Seriously - why the mocking of the Co-exist sticker? (Page 4)

No it doesn't, and it never did really.  So doesn't "Holiday Party" seem more appropriate anyway?

We actually have had a tree almost every year but one. I am the one who gets it, decorates it, and missed it the one year we did not have one. We had "Santa" in our house for our kids. Both are treated as purely secular objects. We do not do a creche, we do not attend any mass (it's not only CHRISTmas, it's also ChristMAS), and there are no religious icons on the tree - just homemade decorations or baubles that represent trips and activities we enjoy over the course of the years (I have water bottle and bike shoe ornaments). And mrs. gearboy spends weeks baking cookies to give to people as a symbol of friendship and love of cookies. To the extent that christmas has become an American holiday as opposed to a purely religious one (remember, the first religious colonies actually banned the celebration of the holiday as being too frivolous), we will continue to have the decorations. 

On a side note, to those that talk about learning about Hannukah - you do realize that it is not a significant holiday AT ALL? It is pretty much ignored in Israel. Even Purim is a bigger deal as far as religious significance, and I bet your school didn't offer anyone a Purim party with noisemakers and delicious hamentaschen, even though it comes not too long before Easter on the christian calender, when everyone is talking about jelly beans and chocolate bunnies. Hannukah is a celebration of religious fundamentalists defeating more secular Hellenic jews to decide the direction of the ruling classes. But no one talks about that - just how jewish kids get socks and wooden tops while christian kids get mountains of toys and bb guns. 

likewise, Easter is a far more significant holiday to Christians than Christmas.

but the easter bunny is not a christian belief

Easter is the celebration of the resurrection of Christ form being on the cross and defeating death...

i agree, and i'm not opposed to "holiday parties," i just think calling a christmas party "forcing others to participate in religion" is a huge misnomer.

I'd much rather have Wednesday and Saturday or Sunday off personally.

You're starting to get into the the evolution of society at this point, as far as explanations for why we do certain things, certain ways.  Religion was the first rudimentary form of government.  There are hold overs from those roots and some hold overs most have no interest in changing.  Why in the world would you want to give up a day off of work?  You're a crazy man!!!!  Now require everyone to be in church on Sunday morning and you'll have a dust storm on your hands.

I agree your example is pure lunacy.  Of course I'm sure it relates to prayer in school somehow (which I don't have a problem with student led).  I don't know.  With it being two students talking, off the top of my head it sounds like that infringes on your cousin's freedom of speech rights.

Christmas and Easter are the big two, correct? For jews, the big two are Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashana. Both occur in the early fall. Hannakuh is a truly minor holiday - maybe on the scale of St. Patrick's day.

And I still say that chocolate bunnies and jelly beans beat hamentaschen. Not that I'm bitter...

When you really pull the covers back it's amazing how much of our society has religious elements/origins interwoven (primarily christian).  I personally never put the connection between saturday/sunday off with religion, but it does make sense.
I propose we abolish the AD calendar system.  It should now be year 4,500,000,012  

I am lost on this example as St Patty's day is my most sacred of days...........  followed closely by 4th of July.

any holiday involving barbecue, the beach, and fireworks wins in my book.

lol, ok that was so dumb it made me laugh

aaaaaah!!! How could I have forgotten Cinco De Mayo!!!!  I should be flogged.

which is an incredibly insignificant holiday in mexico...

Ya... I read the book.

My alma mater (Univeristy of Missouri-Rolla) has no classes on the Thursday and Friday of the week of St. Patrick's Day so that this most sacred of holiday can be properly celebrated.  Which pretty much consists of copious amounts of green beer, followed by green vomit.

I'm not black, should I be offended by MLK day?

I'm not Irish, should I be offended and ask them to stop it?

I'm not Mexican, I'm not Italian, I'm not religious.... so should I be offended?

Where is my special caucasian mutt, non religious holiday?

Just because somone gets a holiday does not take away from who I am and what I believe. If the majority of this country is Christian and they want to celebrate the birth of Christ... big fat hairy deal. I find something to do with my time.

superbowl sunday?

That is not a day off... If we recognized the following Monday, then we would be good.

I do not need a special day for the airing of grievences.

As far as telling everyone how much they have let me down that year... that's Thanksgiving.

in these parts, a lot of places recognize the first day of deer hunting season.  does that work for ya?  lots of hairy caucasians participate in that one...and it offends people too!