Student debate: seasonal greeting

There are a variety of people with on campus that celebrate different traditions, especially during the holidays.

Some Catholic students said they have their own traditions separate from their religion, but still include them in their culture.

"My family always tries to include our distant family with the holidays," freshman Daisy Tavarez said.

Tavarez said that her family sends gifts and food to people in Mexico and focus on helping them.

She said they also don’t do traditions that other people do, but not for religious purposes.

"We don’t watch the Christmas parade anymore ever since my uncle fell off one of the floats," Tavarez said. "It’s an embarrassing memory for the family."

In addition, some religions require people to not do some things that other religions do for value purposes.

Freshman Brianna Goodloe said most of her family is Jehovah’s Witnesses.

"Jehovah’s Witnesses live by godly values, promote well-being and respect for others," Goodloe said.

Goodloe said that they do not celebrate Christmas or Thanksgiving.

"Holidays that exalt humans or human organizations are not acceptable to Jehovah," Goodloe said.

Freshman William Whitten said he is Baptist, but they don’t have any traditions aside what everyone else does on Christmas.

"We open gifts on Christmas Eve and eat dinner on Christmas day," Whitten said.

Students also expressed their feeling about people saying "happy holidays" versus "Merry Christmas."

Freshman Kriston Moorman said she thinks saying either is fine, but she says Merry Christmas.

"I say Merry Christmas because the reason that we celebrate the holiday is because of Christ and who he is," Moorman said.

Most students said they say Merry Christmas, but it doesn’t matter to them what others say.

"I think that people have the right to say whatever holiday greeting they want," freshman Braden Cox said. "I’m not affected by what someone else says."

Other students said either greeting was acceptable, but still had some favor toward one for religious purposes.

"I feel like Happy Holidays tries to remove Christ from Christmas," freshman Jacob Dehoyos said.

"I feel like saying ‘happy holidays’ kind of takes [Christ’s] honor out of the real reason it’s celebrated," Moorman said.

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