[cerveza_fiesta]

Question 1:

What are your opinions of the Christmas form letter"?

What I mean is: the letter you type up on your computer once a year, summing up that year's important happenings and events, print out en masse changing only the addressee name at the top and send around to everybody at Christmas time...perhaps with a picture of you and your kids/dog/house or somesuch. Always starting with something like "Wow, what a year it's been...." or "Happy christmas I hope all is going well...."

The wife and I had some big events in our lives this year, including buying a house, a car, the wife upgrading her job, etc... and she wanted to type up a form letter to all the relatives and friends to update them. I was vehemently opposed and would absolutely not allow myself or my surname to be associated with such a travesty. I absolutely cannot stand the Christmas form letter. To the proponents of the form letter (usually those that send them) it is a seemingly innocent way to "stay in touch" but to the opponents (usually the recipients) it comes off as a hastily written brag letter that might as well have been composed by a damn robot for all the human emotion and sincerity it carries. Rather than a feeling of Christmas cheer and good will, the Christmas form letter generates only a feeling of neglect as though the recipient weren't worth the sender's time of day.

I've received these in the past from family members and I've directed them to the garbage as quickly as they were unfolded, thinking:

"oh wow Aunt *whatever*. So glad you learned to type on your computer and send it to me for editing. I would talk about the contents of your essay with my mother so that you might benefit from both our critical remarks, but it seems that will not be necessary as she received a copy of the essay as well. Same for my sister and everybody else. While I admire your foresight in obtaining more than one opinion on your writing prowess, you can pleasantly GO FUCK YOURSELF. TAKE 5 MINUTES OF YOUR PRECIOUS TIME AND SCRIBBLE 3 FUCKING HANDWRITTEN LINES ON A CARD NEXT TIME YOU HAG!"

Seriously cannot express my hatred for this form of communication. Receiving zero communication is better than a form letter. A blank fucking xmas card with only a signature at the bottom is more sincere.

And I'm not trying to create a funny Phoenix Inn post here...I truly feel this way.

That is all. What do y'all think?

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Question 2:

In this age of political correctness is it appropriate to sign off a Christmas card with "MERRY CHRISTMAS" when you have no idea about the recipient's religious views or opinions regarding the celebration of Christmas on December 25?

Not talking close family & friends Christmas cards here...more like office mailout Christmas cards or ones you would send to, say, buddies or colleagues you don't know super-well.

Is it offensive to receive a Merry Christmas greeting card if you are Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, etc...if the intent of the card is simply to spread greetings and sincere good cheer? Should there be a worldwide policy restricting office christmas cards to a few generic non-denominational greetings like "Season's greetings" or "Happy Holidays"?

I personally sign the full Merry Christmas or Happy Christmas at the bottom of all my office cards (along with a small handwritten note). In my mind it is not offensive for a sender to express good will during an important day in his/her calendar. They can wish whatever greetings they please in turn. For instance, if I received "Austere ramadan" or "happy Hanukkah" wishes from a colleague of a different religious background, I would be honored that they thought enough of me to send a card on their holiday. Those other religions are, of course, minority religions in North America so maybe it isn't the same thing at all for an observer of the majority holiday to receive a similar greeting.

Or is the whole "problem" just that a few wackos got pissed one time a few years back and now everybody makes a big deal of it?

This post has been edited by cerveza_fiesta: 23 December 2010 - 04:51 PM

[McLovin]

1. Like you, I despise the Xmas letter also. I did see an inventive riff on the letter, a card that had snippets of the family's challenges/accomplishes in the shape of a Christmas tree on the cover of the card. It was done at personalizationmall.com or something. That was innovative and succinct, so that was kinda cool.

2. Despite my being an atheist, I don't mind "Merry Christmas." I don't take it as being force-fed some Christian agenda like some do. I just accept the sentiment behind the words.

[cerveza_fiesta]

McLovin, on 23 December 2010 - 04:58 PM, said:

1. Like you, I despise the Xmas letter also. I did see an inventive riff on the letter, a card that had snippets of the family's challenges/accomplishes in the shape of a Christmas tree on the cover of the card. It was done at personalizationmall.com or something. That was innovative and succinct, so that was kinda cool.

2. Despite my being an atheist, I don't mind "Merry Christmas." I don't take it as being force-fed some Christian agenda like some do. I just accept the sentiment behind the words.

