Date:  Thu, 21 Dec 1995 10:49:32 -0600

From:  "Kathleen M. O'Neill" <koneil1[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]UIC.EDU>

Subject: Re: Happy Holidays -vs- Merry Christmas



>> Tell Viriginia "Merry Christmas" for me. (I've grown tired of being

>> careful to use the PC "Happy Holidays." Has anyone else notice it

>> increasingly replacing the former expression?)



>It is less awkward than, "Merry Christmas &/or Happy Hanukkah."



And how. I live with two other women,

both of whom are Jewish.

Things get a little complicated this time

of year, but of course I wished them Happy Hanukkah

on Monday, and they wished it right back to me.

They each gave me Hanukkah presents, and I have

Christmas gifts for them, which will be accompanied

by a heartfelt greeting of "Merry Christmas."

This accompanied by the fact that my best friend

celebrates Kwanzaa, has led me to the use of

"Happy Holidays" on my greeting cards at this

time of the year. I don't view it as particularly

PC, just perhaps a little lazy. =^]



>And, of course, let's all have a happy new

>year--unless you only celebrate the new year according the Hebrew

>calendar and have therefore already begun your new year. Or unless

>it is the Chineese calendar . . . etc.



Yes, so far this year I've celebrated four new years:

January 1st (my new year!); the Chinese new year;

Diwali; and Rosh Hashanah. They're always a great

excuse to party the night away.



Happy Holidays to you all!



--Kate



P.S. I promise not to be offended by anyone who

wants to wish me a happy birthday in ANY language

or dialect. (My big day is Saturday.) Yippee!



;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

;Kathleen M. O'Neill ... Language Laboratory Technician I  ;

;koneil1[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]uic.edu ... u55354[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]uicvm.cc.uic.edu        ;

;:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::;

;University of Illinois at Chicago ... Language Laboratory ;

;703 South Morgan Street (M/C 042) ... Grant Hall, Room 311 ;

;Chicago, IL 60607-7025                  ;

;312.996.8838 or 8836 ... 312.996.5501 FAX        ;

;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;