What is your opinion of Christians who protest calling them “holiday trees” instead of “Christmas trees”?

Gods bless the USA: What is your opinion of Christians who protest calling them “holiday trees” instead of “Christmas trees”?
Isn’t that akin to the Christian using the argument:

“We stole this holiday symbol fair and square. How dare you try and take it back!”
???

After all, we do have very clear evidence that other religions used the tree as a holiday decoration long before the Christians did, so why are they upset at people for simply acknowledging the truth?

Don’t get me wrong: I’m a Christian, and I gladly put up a “Christmas tree” in my house every year, and gladly refer to it as such. But I also respect the fact that the tradition is not inherently mine, and that others use it who do not celebrate Christmas.

I also don’t get have a hissy fit whenever someone says “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas”. What’s wrong with me?

Answers and Views:

Answer by just me!
christmas trees are a pagan tradition.

Answer by I CAN FLY
Some people complain because God puts thorns on roses, while others praise God for putting roses among thorns.

Answer by 20/20
simple minded

Answer by interested1208
Nothing, I heartily agree with you…

Answer by serf
I call mine the “Atheist Arból”.

…okay not really, but I should.

Answer by EddieJ
They can insist it be called a Christmas tree if they also accept that it shouldn’t be in public (gov’t) places.

Answer by The Reverend Soleil
“Whatever happened to ‘sticks and stones’?”

Answer by Staggerlee
it is a silly protestation
i mean if one is a biblical literalist there is a verse forbidding the cutting down and decorating of trees like the heathens
Jeremiah 10:2 KJV Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. 3* For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. 4* They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. 5 They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.

Answer by LowLife Atheist4Ever
Nothing is wrong with you, in fact you should be happy, you are one of the rare Christians who actually takes a few minutes to research the origins of what is now called “Christmas” instead of just screaming “Jesus is the reason for the season!!!!1!”.

Happy Holidays to you.

Answer by meanolmaw
as an atheist, my tree is just there for the pretty lights in the children’s eyes!…. I don’t care who does or doesn’t do what with a pine tree at this time of year…. but…. this popped up and I thought it should be noted by all… remarked on, too, if you like….the “Christ”-mas tree…..!!!

https://www.thelmagazine.com/TheMeasure/archives/2009/12/15/father-father-why-hast-thou-nailed-our-christmas-tree-to-a-cross

Answer by Shaman Val
The pagan Christmas actually has more to do with reincarnation than anything. The only miracle about the Jesus story is its remarkable similarity with any number of preexisting pagan allegorical stories about the sun, in particular Mithra Christos.

https://www.near-death.com/cgi-sys/suspendedpage.cgi

Happy birth of Father Sun day. 🙂

Practicing Shaman… quantum physics rocks

Answer by Shine On You Crazy Mormons
Jeremiah

10:1 Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel:

10:2 Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.

10:3 For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.

10:4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.

10:5 They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.

– God on why Christmas trees are for pagan idolaters

Answer by bethusila
Well…people don’t decorate trees and put presents under them for any other holiday except Christmas. I just think “Holiday tree” is insanely over-PC. Lots of atheists and other non-Christians call them Christmas trees, it doesn’t have a whole lot to do with what you believe, just how willing you are to start a fight about it, I guess.

I couldn’t care less if someone wishes me Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, or any of the other standard winter holiday greetings. I think it’s really nice when anybody takes the time to give a nice greeting, it’s a lot better than the alternative.

Answer by Kaye
1) Look, I am 13 years old. I haven’t stolen a holiday tradition.

2) We can use whatever holiday symbol we want. We don’t have to steal it to use it. My fellow Christian brother or sister in Christ, there is nothing wrong as far as I know with saying happy holidays. A tree should not be referred as a holiday tree but as one with a specific category.

Answer by Dogma (puppy due July 25th)
I’d tell them to pick their battles better. What a silly thing to get your panties bunched about.

Answer by Rev. Still Monkeys
I think what is wrong with you really should be contagious. Very contagious. I get tired of people working themselves into a lather over such amazingly silly things.

Answer by i aint know
Sorry I missed that big protest rally

“What’s wrong with me?”

What’s wrong with you is there really isn’t anything to be questioning

Answer by hankredwons
you want peace at the cost of truth .let us have peace in truth .as everyone has there own truth there is no hope in that

Answer by mt75689
I agree with you.

Some Christians go through life with virtually no understanding of where Christmas came from. They seem to think it is exclusively Christian, and that somehow secular traditions got tacked onto it.

The opposite is what’s true. It’s a pagan holiday with Christian themes inserted into it. It is what it is. For me it is a time to remember that Christ was born, (even though it wasn’t on December 25th) and it’s also a time to participate in my favorite holiday traditions ~ like having a Christmas tree, putting lights on my house, and buying presents for my family.

Answer by Graham
I do think it is a bit silly to let your feathers get all ruffled if someone says “Happily Holidays” or calls a Christmas Tree a “Holiday Tree.”