RE #2

I was kinda trying to get at that. Is it taken as propaganda for an observer of the majority religion's biggest holiday to wish you merry Christmas if you're not Christian? I would never take it as such but do people actually think that?

[Quick Bill]

I hate Christmas cards as much as the letters. What a waste. Everyone in the office gives out cards with only their name written on them. Give me a fucking break. Then if you don't give them out you look like a dick, which I am fine with by the way.

The worst thing about Christmas is the formulaic, un-inventive, wasteful and utterly lazy tradition of putting a card in the mail or in your office inbox without even a shred of personality or comment to you as an individual. I write letters and send cards to some friends a relatives which are very personal and written because we actually care about each other, but never in a million years would I bother to waste peoples time, my money and paper on a hollow greeting. Bah - humbug. ahhhhhhrrrrrrrrrrr

So don't go sending me any cards you lazy mindless fuck faces.

haha

The funny thing is that as I write this the office zombies are going around with their cards. Hallmark is laughing all the way to the bank and these self-indulgent ego morons can't even write an actual greeting on a card. They are weak all of them weak and unable to free themselves from the chains of oppression that have been slapped on them by the greeting card establishment. This is torturous. Maybe I should hide in the bathroom so I don't have to smile and say "Thank you for the card" all the while I am thinking Leave me alone you monkey I bet there is no food in that card is there. Useless motherfucking bastards. Now they start with the Christmas music and forced smiles. I think I may have died and gone to some form of lower hell. Lower even then the first hell you reach, which was the office during the regular time of year.

Christmas at the office must have been way more fun back in Madmen days. I need rum in my desk.

This post has been edited by Quick Bill: 23 December 2010 - 05:49 PM

[McLovin]

cerveza_fiesta, on 23 December 2010 - 05:09 PM, said:

I was kinda trying to get at that. Is it taken as propaganda for an observer of the majority religion's biggest holiday to wish you merry Christmas if you're not Christian? I would never take it as such but do people actually think that?

Yeah, the real diehard New Atheist-school folks really get bent out of shape over it. But of course, "holiday" means "holy day," so "Happy Holidays," while more inclusive, is not really less religionist, so you can't win with them anyway.

[Abyss]

The xmas letter is nonsense. Anyone who cares would already know what's in there. i take less issue with mass email because at least no trees were wasted.

I go for 'happy holidays' or 'have a nice holiday season', although 'May Cthulu visitate your dreams' is a close second.

[Obdigore]

Abyss, on 23 December 2010 - 07:47 PM, said:

The xmas letter is nonsense. Anyone who cares would already know what's in there. i take less issue with mass email because at least no trees were wasted.

This.

I say 'have a good one' or 'yes, you too' if they instigate.

[Starshade]

RE: point 1

I hate form letters, but skim them to be polite. When I send a card, I try to ask about things I know are going on the in life/lives of the person or persons I'm sending it to, even though it is a seasonal greeting card. But depending on how many you send, that takes a lot of time.

RE: point 2

I send New Year's cards instead, though I know there are different New Year's depending on culture, etc. and tend to put "Seasons' Greetings."

Though now I'm wondering if "Seasons' Greetings" means I should send out cards 4 times a year.

[D'rek]

#1 - I don't think anyone in my extended family does it. I'm okay with the idea, but I think very long ones giving every detail should be avoided. Rather, the letter should give the highlights so that the person can then call you up and you can have a lengthy chat by going into detail on the issues and catching up properly.

#2 - I say Merry Christmas, but I also say Have a Super Saturnalius. As I see it, you're wishing for someone to be merry, you're not saying "I hope you celebrate Christmas" or even "I think you should celebrate Christmas", you're saying "I hope you are happy around Christmas-time (whether you celebrate it or not)" and what's wrong with that?

[MTS]

Can't say I've ever received or written one, so I can't really comment. I tend to agree with Abyss that anyone who cares probably knows this stuff already, and those who don't are in all likelihood not interested in every particular of the past year.

As for the second point, I think there's nothing wrong with wishing anybody 'Merry Christmas'. Christmas is a time of joy, celebration and giving, and wishing somebody 'Merry Christmas' is an expression of sentiment that somebody experiences that. If you think wishing someone that is indoctrination or proselytism you've clearly missed the meaning of the holiday. In fact, I would recommend anybody who thinks that to go to their doctor immediately, as that giant stick up your ass has turned you into an insufferable human being. This whole 'war on Christmas' thing that happens every year just infuriates me as well.

