz]

Happy Christmas. As our Padre sat and explained at great length, JC is the reason for the season. Regardless of Religion or Atheism.. JC is the reason for the Season.

I really shouldve took notes. His sermon on it was bloody good and basically enveloped every religion in the UK.

Including Jedi..

[mangocrazy]

Not wishing to introduce a note of discord into the proceedings, but surely Christmas is basically a pagan feast (Saturnalia) which was 'incorporated' into Christianity in order to widen its appeal?

[Kwackerz]

Which is where the Yuletide Log comes from..

[Aladinsaneuk]

and christmas - as in the birth of JC was moved to coincide with beltane/saturnalia so that the church would fit in more....

[back_marker]

Eh?

All I know is (well I think I do anyway) that I've been pretty much drunk since Dec 5th

[ligloo]

and christmas - as in the birth of JC was moved to coincide with beltane/saturnalia so that the church would fit in more....

I think thats sooooooo inappropriate to abbreviate JC's name, ESPECIALLY at this time of year

[Syltiz]

Not wishing to introduce a note of discord into the proceedings, but surely Christmas is basically a pagan feast (Saturnalia) which was 'incorporated' into Christianity in order to widen its appeal?

and christmas - as in the birth of JC was moved to coincide with beltane/saturnalia so that the church would fit in more....

agreed.... and then they outlawed Paganism and the murders began...

[Kwackerz]

and christmas - as in the birth of JC was moved to coincide with beltane/saturnalia so that the church would fit in more....

I think thats sooooooo inappropriate to abbreviate JC's name, ESPECIALLY at this time of year

Why? Everyone knows we're on about Jeremy Clarkeson, it's not like it'd be confused with someone else..?

I dont think there's any harm done by abbreviating names. Im sure his name, as in where he was born, wasnt 'Jesus Christ'.. Im sure it wouldve sounded much more foreign than that, probably unpronouncable to many of us unless we stopped and deciphered it. So in reality we've already changed it, which surely is as bad as abbreviating?

[FalcoPhil]

agreed.... and then they outlawed Paganism and the murders began...

And then there was fire, petulance, eternal damnation and speed cameras.

Or Wales for short

[Samray]