"Happy Holidays" - from HSBC

EssexExile

Whatever greeting HSBC wrote in their message, someone would be offended.

agrinnall

GingerBob wrote: »

According to Wikipedia this is not quite right:





Regardless, the point here is that HSBC is operating in a Christian country but is playing the political correctness game by denying the heritage of that country.

Both Judaism and Christianity in the UK long predate the existence of HSBC though.

If you wish to make the case for the UK to be ruled by a Theocracy there are better places for it than this board.

PeacefulWaters

GingerBob wrote: »

You don't celebrate Christmas? No tree? No presents?

The tree is a pagan symbol. So has little to do with Christianity.

I do the tree, food and presents stuff. It doesn't mean I have to believe in God.

Ballard

This thread just goes to show that if you try hard enough one will be able to find outrage in just about anything.

paulharding150

GingerBob wrote: »

Never heard of it. In the UK 24 December is Christmas Eve.

Broaden your horizons it's a big world out there.

dlk

Some people really do go out of their way to TRY and be offended. It really is rather needy and pathetic.

GingerBob_3

dlk wrote: »

Some people really do go out of their way to TRY and be offended. It really is rather needy and pathetic.

Absolutely. Political correctness gone mad in many cases.

Keep_pedalling

GingerBob wrote: »

According to Wikipedia this is not quite right:

Regardless, the point here is that HSBC is operating in a Christian country but is playing the political correctness game by denying the heritage of that country.

While I agree the greeting looks live it has been written by someone from the wrong side of the Atlantic (Seasons greetings should have sounded far more British) your claim that this is i Christian country and that you are offfended by the lack of any mention of the word Christmas is just as absurd as anyone who claims the use of the term Christmas is offensive to them.

Zanderman

Hi GingerBob

I share your distaste at 'Happy Holidays' - it's meaningless (as if we don't have holidays any other time!) and does rather insult the 'Christmas' celebration - which is a specific seasonal thing.

(And it's also, very oddly, a US-based phrase, despite us being told the US is full of bible-thumping folk who, you'd think, would insist on 'Christmas').

But, let's face it, 'Christmas' isn't really Christian - the customs, use of evergreens, celebrations etc are really remnants of a pre-Christian winter solstice/turn of the year celebration. It's a mid winter festival that was taken over by the church as a convenient way to celebrate the birth of Christ without having to move an existing festival period. It's not even the right time of year for Christ.

(there are lots of accounts of its origins around the web, one of my favourites, though it is slightly wacky, is this one: https://thetruthandlight.wordpress.com/2008/12/25/saturnalia-the-real-roots-of-christmas/)

So yes, be offended at the woefully vague 'happy holidays' (I am) - which means nothing at all - but it does, sort-of, in its way, cover for the fact that many religions, current and lost, celebrate something at this time. You just have to fit around that as best you can. Be Christian, Jewish, Druidic, HSBCish, whatever. And there's nothing wrong with just celebrating the turn of the year with no religious beliefs at all.

Just chill - and have a cool yule.

Superscrooge

GingerBob wrote: »

Just had this offensive email from those gits at HSBC:



No mention of Christmas! I suppose this is another attempt to brown-nose up to their American regulators. Since when did we greet people with that obnoxious phrase of "Happy Holidays" in this country?


I'm working on my response, but it will end with HAPPY CHRISTMAS.


Is there some regulator or other to which I can report my offence at this message? I wonder if the police would be interested? They seem to be red hot on matters where people are offended, or are likely to be offended.

After all your anti-HSBC rants. Surely you don't still have an account with them?