Though, the other day I called it a Holiday Tree and someone asked, “Well, do you bring out your ‘Holiday Tree’ for other holidays like Valentine’s day or Halloween?” I was amused and speechless.

Answer by Grog
They are Christmas trees. That’s what they’re called, and I don’t want a neutered, Orwellian, politically correct culture telling me what to call it.

Answer by PattyAnn
I don’t mind whatever people want to call it, or whatever they want to say. I know it’s a Christmas tree and they know it’s a Christmas tree. If folks don’t celebrate Christmas, let them take the trees and the holiday and do with them as they please. I don’t care that some people say it’s pagan. It’s not. It may have pagan roots, but Christmas is real.
When a person extends a greeting to me, I prefer to think it was a nice thing to do…not analyze it for some hidden meaning. Happy Holidays is fine with me, since it incorporates the new year too. “Good Yontif” is also ok. We have lots of Jewish friends!
Protests of Christmas have no interest to me, because Christmas will happen anyway, no matter who protests.

Answer by kaz716
If putting up a tree is representative of other holidays, why weren’t they originally called holiday trees from the beginning? This whole movement of changing Christmas tree to holiday tree only has come up in the past few years.

Answer by RW
I wish there were more christians who had the sense to object.

I do not think that most call it a holiday tree out of respect for those who held the custom of a tree in such a way before christianity did.

I think that most call it that out of a sick compulsion to try to make it acceptable, or normalfor people who do not fall into one of two categories, to have a christmas tree. (those categories being christian, or people who used such a celebration dating to before christians usurped it)

I mean some seem to think that its odd NOT to have a “holiday tree” or act like everyone SHOULD have one… and thats not true. that is devaluing their own holiday and is a deceitful intrusion on others’s beliefs.

if calling it a holiday tree was simply a recognition of pagans having the tradition first, I’d be fine with it, but I don’t believe that is what it is for most.

Answer by mimjoy
they are nothing to do with christs birth so I do not think they should be called christmas at all.

Answer by Danusdaughter
You sir are LOVELY! Thank you. I’m Pagan and know that the tree is traditionally Pagan and do not get bent out of shape when people have their Christmas trees but it does upset me when they get bent out of shape and yell and scream about the “war on Christmas” Thank you for being the way you are and don’t change for anything or anyone.
Brightest Blessings, Merry Christmas and Merry Yule to you.

Answer by Kel
I think that if BOTH sides don’t soon knock it off, they’re just going to end up ruining it for EVERYBODY.

Answer by Julia Sugarbaker
Since Christmas trees were originally a Pagan custom I think that Holiday Tree is probably closer to the mark.

Answer by uziell
I honestly would not mind if “they took it back.” All it does for the Christian is too make us take our focus off of Christ. We can say that Christmas is about celebrating the love of Christ by giving gifts from up under the tree when often it is just about the gifts. Often, what I think people get upset about when you talk of changing the name of the Christmas tree to the “holiday tree” is that you are taking the name of Christmas off of it. To those that celebrate Christmas for the birth of christ it is unnerving but it should be no big deal, we should be thankful that God is protecting us and that we still have our religious freedom. When we see a christmas tree in december everyone knows that christmas is near. If it has no decorations we wonder, “is christmas coming this year.” Every other part of the year it is just a “evergreen tree.” Let the Christian never forget that the Cross and Nativity scenes represent Christ as well. Those are the images that we should be conscientious of. If we see them any other part of the year, to many people the cross means less. Let us not focus too long on this one suject. While I would prefer that all of you are Christians and I pray that one day God may touch all of your hearts, I know that I am no better than any of you, I sin a lot, all that makes me different is that I am a saved sinner. That is what makes the difference in a Christmas tree and a holiday tree. A Christian should not be offended by the tree changing name for it should not make a difference while we celebrate the season.

You are right, the Christmas tree has nothing to do with the birth of Christ, let the pagans have their tree. I on the other hand will take the Lord.

Answer by Anthony
Personaaly, I think we should drop the holy from holi-days, don’t you? How about let’s-take-a-break days? So much more politically correct in the secular times, don’t you think?

Answer by Uncle Pennybags
But did the Christians steal the holiday symbol? Oh sure, they sort of stole the pagan holiday and called it Christmas, but to the best of my understanding, the Christmas Tree did in fact originate to celebrate Christmas.

Answer by Karl the Heathen
Common sense, that’s wrong with you!

I’m a Heathen. I call them Yule trees. I celebrate Yule, and usually tell them: Happy Yule!
Aside from conservative Evangelicals, no-one gets a fit.

Answer by murky303
I say a pox on both their houses (the politicized Christians and the PC “abolish Christmas” folks). It doesn’t cost ANYTHING to just smile and wish the other person a Merry Whatever, and accept his or her good wishes in the spirit they’re given.

Please stop looking for excuses to call people bad names and trash their holidays. And have a Happy Whatever.

Answer by Information Police
Hey, I’m NOT a Christian and I call it a Christmas tree. It’s a traditional thing and I know it has no religious significance. But most of the traditional trappings of Christmas have no religious significance.