Comments on: The Holidays and Social Privilege

By: Finnegan

Finnegan — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 14:33:00 +0000

(Perhaps I’m placing more weight on the phrase “having to pay attention” than others, who seem very caught up on “hate”? To me, that implies that the frustration is in the fact that they need to make a concious effort, rather than being able to deal with it more naturally. But, again, that’s a matter of interpretation.)

By: Finnegan

Finnegan — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 14:30:00 +0000

I just figured that the writer comes from a relatively monocultural background, and is frustrated by their own poor resources in dealing with a multicultural circle of friends. Perhaps that’s because I can relate to that perspective, having grown up in a small Scottish town, but it doesn’t seem any less feasible to me than the other interpretations offered. It sometimes seems like a lot of posters here have zero capacity for ambiguity.

By: Lunad

Lunad — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 17:25:00 +0000

I much prefer Maoz Tzur and it’s honesty about the meaning of the holiday to some of the generic token Hannukah songs I’ve had to sing over the years.

By: Lunad

Lunad — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 17:14:00 +0000

With privilege, that is the worst thing of all. Few Jews I know would be offended by a gift wrapped in santa paper, but, at the same time, there would be a little twinge of unhappiness, detracting from the gift and the spirit it was meant. A twinge that the gift was yet another thing to make one feel different and excluded from the mainstream. BUT… it would be cruel and insensitive to say something. It wouldn’t be right to complain. The gift was given in good faith. THAT is the privilege of the majority – that no gift will make you feel that you are an outsider, with no outlet to complain.

By: Lunad

Lunad — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 17:03:00 +0000

Not that hard. The next line of the song is “The Lord has come”. Followed by “Let earth receive her King”.
These are explicit references to not only the birth of Jesus, but a world view in which he is King of everyone. Most people would not think twice about it, but, being a Jew who loves to sing in choirs, I know the lyrics intimately, and know the little twinge of my conscience that says it is idolatry.

By: Smiles

Smiles — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 15:45:30 +0000

My 9 year old daughter was listening as I read this to my husband and she said, “It isn’t about the paper. It isn’t even about the gift. Its about spending time with your family and friends.”

By: Sue

Sue — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 17:38:07 +0000

I just read the funniest children’s book by Lemony Snicket, “The Latke Who Couldn’t Stop Screaming: A Christmas Story.” It’s about a Hanukkah latke that escapes from the frying pan and encounters a series of Christmas objects, all of which “helpfully” try to incorporate it into Christmas. But it keeps telling them, “Christmas and Hanukkah are completely different things.” But they don’t get it.

On the penultimate page, the narrator observes:

“It is very frustrating not to be understood in this world. If you say one thing and keep being told that you mean something else, it can make you want to scream. But somewhere in the world there is a place for all of us, whether you are an electric form of decoration, peppermint-scented sweet, a source of timber or a potato pancake.”

I am a latke.

By: Maedchenmannschaft » Blog Archive » Noch ein letztes Mal Weihnachten: Was ist Privileg?

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 09:27:14 +0000

[...] Lisa von Sociological Images erläutert, bedeutet priviligiert zu sein, einfach in die Gesellschaft zu “passen” und allein [...]

By: Eurasian Sensation

Eurasian Sensation — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 02:35:47 +0000

In today’s world, how much is Christmas really a Christian celebration any more? I’m coming from an Australian context, and we are more secular than the US. While Australia is also based on a Western Christian value system, the majority of the population has only a vague adherence to Christianity, and then there are the nonreligious or followers of other religions.

So while everyone understands the religious roots of Christmas, today it is largely divorced from its Christian roots, and is celebrated largely as an opportunity for family togetherness and gift giving. Non-Christians tend to take part as well.

So this talk of “Merry Christmas” and Christian privilege is interesting to me, and I wonder if it really only applies to an American context.

By: Moshe S

Moshe S — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 19:10:33 +0000

That’s what I thought before this post taught me that saying “Merry Christmas” is actually one of the benefits that come with privilege. Question is, I’m a Jew, But I did said “Merry Christmas” to my Christian co-worker, am I privileged? Is she? Who is enjoying the benefits and who should get offended? Luckily I’ve never said “Merry Christmas” to a Scientologist, it would be like dividing the privilege balance by zero and will likely tear a hole in the universe.

By: larry c wilson

larry c wilson — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 18:40:03 +0000

Saying “Merry Christmas” is as meaningful as asking “How Are You?”

By: Jamie

Jamie — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 16:02:35 +0000

Around here, they actually don’t say it (well, with the exception of some mom-and-pop places.) Major retailers decorate for christmas, but many sales folks just say “Thank you, have a nice day.” It’s not like we don’t know it’s the holidays already. I agree that “Thank you, come again” is almost more sincere.

By: Jamie

Jamie — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 15:57:44 +0000

LOL Well said.

By: Moshe S

Moshe S — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 12:18:25 +0000

I must say I don’t get it. I’m a Jew and reside in Israel, and i couldn’t imagine why any one would be offended by someone sending him a present wrapped in red wrapping paper with Santa and a sled. In my culture, when you get a present you usually say “thank you” instead of pondering about the cultural meaning of the wrapping paper. Christians don’t have to hide from Jews\Muslims\Whatever the fact they are celebrating Christmas, we somehow found out about it already. Our best Intel says it happens every year near the end of December and it involves trees(!?). We are OK with it. really.
So when you say “happy holidays” we know you mean Christmas, and we are brave enough not to break down and cry just because someone else is having fun and we are not involved. Show me a guy who is offended by wrapping paper and I’ll show you an asshole.

By: karinova

karinova — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 05:04:12 +0000

I seriously do not understand why retailers feel the need or see any use in acknowledging the holidays at all— with Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays. Especially since the issue has become so fraught. What is the benefit? Plus, do customers even take it to heart? It’s not like it’s sincere; they don’t really care what kind of days you have, and we know it. If it was close to Christmas, would you even notice if the clerk just said “have a nice day”?

Personally, I don’t even think I’d notice if they just stuck with “thank you” and left my day out of it entirely. Or they might get fancy and say “thank you, come again.” That’d be more likely to be sincere!