"Happy Holidays" - from HSBC

polymaff

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?

1. Work on the acronym HSBC, Bob. They're hardly centres (or even centers) of the Christian religion.

2. Work on the word Holiday, Bob. Literally, Holy Day. Not good enough for you?

3. Work on not trolling this board, Bob.

Then you'll deserve a holiday. The happy bit is up to you.

JuicyJesus

I usually say "Merry Christmas" but this makes me want to start saying "Happy Holidays" solely out of spite.

And I don't even like HSBC very much as a company.

Ben8282

We live in a country with an Established church. Whether or not an individual chooses to follow that faith or a completely different faith is beside the point. The holidays and traditions of this country, the ones I grew up with, are those of that church which should be respected by all in this country.
This 'Happy Holidays' is just another encroachment from the US. I received a Christmas card from a relative who lives in Florida the other day. Guess what it said on the front .... Happy Holidays. I am wondering if you can even buy a 'Christmas' card in the US any more!
'Seasons Greetings' would have been a more acceptable neutral term for HSBC to have used I think.

Ballard

I am an atheist and have been for as long as I can remember. Everyone is entitled to their beliefs and this certainly isn't the forum to discuss religion but I wouldn't even notice what the greeting was on any such email. I'm looking at it from a completely different perspective that the op but I quite like 'happy holidays' if I'm honest.

To me and many of my friends that's the spirit of Christmas - time off work to see family and exchange gifts.

Flobberchops

My attitude is that wishing somebody "Happy Holidays" at Christmas is a bit like saying "Happy Anniversary of Nine Months after Your Conception" to a friend on their birthday. It's *technically* accurate but the tone is completely different. It changes what should be a cheerful, traditional expression into a dreary, disingenuous, obnoxiously inoffensive banality.

I also wonder whether other cultures are so careful about censoring their traditions to minimise potential "offence" and maximise inclusivity. "Eid Mubarak, Ahmed" "No, no, Mohammed, that's offensive. We should be saying Holidays Mubarak"

Norscbu

I just received an email from TSB wishing me "Happy Christmas". As a strict atheist I find this very nice of them.

Happy Holidays everyone

Kernel_Sanders

Voyager2002 wrote: »

Judaism has been present in England for at least as long as Christianity.

Would be rather surprising if it didn't since it had a head start of thousands of years!

agrinnall wrote: »

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

Didn't Jesus overturn the Midland Bank money-lending table in the Temple?

polymaff

Norscbu wrote: »

I just received an email from TSB wishing me "Happy Christmas". As a strict atheist I find this very nice of them.

Happy Holidays everyone

Me, too.

And what's TSB doing to make it a Happy Christmas for me? Why, saving me having to collect all that Classic Plus interest from them after 4th January! Closing down half of our accounts too, maybe.

Bah, Humbug

polymaff

Kernel_Sanders wrote: »

Didn't Jesus overturn the Midland Bank money-lending table in the Temple?

Wasn't that just a comment on their lousy rates for Saviours?.

EssexExile

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