In your opinion, are red and green "holiday colors" or specifically tied to Christmas?

I was in Junior High and made the mistake of wearing green pants and red shirt one day. I ended up getting the nickname “CT” at school. It took a few months for someone to tell me why.. It was because I looked like a Christmas Tree on that day. Damn nickname stuck with me for years.

That might not help with your question. I just wanted to vent.

As someone who does not celebrate Christmas, I think of the colors as being totally tied to the holiday and thus kind of alienating when I see it used in advertisements, etc.

I think immediately/specifically of Christmas.

Same as syz here, I immediately link it to Christmas (which I celebrate).

Like syz, I do not celebrate Christmas and find the hype and ads make me want to turn of the TV, donate what I can to charity and perhaps head to the nearest Monastery.

Hanukkah has no colors connected to it. I notice that my candles are either cream or a mix of pale colours…no significance there. It is really a metaphor for a small amount of olive oil that burned in a lamp, unexpectedly, for 8 days.

… “at the re-dedication following the victory of the Maccabees over the Seleucid Empire, there was only enough consecrated olive oil to fuel the eternal flame in the Temple for one day. Miraculously, the oil burned for eight days, which was the length of time it took to press, prepare and consecrate fresh olive oil.” Wickipedia.

For me, red and green are completely tied to Christmas, and I avoid them. I find even red (especially ) or green alone makes it look like a am part of the group celebrating, so I tend to avoid these colors.

I think of Christmas, which I proudly celebrate.

This is really a question of personal feelings. Like most things in this great world of ours, red and green are symbolic to many things that are involved with Christmas. But, personally because around winter the colors are so common I think they can denote any holiday because of the things people associate with Christmas, like love and joy.

@gailcalled: i’m pretty sure “Hanukkah colors” are blue and white, although those are kind of the default jewish colors for everything.
[see hebrew song “Kachol v’lavan”:
the words are basicallly, blue and white, my colors, blue and white, yay israel, etc.
also see Israeli flag and most “talitot” (prayer shawls) although new agey jews tend to go for less traditional color options (mine is silver with rainbow stripes and black fringes!)]

@Ezra; you are right about all the default blue and white; but have you, your family, yr synagogue, your acquaintances ever decked the halls w. blue and white streamers? I no longer go to Synagogue regularly (due to both theological and weather issues- too far and too grim after dark in winter) but the talitot are all blue and white; the ones for borrowing and the ones inherited from earlier generations.

Today my view is of blue sky and white snow…w. a few pine trees for contrast.

Off topic: Do you understand Hebrew? I learned how to read the letters but haven’t a clue as to grammar and meaning. Religious school was so odd.

@gailcalled: I was born in Israel, actually, and speak mostly fluent hebrew.

I also associate green and red with Christmas.

I feel like blue and white became “Hannukah colors” for the same reason we give presents at Hannukah in the US—to compete with/emulate Christmas traditions. Which is all fine and good – just important to be aware of the historical/cultural context.

Great responses, thanks to everyone for taking the time.

@gailcalled
I always think of Chanukkah as Blue and silver
I agree that red and green screams Christmas although I can’t say if it’s religious or not.