Google Scrooge-le

[Agent Plissken]

Google has a picture of 2 kangaroos in love with a baby kangaroo in the pouch, with a message of "Happy Holidays" on Chirstmas Day. Where's the Christmas Tree or Santa or even Frosty or Rudolph? There are many images they could have chosen that I am sure would not be as "offensive" as the Nativity or such...
Anyway, I seem to remember in the past seeing a specific message for kwanzaa and I think for Honica, as well as their specific holiday icon being displayed.
What do you think?

[VTGreg]

Sad but not surprising. Christmas is under attack but it appears to be perfectly acceptable to promote other holidays, religious or not.

[zenbooty]

Not everyone who uses Google is a Christian.

"Happy Holidays" is meant to include EVERYONE, not exclude Christians. That seems to me to be most in the Christmas spirit. But some people aren't going to be happy unless the holiday season belongs to THEM and ONLY THEM.

Seems pretty selfish and immature to me :shrug:.

[Agent Plissken]

zenbooty, you missed my point. "Happy holidays" is fine, except that on every OTHER holiday (on the day, or on the beginning of a period of days) it is specifically mentioned which day that is (by name). Except for Christmas.
My other point being, what do 3 kangaroos have to do with any holiday.

[zenbooty]

zenbooty, you missed my point. "Happy holidays" is fine, except that on every OTHER holiday (on the day, or on the beginning of a period of days) it is specifically mentioned which day that is (by name). Except for Christmas.
My other point being, what do 3 kangaroos have to do with any holiday.Fair enough. I'm sorry I missed your point. I don't remember seeing any other holiday specific graphics myself on google this past month, but then again I wasn't exactly looking for them, either.

[Agent Plissken]

:) They showed the candles (sorry I dont know the name) on Kwanzaa.
Anyway Happy Chrisma-honi-kwanzaa-ica to all!

[Nija]

:) They showed the candles (sorry I dont know the name) on Kwanzaa.
Anyway Happy Chrisma-honi-kwanzaa-ica to all!

Kwanzaa (http://www.officialkwanzaawebsite.org/index.shtml) starts December 26. The candle holder is called a Kinara. The candles are called Mishumaa Saba. More information in the link above.

You probably saw a menorah, which is for Hanukkah (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanukkah).

[Agent Plissken]

Most likely, or I am thinking about a previous year.

[thresher]

He was making fun of the way you spelled chanukah. Ahem...clears throat. :)

[Houdini]

I haven't payed any attention to google graphics lately either, but I do remember similar discussions last year about the same type of thing re: google holiday graphics. For some reason, the trend, whether it be striving for political correctness or just a, yes, selfish desire to remind Christians that this time of year encompasses more than just Christmas, has been getting annoying. From the rabbi who complained about the effing Christmas tree at SeaTac this past year (and AFAIK, Christmas trees have nothing to do with Christians or the actual holiday. Just a pagan tradition, no?), to those who insist that workers tell customers "Happy Holidays" instead of Merry Christmas, etc., I think people are either A: afraid of being politically incorrect or hurting others' feelings, or B: attempting to slam home the fact to these "selfish" Christians that Dec. 25 is only one day. Either way, it's not right. If someone tells me "Happy Hannukah!" - and they have - I just say, "thanks!" and smile. Anyone who takes offense at being told Merry Christmas or Happy Tuesday really needs to figure out his life's priorities.

[Thesifer]

I haven't payed any attention to google graphics lately either, but I do remember similar discussions last year about the same type of thing re: google holiday graphics. For some reason, the trend, whether it be striving for political correctness or just a, yes, selfish desire to remind Christians that this time of year encompasses more than just Christmas, has been getting annoying. From the rabbi who complained about the effing Christmas tree at SeaTac this past year (and AFAIK, Christmas trees have nothing to do with Christians or the actual holiday. Just a pagan tradition, no?), to those who insist that workers tell customers "Happy Holidays" instead of Merry Christmas, etc., I think people are either A: afraid of being politically incorrect or hurting others' feelings, or B: attempting to slam home the fact to these "selfish" Christians that Dec. 25 is only one day. Either way, it's not right. If someone tells me "Happy Hannukah!" - and they have - I just say, "thanks!" and smile. Anyone who takes offense at being told Merry Christmas or Happy Tuesday really needs to figure out his life's priorities.

Technically there are "twelve days of christmas" :) It's just not widely celebrated in that way anymore.

[WhiskeyPapa]

We discussed this (Google's graphics) ad naseum yesterday at our Christmas party.

My point was that I totally understand the desire to say "Happy Holidays". However, yesterday was the day called "Christmas Day". It's a federal holiday, codified in law with that name. *If* Google names every other holiday by name, why would they not name Christmas Day?

FWIW, Google does not have anything today recognizing Kwanzaa, and I don't remember if they had anything for "honica". So maybe they've given up recognizing any December holiday.