Besides, the fact a fair amount of atheists celebrate Christmas goes to show that Christmas is barely a Christian holiday anymore anyway. It's turned into a commercial glut to celebrate the end of the year pretty much. It's never been purely Christian anyway. The Christmas tree is a commemoration of the ancient feast of the Saturnalia, which celebrates the 'birth' of the sun at the winter solstice. Santa Claus is an amalgamation of Saint Nicholas, Basil of Caesarea and Odin. Placing a stocking and giving milk and cookies is apparently a remnant of Germanic Yuletide folklore, and the reindeer is supposedly borrowed from Odin's eight-legged horse. The holiday was Christianised a long time ago, yet still retains a lot of paganistic influences. I'm fairly sure Johovah's Witnesses don't celebrate Christmas, and some Protestants believe celebrating Christ's birth on the 25th is wrong. Thus presenting Christmas as this eminently sacred Christian holiday is a misunderstanding of the origins of Christmas its modern incarnation. Easter is in the same boat too, although not quite as much.

This post has been edited by MTS: 24 December 2010 - 03:48 AM

[Adjutant Stormy~]

I don't honestly mind people giving their holiday greetings, in person. It shows an element of humanity.

But honestly, if you cannot be bothered to arrive in the same city as me, or I do not like you enough to go visit you in another, more distant place, at least once a year; I do not give half-of-a-quarter-of a crap what you've been up to, what your kids look like, or what holiday you're celebrating. Do not send me long-distance platitudes, greetings, or better yet, pictures.

I am a grown-ass man. When I see relatives/friends/colleagues after not seeing, or talking to, them for a while, we catch up. I do not feel a need to notify absent parties of what I'm doing. If, in the interim, I am curious what's going on with someone, I will actually call them. Or, for my acquaintances under 30, use facebook.

tldr;
Do not, under any circumstance, send me a Christmas card, seasons greetings, or any other holiday-requisite piece of formal interaction. If we're not going to see each other face to face at least annually, go to hell.

[Shinrei]

Dear Malazan Members,

Wow, 2010 was a doozy wasn't it! I don't know about you, but between the kids, Roger's election to Lions club president and the dogs hernia surgery, we never stopped running!

Little Abby is 3, and has already managed to memorize the gross national products of every African nation! Tyler turned 8 this year. He still isn't talking, but we know he's thinking deep thoughts.

Our 401k has finally recovered from the economic meltdown, no thanks to that socialist in the whitehouse!

Roger had bunion surgery again, but they just keep coming back. Don't worry, he's chipper as always. Plays golf every saturday and has monthly poker nights with the boys.

I'm still doing cross stitch and have my bridge club on Friday evenings. I barely have time for my favorite soaps!


Happy Holidays everybody!

Best wishes,

The Knowle Family,

Roger, Phyllis, Tyler, Abby and Spot

[Mezla PigDog]

I haven't had any of the letters yet. I dread the day, I've got some friends that I can see developing that kind of shit! The one that I despise the most is when you get a card with a printed message on the inside, saying Merry Christmas or something similar and the sender simply puts quotation marks around the printed message!!! Lazy fuckers, just save yourself the price of the postage and do everyone a favour!! I also hate it when one of your male friends gets a girlfriend/married and suddenly she starts sending you cards to speak for her other half. It's pathetic. Either send a card and really mean it, or save the poor tree. And no, I don't want a card from your stupid dog!

My old workplace used to be mad for cards but fortunately I haven't seen any sent in my new office. Hoorah for common sense.

I went a bit nuts for cards this year compared to sending zero in recent years. It was mainly because we got to see loads of old mates this summer at weddings and parties and loads of them have had babies or are pregnant so I was feeling all warm and fuzzy about my far away friends and their new families. I like to pick interesting/funny cards and I make sure I write a couple of personal lines.

[Illuyankas]

Dear Malazan members,

You are all dicks.


Dear participants of the Malazan Empire forum attached to those members,

You're all alright I suppose, but your genitalia are still pretty dickish.


Dear female Malazan members,

Merry Christmas!

[ansible]

1) Agreed about these letters. I would never, ever send one, but occasionally you can skim one and find out some information you wanted to know. Usually they are just garbage, though.

2) I think it is totally embarrassing for anyone to get upset over the words "Merry Christmas" or some holiday variant. Like others have said, I wouldn't be offended if someone wished me a "Happy Hanukkah", even though I celebrate Christmas. The controversy baffles me, and I wonder if we as a society can possibly find more inane subjects to argue about.