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Dear Google, It's Called CHRISTMAS

by kindsvater
21 replies
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Just received this pathetic email from Google:

Thank you.

Because of you, this giving season we’ve been able to donate $40 million to charitable organizations that are working to improve the lives of millions of people around the world.

Here's how: www.google.com/landing/givesback.

All of us here, with deep gratitude, thank you for your support and wish you and yours a happy holiday season.

The Google Team
Sure, there is another minor holiday period starting in a week. I don't recall Google sending out holiday season emails during important holidays. Or any holiday celebrated by any other religion - or non-religion for that matter.

In other words, a Christmas email from Google that is so incredibly generic that it is insulting.

By the way, that is $40 million of our Adwords money and the email was sent to my Adwords account.

Personally, my family gives to a lot of charities. If we want to give charitable donations to the less fortunate we give to charity. Not to Google.

.
  • Profile picture of the author TolyZ
    Google can kick rocks.
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  • Profile picture of the author seasoned
    Interestingly, that link doesn't seem to work anymore. Google Gives Back. A Lot. | WebProNews currently works. It WOULD be nice if, ESPECIALLY in times like this, they invested in the domestic areas. If they want to invest in CHINA, they should invest FROM china. WHO KNOWS? maybe in the US they will discover a cure for an African disease. It wouldn't be the first time. So SOCIETY as a whole may see a bigger return from people in areas that are already able to support it. And even in the US they talk about STEM(Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) for EVERYONE and especially women, since they have traditionally avoided such things. It is ironic that we import people from places that recieved earlier charities.

    Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author MikeAmbrosio
    Originally Posted by kindsvater View Post

    Just received this pathetic email from Google:



    Sure, there is another minor holiday period starting in a week. I don't recall Google sending out holiday season emails during important holidays. Or any holiday celebrated by any other religion - or non-religion for that matter.

    In other words, a Christmas email from Google that is so incredibly generic that it is insulting.

    By the way, that is $40 million of our Adwords money and the email was sent to my Adwords account.

    Personally, my family gives to a lot of charities. If we want to give charitable donations to the less fortunate we give to charity. Not to Google.

    .

    Well, as much as it may annoy people (myself included) it's as much their right to say Happy Holidays as it is for others to say they suck for it.

    Whatcha gonna do? Google - especially Adwords - sucks in so many OTHER ways that this one is but a minor annoyance to me
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  • Profile picture of the author fang01271027
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    • Profile picture of the author AprilCT
      Unless someone is dressed in recognizable clothing as belonging to another belief system, I will say Merry Christmas.

      Unfortunately most all businesses only send out "holiday cards" to their list of customers, generic Christmas Cards that never say Merry Christmas or anything that resembles the actual reason for the celebration. That type of card clutters up my waste basket.

      I don't have to worry about sending out real Christmas cards because we only send out a very few, and we know who the people are that will receive them. It makes it a lot simpler for us, but then we are sending out personal cards.

      I certainly see your point and feel your pain (or aggravation) when you get some stupid card that says basically nothing about what you personally are celebrating.
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      • Profile picture of the author Thomas
        Originally Posted by AprilCT View Post

        Unfortunately most all businesses only send out "holiday cards" to their list of customers, generic Christmas Cards that never say Merry Christmas or anything that resembles the actual reason for the celebration.
        Thankfully, that trend has never caught one here, probably because if you said "Happy holidays" to someone, they would say, "Huh? What are you talking about? I'm not going on holidays".

        Originally Posted by AprilCT View Post

        Unless someone is dressed in recognizable clothing as belonging to another belief system, I will say Merry Christmas.
        In my local town, there's a weekly street market every Saturday. In the run up to Christmas, the MOST colourfully-decorated (Christmas-themed) market stall in one run by a family of devout Muslims who moved here from India, and they always wish everyone a merry Christmas.
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  • Profile picture of the author The Copy Warriors
    check out this poll result:

    70% Prefer 'Merry Christmas' Over 'Happy Holidays' on Store Signs - Rasmussen Reports™

    70% seems pretty decisive to me. yet how many companies will actually follow their economic interests and use the phrasing that people prefer?
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  • Profile picture of the author adribabe
    I actually like the big G, but when I saw that email in my inbox I just had to laugh. Seriously, Google? I Googled that email from Google, just to see if Google really sent that. Turns out, they did!
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  • Profile picture of the author TopTip120
    If every organisation that made million or billions in profit gave a portion of that to charities that really need it, maybe the world would be a better place, as for "it's my money and I would rather give it to the charity than Google!", well that's fair enough but does a charity do your PPC for you?
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  • Profile picture of the author LarryC
    I'm no fan of Google, but I just don't get the problem people have with saying "Happy Holidays" and not specifying Christmas. Some see it as being ultra-politically correct. I see it as part of the global world we all live in. Like it or not, there are many millions of people who don't celebrate Christmas.
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    • Profile picture of the author jimbo13
      I thought they said 'Happy Holidays' in the US because there are multiple holidays in the US at this time of year starting with Thanksgiving and finishing with New Year.