[InfiniteNothing]

Maybe they are waiting for spring :P ;)

[Napoleon54]

I'm really tired of people being sensitive about everything. Christmas, Hanuka, Kwanza, Hail Satan Day... who the hell cares? Just chill out and be happy about something, anything.

[Memo]

I'm really tired of people being sensitive about everything. Christmas, Hanuka, Kwanza, Hail Satan Day... who the hell cares? Just chill out and be happy about something, anything.

Don't be so sensitive about other people being sensitive :wavey2:

[Houdini]

Technically there are "twelve days of christmas" :) It's just not widely celebrated in that way anymore.

Ah...very true. I guess I just didn't have an epiphony when I posted. ;)

[Prngr44]

So is Kwanzaa like the Scientology of holidays? Didn't someone just make it up?

[Memo]

So is Kwanzaa like the Scientology of holidays? Didn't someone just make it up?

Yep. I don't even know any black people who celebrate it either. It's not even a religious holiday so I don't even know why it gets thrown into the Christmas/Hannukuh mix. Buncha crap if you ask me.

[Houdini]

Yep. I don't even know any black people who celebrate it either. It's not even a religious holiday so I don't even know why it gets thrown into the Christmas/Hannukuh mix. Buncha crap if you ask me.

If you read the history, it was started by one guy with the idea of creating a "pan-African" holiday to be brought to America for African Americans, and while I know of a few black people who know of it, I know of none, except for some ignorant people who like to wear African garb and actually believe Africa is a country, who take it seriously. The guy makes statements even on the official homepage about how it's really spelled "Kwanza" but the extra A was added because 7 people were around and he didn't want to leave anyone out. Kinda arbitrary, no? And he uses the Zulu language and moreso Swahili, which he calls a "pan-African language," which of course it isn't, as anyone from Congo, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Kenya, Nigeria, etc., will readily tell you. Kinda ignores French, Wolof, Lingala, Afrikans, northern African (Cameroon, etc.) dialects of Wolof, etc.

All the "communal profit/money" rhetoric smacks of a socialist agenda, and while other races are pseudo-welcome to admire/celebrate it, they aren't allowed to participate in its celebration unless they have dark skin. Kinda racist in my book.

Also very, very effective in propagating ignorance about the history, cultures, and current state of the continent of Africa and its many good things as well as problems. Kinda reminds me of African friends who talk about seeing American black people visit Africa wearing what they believe to be correct dress, such as the brown/yellow/splotchy-patterned clothes and headware. While the Africans are nice to them (Americans going to Africa bring $$,) they laugh at them for their ignorance and are kind of insulted that the media/black culture here propagates those sort of ideas. If you go to Africa, wear normal stuff. If you want to look more genuine, even if you're white, buy clothes that are the norm there, or at least for the region you're visiting. In North Africa, for example (Senegal, etc,) for males, the shirt looks a lot like a scrub shirt, etc. Just don't show up in Dakkar with yellow and brown splotchy flowing stuff with funky hats that black celebrities wear on TV.

[cheapie]

i can understand the desire to connect with your ancestry like that. might be goofy, but still done out of a natural instinct.

not as bad as all the fat old people from hawaii w/outlandish gear on.

[Houdini]

i can understand the desire to connect with your ancestry like that. might be goofy, but still done out of a natural instinct.

not as bad as all the fat old people from hawaii w/outlandish gear on.

I've just always found that connecting with ancestry can be more fun by actively learning about it, whether it be by family trees or spending time in the library reading ACTUAL history books, not the biased ones that make Southern Whites look like barbaric blood-thirsty racist slave-holders, when less than 2% of those in the South owned slaves, and the majority were sold to the Portuguese by other Africans, etc. Couple that with, for instance R.E.Lee, one of the best humans to walk the earth in the past couple of hundred years, who was as anti-slavery as they come. There are better ways to honor ancestors than dressing in goofy TV/Movie-perpetuated garb and listening to the latest celebrity talk about a sterile jaunt though African/Asian cities to get a sense of heritage. And you actually learn things in the process. Not to dismiss all trips to foreign lands for that reason, but a reasonable amount of homework besides travel guides can give anyone a fuller understanding of what they are looking for and NOT look like laughing stocks when they get to where they are going.

[InfiniteNothing]

I liken Kwanzaa to Cinco de Mayo or St Patricks day. Just people trying to connect.

[Airencracken]

So is Kwanzaa like the Scientology of holidays? Didn't someone just make it up?

All holidays are made up.

[bachviet]

I liken Kwanzaa to Cinco de Mayo or St Patricks day. Just people trying to connect.
You just want excuses so you could drink more than you should. :P

[InfiniteNothing]

If Kwanzaa had a tradition of drinking beer, I'm 100% sure it would gain popularity.

[zippyjuan]

All holidays are made up.
and most of the secular holidays were converted from pagan holidays.