Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to find "Merry F*******g Christmas cards offensive ?

113 replies

ConferencePear · 13/12/2013 09:07

Apparently Urban Outfitters are selling cards with this on. I looked at their website and they also have cards which say "Tinsel tits".
Am I being unreasonable or am I turning into my Grandma ?
I am not a Christian, but I try not to offend other faiths.

OP posts:
BobaFettTheHalls · 13/12/2013 09:55

Yabu. If you'd been in urban outfitters before you would see they've sold 'happy fuckingbirthday/christmas' stuff for the last ten years or so.
They also do a few happy jesusday/happy birthday jesus ones.

They do loads of different sweary cards; 'happy birthday you massive twat/bellend' etc

HettiePetal · 13/12/2013 09:56

Actually - Happy Fucking Friday to you all.

And if there are worshippers of Frigg/Venus around.....oh well.

sewingandcakes · 13/12/2013 09:57

I find it funny (in a childish way).

Christmas; the run up to it, mass consumerism, and forced jollity, dominates everything for a few months, and no, it's not a Christian celebration for many people now.

I think some people would appreciate a card like this, which expresses how they feel. I can't wait for christmas this year personally, but I do remember ones where I hated it and would have seen the funny side of a card like this.

snowed · 13/12/2013 10:00

YANBU. It's not clever or funny, just juvenile.

Kafri · 13/12/2013 10:00

Surely it's no different to all the other 'joke' cards you see in shops. I find some funny, some not so.
There's some I see that I think are brilliant but know they'd be unsuitable for the person I'm looking for a card for so don't choose them.

YABU - you don't like them, just walk past.

gordyslovesheep · 13/12/2013 10:01

no ore 'offensive' than cards with Santa on or dancing snowmen - they are not Christian either really

Loads of people celebrate Christmas without a wiff of Christianity - I think people are looking to be offended

Bunbaker · 13/12/2013 10:04

"I think Go The Fuck to Sleep is funny."

Really! I don't find it remotely amusing. I don't find swearing funny at all. It has nothing to do with religion it is just unfunny that's all.

Amrapaali · 13/12/2013 10:05

Are you Gloria perchance?

Crowler · 13/12/2013 10:13

I don't think swearing is funny in general either; I think "go the fuck to sleep" is funny not because of the swearing but rather because we all remember the utter desperation of getting a baby to sleep.

In fact, I think "fuck" is funny only coming from a person who almost never uses it.

Sallyingforth · 13/12/2013 12:22

Yes I do think it's being offensive merely for the sake of it, knowing that it will just be accepted by Christians who will be hurt but 'turn the other cheek'.

It would be interesting to see if any shop would dare to display cards during Ramadan saying "Happy F Eid".

Amrapaali · 13/12/2013 12:30

Sallying Christmas has gone beyond a festival with religious connotations and has descended into a mad, commercial gift frenzy. Unlike Ramadan.

I am neither a Christian nor a Muslim, by the way.

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 13/12/2013 12:31

I'm not offended by them but then again I wouldn't buy them, send them or display them.

It's hard to be affronted over a word that is so gleefully used by nearly everybody in normal language. If people use that language then what exactly makes Christmas somehow exempt? Confused

IHeartKingThistle · 13/12/2013 12:36

Last year Dh's atheist cousin sent out Christmas cards that said 'Happy Birthday Captain Jesus.' With a picture of Jesus. To the whole family. Some of whom are Catholic. 'Twas not well received. I'm on the fence about it tbh.

AlpacaPicnic · 13/12/2013 12:36

I like it! I can pick out exactly who I'd send it to as well...

But it definitely is a case of pick your audience...

Sallyingforth · 13/12/2013 12:40

Amrapaali
I don't see the relevance of that. However wide the Christmas thing has become, the slogan will still be offensive to those who take its central message seriously. It's not their fault that it has been so commercialised.

madmomma · 13/12/2013 12:40

Eid is also massively materialistic. But yes, 'eid mu-fucking-barack' would not be well received by many I don't think.

Glittermud · 13/12/2013 12:42

I am not offended by these cards or by swearing. I might not buy them, or I might given the right recipient. I do find the idea that religion should be above mockery pretty offensive though.

ephemeralfairy · 13/12/2013 12:45

I don't find it offensive, but I do think it's a lazy joke!

My mum has designed her own cards this year, with a little sketch of a bowl of gruel and a candle and nightcap and the wording,

'"Bah!" said Scrooge. "Humbug!"'

Much better Grin

Floggingmolly · 13/12/2013 12:48

Why bother wishing someone a Merry Fucking Christmas?
If you're feeling all bah humbug, keep it to your fucking self...

WhenSarahAndStuckUpTheChimney · 13/12/2013 12:52

IHeartKingThistle your DH's cousin has made me smile Grin

I'm not offended by the cards, but I don't like them either. In the same way that I really dislike those tree decorations that look like glittery shoes and handbags and that sort of thing.

I was looking at some baubles that had misery slogans on them. Bah Humbug, Ho Fucking Ho etc. Merry Fucking Christmas was one of the slogans. I think they are meant for those who pretend to dislike all the fuss of Christmas but secretly enjoy it.

There's a man at work who says he hates everything from the tree to the turkey, but he's wearing a black 'bah humbug' hat while he says it and I bet he doesn't turn his dinner down on the day.

So that's the spirit I would take the cards in. As someone acting the Scrooge and playing a part, rather than intending to cause offence.

LittleMissGerardButlersBaubles · 13/12/2013 12:54

I wouldn't buy them, but it doesn't offend me.

I love 'go the fuck to sleep'

And I love mumsnet because you are allowed to say fuck and cunt Xmas Grin even though I don't swear much, it's nice to be able too.

Each to their own!

gotthemoononastick · 13/12/2013 13:20

Brave new world!!Poking needles into the eyes of all the gods! An event ...think maybe earthquake,might point out all the brave agnostics and atheists debating on their knees.

Bunbaker · 13/12/2013 14:51

"It's hard to be affronted over a word that is so gleefully used by nearly everybody in normal language."

You must move in different circles to me. None of my friends and family use that kind of language in a day to day situation, and only one girl I work with uses the F word on a regular basis and she wonders why she gets overlooked for promotion all the time

I must come across as po faced here, but I only swear when I am driving Grin

formerbabe · 13/12/2013 15:08

Its not offensive to me really. I think its rather vulgar but I can't get my knickers in a twist over it.

SqueakyCleanLibertine · 13/12/2013 15:24

bun baker really? Unless the colleague in question is saying fuck to customers/clients I very much doubt that's the reason for her not getting promoted.

Fwiw I have a few friends who would see the funny side, none of whom are religious,I mean unless you really didn't like someone you wouldn't send one to a proper Christian don't know any