      Is that not the case?

      Dan
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      • Profile picture of the author ThomM
        Originally Posted by jimbo13 View Post

        I thought they said 'Happy Holidays' in the US because there are multiple holidays in the US at this time of year starting with Thanksgiving and finishing with New Year.

        Is that not the case?

        Dan
        That's what I thought too.
        Course I've only lived in the US my whole life, so what do I know.
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    • Profile picture of the author Alan Petersen
      Originally Posted by LarryC View Post

      I'm no fan of Google, but I just don't get the problem people have with saying "Happy Holidays" and not specifying Christmas. Some see it as being ultra-politically correct. I see it as part of the global world we all live in. Like it or not, there are many millions of people who don't celebrate Christmas.
      Yes but the holiday overwhelming being celebrated in the U.S. is Christmas.

      I wonder if other countries where Christmas is not the main holiday being celebrated say their equivalent to "Merry Christmas" for their holiday or if they've gone all PC and also say "Happy Holidays" in order to not offend anyone.

      Maybe Warriors from other countries can chime in. I'm curious. I'm originally from Costa Rica but the country's main religion is Catholic so just about everyone says "Merry Christmas" not "Happy Holidays'.
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      • Profile picture of the author Thomas
        Originally Posted by Alan Petersen View Post

        I wonder if other countries where Christmas is not the main holiday being celebrated say their equivalent to "Merry Christmas" for their holiday or if they've gone all PC and also say "Happy Holidays" in order to not offend anyone.

        Maybe Warriors from other countries can chime in.
        In Ireland, the law requires that all pubs close on Christmas Day. Ergo, the main celebration in Ireland at this time of year is St. Stephan's Day (the 26th), when they all re-open, and everyone weeps with joy.
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  • Profile picture of the author LarryC
    Originally Posted by jimbo13 View Post

    I thought they said 'Happy Holidays' in the US because there are multiple holidays in the US at this time of year starting with Thanksgiving and finishing with New Year.

    Is that not the case?

    Dan
    That's sometimes the case, but most often it refers specifically to the holidays that come at the end of December. New Year's is included too, and that's one that most people can agree on.

    < Yes but the holiday overwhelming being celebrated in the U.S. is Christmas.

    I wonder if other countries where Christmas is not the main holiday being celebrated say their equivalent to "Merry Christmas" for their holiday or if they've gone all PC and also say "Happy Holidays" in order to not offend anyone. >> (Alan Petersen)

    Probably not. But the U.S. has historically been considered a "melting pot" rather than a country that has a single ethnic group, race or religion. Someone mentioned Ireland, for example, which is (as far as I know) an officially Catholic country.

    A company like Google, or any large company or institution tries to be all-inclusive in its communications. Of course, in doing so, it obviously still manages to offend some people.
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    • Profile picture of the author seasoned
      Originally Posted by LarryC View Post

      New Year's is included too, and that's one that most people can agree on.
      Not REALLY! The YEAR is based on what a catholic monk once determined! The month, and obviously day, are based on MANY things throughout history and many are european in origin!

      The Moslems, Hindus, and Jews all have DIFFERENT calendars. USUALLY others don't hear about them, but their religious events are geared towards them. So ramadan, or roshashana, or diwali ALL happen at seemingly different times.

      Probably not. But the U.S. has historically been considered a "melting pot" rather than a country that has a single ethnic group, race or religion. Someone mentioned Ireland, for example, which is (as far as I know) an officially Catholic country.
      Yeah, and then they split the country up, and part is now protestant, probably anglican. 8-(

      Steve
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      • Profile picture of the author Kay King
        I think it's hard for huge companies like google to get it right for Christmas.

        If you use holidays some say you are avoiding use of the word Christmas - if you use Christmas you get hacked from the other side. If you ignore other religious holidays you are being biased - if you try to observe special days of all religions you are pandering.

        If you say nothing you are uncaring or insensitive. How's a business to win?:p

        Most large companies make substantial charitable donations and get tax writeoffs for it. I have mixed feelings as it would be good to have prices lowered - but then again this is a main source of support for many well known charities.

        kay
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  • Profile picture of the author louisshane
    I really love Google, and I just want to grab this to Greet everyone Merry Christmas and I hope that you will enjoy this holiday with our Family and Love ones.
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    *Merry Christmas ~ Mele Kalikimaka (pronounced may-lay ka-lee-key-ma-ka) ...
    and Happy New Year ~ Hau'oli Makahiki Hou (pronounced how-oh-lay ma-ka-hee-key ho) ...
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