tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366621735995057721.post4138753729119427637..comments2024-03-17T09:17:01.454+00:00Comments on Vic the Vicar!: Come let us sing - don't they know it's . . . ?Vic Van Den Berghhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09581156515370131898noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366621735995057721.post-69226659990662315682012-12-20T16:51:56.961+00:002012-12-20T16:51:56.961+00:00Whilst I had to differ with you (we'd look wis...Whilst I had to differ with you (we'd look wise if we did anything else no wouldn't we ;-) ) I have to say that for 2012:<br /><br />Diwali was 13th - 17th November.<br />Hannukah was 8th - 16th December.<br />Advent began on the 2nd December and ends when Christmas starts (which I make it to be 24th December.<br />Christmas begins with Christmas Eve and ends 5th January<br /><br />Now I know that for so many Christmas starts in november (our town's lights went on on the 17th and the week leading to that saw a christmas tree festival) but I am afraid that I see the 'Happy Holidays' as less of an attempt to be egalitarian or accomodating and actually something that is the very opposite of that!<br /><br />In fact - I think I'm spurred to use your comments as reason for stating my own position - but not in a bah humbug sort of way (so I'll dialogue with your comments there (hope you don't mind)<br /><br />Thanks for comments Si,<br /><br />VVic Van Den Berghhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09581156515370131898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5366621735995057721.post-65857086898280064572012-12-20T11:22:44.447+00:002012-12-20T11:22:44.447+00:00I'm happy with most of this, Vic, but want to ...I'm happy with most of this, Vic, but want to pick up on a couple of minor points:<br />1. "Happy Holidays" is a recognition that Christians are not the only ones celebrating a major festival at this time of year. In a multifaith society this is important. Its origins are, I believe, in the US where the significance of the Jewish community's celebration of Hanukah is acknowledged. Of course, here we also have Diwali which seems to move about a bit date-wise but occurs mid-winterish. This doesn't (or shouldn't) stop Christians witnessing to the birth of our Saviour, but I am always very pleased to receive my annual card from a local Islamic organisation wishing me "Happy Holidays".<br /><br />2. It appears that now even the Daily Fail have acknowledged that their reporting of the "Winterval story" was in error. "Winterval" (as a Birmingham City press statement made clear at the time) was a programme of special events over a rather extended period of time that <i>included</i> Christmas but was never intended to redefine or replace Christmas. Somewhat ironically, this has been widely tweeted this morning from a New Humanist article <a href="http://blog.newhumanist.org.uk/2011/11/daily-mail-finally-admits-it-was-wrong.html?spref=tw" rel="nofollow">here</a>.Revsimmyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06723218589040920365noreply@blogger.com