That saying "Happy Easter" is out of place?

[Ethicaldebacle]

We're a Jewish family, and only celebrate Xmas in a secular / Santa way. We celebrate all other main Jewish holidays at home and our friends know this, yet they sent a message of happy Easter. Isn't this out of place? (They even knew we just had a Passover Seder!)

Of course you are

I'm not Jewish! There's every Abrahamic religion in my extended family though!

That's a perfectly politically correct meme ;)

A Jew whose family have been in England a very long time. Trying to imagine my grandparents being offended by ‘Happy Easter’, they wouldn’t be in a million years.

Text friend back- Happy Belated Passover Seder!

Perfect response.

And telling other Jews to fuck off to Israel shows such fellow feeling!

I guess, since it was the OP’s friends who knew they didn’t celebrate, that the greeting was out of place. It would have been better for friends to wish the OP a Happy Passover and the OP in turn would say Happy Easter, knowing her friends celebrate Easter. That is the culturally sensitive thing to do. This scenario is different to just saying Happy Easter to people you don’t know or don’t know well.

Are you saying OP finds the idea of being wished happy Easter bad because of something that happened in 1290? Surely no one is that odd?

I love this one. I also get very happy when Hanukkah and Christmas overlap so that my friends and I are celebrating at the same time.

I'm an atheist, but sometimes say 'Happy Easter'. I guess Easter in my head is just a kind of pleasant, generic spring festival. A nice way-marker on the journey from winter to summer. (And, very importantly, a bank holiday!)

I'm generally a bit doubtful about claims that this thing or that is "really" pagan, since they're often hugely exaggerated and ignore the scarcity of written sources about pre-Christian Britain. However, the word 'Easter' really does have pre-Christian origins, albeit murky ones. I think roundabout now is just a natural time in the northern hemisphere to want to throw a party.

The people who said 'Happy Easter' to you may not have known you were observant Jews who would prefer a reference to Passover. Also, it can feel awkward if you don't know someone well and what their beliefs and preferences are to use a specific greeting (e.g. Happy Passover/Eid Mubarak/Happy Diwali). Asking can feel like prying.

That said, there are plenty of committed Christians around who will still be celebrating Easter chiefly as a religious holiday, and go around Happy Eastering people with evangelical fervour. In which case, I dunno. Give them a biscuit and a pat on the head?

I’m an actual practising Orthodox Jew (I wear a headscarf, my DH prays 3x a day, we are strictly kosher and observe Shabbat strictly) and I have to say I’m not remotely surprised people are confused by you. You are a Jewish family who celebrates Christian festivals! Who can blame people for thinking a “happy Easter” is appropriate when you feed your kids Easter eggs?! Get both feet in one camp or another, or stop finding things to be offended by.

Fwiw, I don’t mind people wishing me a happy Xmas or whatever because I’m strong enough in who and what I am not to take offence at a naive but well-intentioned comment. I save my ire for the people who dislike my difference and act in bad faith.

My Muslim friends wish me a happy Eid, my Jewish friends wish me a happy Hanukkah and I wish them a happy Easter/ Christmas. It’s nice to celebrate everyone’s religion!

I would worry if they said have a rotten Easter! Chill

For Hanukkah/Xmas I normally post this one

Excellent post @ButThisIsMyHappyFace

Easter is the name of a well established bank holiday weekend. People say Happy Easter any time from the Friday. Just take it like that. If anyone gives you a religious card or greeting it would be fine to tell them you don’t want it.

I like this one that I saw for the first time this past December

Yes, and the best way to deal with it is to minimise people's feelings!

You realise Easter was originally a pagan celebration? It's a celebration of spring etc. plenty of non Christians celebrating Easter in a secular way (eggs, bunnies, chicks etc.)

I’ve had sooo much toast this morning!!!!

Christmas is not secular, it is a religious festival.

Perhaps have some respect for other religions too. It's Christmas not Xmas. I've worked with many Jewish people over the years and they always referred to it as Christmas. We wouldn't wish you a Happy Xover.

I’m atheist, I still wish people Happy Easter. For me it’s an excuse to eat Easter eggs and enjoy lamb for dinner. You’re being over sensitive.

X is short for Christ which is why you get Xmas.