Merry Season. I hope you have a good one. What's Father Season bringing you?
Oh, the usual Season presents. Then we'll have our Season dinner, to mark the fact that this season is usually the cheeriest of the year.
Gibberish, isn't it?
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But all I've done is substitute "Season" for "Christmas", and it's no different from the greeting card manufacturers, who in a vain effort, I imagine, to please all the people all the time employ the phrase "Season's Greetings" in place of "Christmas Greetings" or, better, "Happy Christmas".
I know I've banged on about this before, but sorry, I'm going to do so again. Unlike two years ago, when I only spotted too late that the banal "Season's Greetings" had been used on my official Foreign Secretary cards, my official Lord Chancellor cards have it correct.
But we also buy a range of charity cards to send out privately.
There I've not been so lucky. So, as I'm signing them, I write my "Happy Christmas" by hand.
And I'm evidently not alone in being driven gently nuts by this.
I've just noticed that a number of our friends who've sent us cards are doing likewise
Why do I take such exception to this?
First, because it is inaccurate. What we celebrate on December 25 is not the season.
We'd be pretty odd people if we did, given what the weather this time of year is usually like.
We can get some crisp, clean, rather beautiful days; the odd December 25 has such weather, but mainly its cloud and slow rain. Why celebrate that?
Of course we don't. What we celebrate on December 25 is Christ's birth. Which brings me to my second objection.
Words have meaning, and there's a very good word for this in one language - Christmas.
So what is it that possesses the designers and printers of greetings cards to seek to obliterate - or at least downgrade this accurate salutation for a milk and water euphemism of "Season's Greetings"?
Who do they think they'll offend if they say the real word?
Not the 72% of the population who at the last (2001) census voluntarily repeated they were of the Christian Faith. Yes, 72%.
I know that far fewer are regular churchgoers, but isn't it interesting how deep into our culture as well as out framework of beliefs that Christianity has gone, despite all the talk of ours being a Godless, secular age?
How about the remaining 28%?
Many of those are of other faiths; Judaism, 0.5%, Islam, 2.7%, Hinduism 1.0%, Sikhism 0.6%.
When I meet friends of these faiths on their holy days I don't say "Season's Greetings" or something similarly bland, I say, for instance, "Happy Hanukkah" to Jewish friends, "Eid Mubarak" to Muslim friends or "Happy Diwali" to Sikh or Hindu friends.
We are not a multi-racial no-religion society, but a multi-racial society, and the key to our collective happiness is mutual respect.
So how about that 15.5% of people who told the census they were of no religion?
It's a free country: that's fine. If they want to celebrate a pagan pre-Christian festival, they are entitled to do so, or just enjoy the festival side of Christmas, the presents, and the parties - I'm pleased for them.
Meanwhile, will the greetings card manufacturers please stop trying to airbrush Christmas.
Posted by: Marcus, pie in the sky on 6:37pm Mon 17 Dec 07
Rather ignorant to imply that those who are not Christian, Muslim, Jewish or Hindu are "paganists"
According to a Gallop poll 40% of the UK populations are either agnostics or atheists.
Depending upon which ethnic grouping you look at (the census puts religion and ethnicity together, which is fundametally flawed) between 10 and 24% of the population of England and Wales stated "no religion".
Seasons Greetings Jack. Keep your imaginary friend to yourself. Tony is right - people will think you are a bit bokers. . . . . .
Rather ignorant to imply that those who are not Christian, Muslim, Jewish or Hindu are "paganists"
According to a Gallop poll 40% of the UK populations are either agnostics or atheists.
Depending upon which ethnic grouping you look at (the census puts religion and ethnicity together, which is fundametally flawed) between 10 and 24% of the population of England and Wales stated "no religion".
Seasons Greetings Jack. Keep your imaginary friend to yourself. Tony is right - people will think you are a bit bokers. . . . . .
I hope that you had a better xmas Mr straw i believe that on your intervention you had myself arrested on the say so of a lunatic women in 2006 where i have been trying to see my children it seems you want me to pay csa and yet based on lies also told by solicitors on this persons behalf orders are made against myself even though i dont even live in blackburn and havent since 2003 any time you would like confirmation of this i will be in contact with you over this matter
I hope that you had a better xmas Mr straw i believe that on your intervention you had myself arrested on the say so of a lunatic women in 2006 where i have been trying to see my children it seems you want me to pay csa and yet based on lies also told by solicitors on this persons behalf orders are made against myself even though i dont even live in blackburn and havent since 2003 any time you would like confirmation of this i will be in contact with you over this matter
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