Slightly mollified rant.

[revolution_grrl]

Okay, so I am definitely not a proponent of the right wing war on all things PC as an excuse to be barbaric and uncivilized and offensive. That said, I don't like that so many sectors of professional America have seemingly made official policies against the word Christmas. I mean, it isn't as if it's a religious holiday, really. At least not in

Comments

[firynze]

Merry Christmas to you, too, darling, from the bottom of my eccentric little omniquantist heart.

And happy Boxing Day, too! Because I totally celebrate the hell out of Boxing Day. And Orthodox Christmas, too. I just like holidays. :-D

[toodleskitty]

Merry Christmas to you too.

[melusinehr]

I'll usually say "Merry Christmas" to someone I know celebrates it, and "Happy holidays" to anyone else. I'm not offended when people wish me a merry Christmas, though--I just take it in the spirit in which it's meant, which almost never has anything to do with religion... And I've had a couple moments this year when random strangers did something nice for me, explaining it as Christmas spirit, and how can I possibly be offended by that?

So, merry Christmas to you, and may you enjoy it as much as I am! :)

[riddley_ghost]

when christians wish me merry christmas, i figure that they are not telling me to become christian, but they are wishing me blessings based on what they believe imparts those blessings.
that's a compliment.
it doesn't matter wether i believe in those same things, it's the thought that counts.
what would bother me is if i said, "happy Yuletide", ""Happy Eid", "Happy Hanukkah", "Happy Dwali" or etc. in return and they got bent about it.
you know?

the thing is, i've yet to hear a non-christian get bent over being wished a merry christmas.
my theory is that this is coming more out of some odd christian self policing guilt/persecution type complex than it is some anti-christmas sentiment.

[tacithydra]

Coming into this with the full understanding that you're not right-wing anti-PC etc.

I guess I just like saying Happy Holidays as my default because I like my default to include everyone. Merry Christmas is well-meant and the feeling's there, but it does leave some people out. There's also the unfortunate side effect of the whole "War on Christmas" on the right side sort of weaponizing the phrase a bit, so that in some areas it can be interpreted as explicitly excluding others. So I'll say Merry Christmas to somebody if I know they celebrate Christmas, but I put my default (i.e., off-the-cuff happy-wishing) on 'Holidays'.

And for me, I feel like I get equal happiness from someone wishing me a Merry Christmas as I do when they wish me Happy Holidays (and vice versa), so there's no real loss to me to wish somebody happy holidays rather than a merry Christmas. Both phrases indicate goodwill and cheer, but one just automatically includes more people in it, so I use that one.