War on Christmas seems to be failing.

As far as I'm concerned, there was never a "war" on Christmas, that is just an exaggeration made by those who are Christian and are unhappy with the use of other terms used like Happy Holidays or Season's Greetings. I was raised Catholic, and way back then it was commonplace for everyone I knew to say Merry Christmas.

However, America has changed and there are many people who live here with diverse religious backgrounds, where wishing them a Merry Christmas would be inappropriate. I personally had an uncomfortable situation at a Christmas party several years ago, given by a friend. There were some Jewish couples attending, and I was aware of that. When one couple had to leave the party early for some reason, and everyone was telling them to get home safe, etc., I automatically, with no thought of religion at all, wished them a Merry Christmas. To my surprise, there were some smiles that disappeared. Afterwards my husband told me they were Jewish, and that was the reason why.

Now, honestly, rather than offend anyone unintentionally, I try to remember to just say Happy Holidays, makes things much simpler in today's America. I am not religious myself, and certainly do not even think about people's beliefs or try to figure out where they worship...or if they worship at all. But, being brought up to wish others well during the holiday season with the Merry Christmas wish, it's a hard habit to break in my 60s. Here's some thoughts on it...http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-raushenbush/happy-holiday-vs-merry-ch_b_4384874.html

However, if you don't know the spiritual tradition of a co-worker, friend, or stranger in the elevator but wish to offer them a 'Season's greeting' -- a simple 'Happy Holiday' is not at all an insult or a denigration of Christmas, or any other tradition.

It is an appropriate and inclusive salutation that recognizes that there are many ways that people are observing the season and you don't know enough to be specific.

The trickiest part of the whole 'war on Christmas' is what to do about holiday celebrations in public schools, and on public property. Here again, inclusion is the way to go. We are a nation that has continued to welcome people of all religious backgrounds and no religious backgrounds. Simultaneous religious inclusion with separation of church is part of America's complex yet wonderful religious DNA.
So, let a thousand flowers bloom -- let's have Christmas carols and Hanukkah songs; Kwanzaa lessons, HumanLight celebrations, and Pagan solstice rituals -- let's do it all. It's so much more fun to cast a wide net where all can celebrate our traditions together rather than strip everything away to protect the delicate sensibilities of some very prickly few.
And now a special note to my fellow Christians who talk so much about the war on Christmas. I get it, for a long, long time Christianity was dominant in the United States and represented the civic religion of the country.

But America is about the people who are here now, and that is a much more diverse group. And that's good! It is time to stop insisting that everything revolves around us.

Instead, let's join the wider circle of the many traditions that make up our country. Besides, any Christian knows that Christmas is not about displays in shopping malls, or capitols, or schools, it is about a spiritual event that we honor most in our families and our homes.
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Another thing to consider, is Happy Holidays encompasses both Christmas and New Years...so even religious Catholics/Christians can use it to wish someone a happy holiday season, including a happy new year. There's nothing offensive about these types of greetings at all, IMO.
 
That's because there is no war on Christmas. The war on Christmas is entirely made up by bigots who actually want to wage war on including non-Christians in wishing people happy holidays. I've been atheist for going on 34 years now and I've said Merry Christmas all that time. Go figure. The war on Christmas is a lie.
 
SeaBreeze said:
As far as I'm concerned, there was never a "war" on Christmas, that is just an exaggeration made by those who are Christian and are unhappy with the use of other terms used like Happy Holidays or Season's Greetings. I was raised Catholic, and way back then it was commonplace for everyone I knew to say Merry Christmas.

However, America has changed and there are many people who live here with diverse religious backgrounds, where wishing them a Merry Christmas would be inappropriate. I personally had an uncomfortable situation at a Christmas party several years ago, given by a friend. There were some Jewish couples attending, and I was aware of that. When one couple had to leave the party early for some reason, and everyone was telling them to get home safe, etc., I automatically, with no thought of religion at all, wished them a Merry Christmas. To my surprise, there were some smiles that disappeared. Afterwards my husband told me they were Jewish, and that was the reason why.

Now, honestly, rather than offend anyone unintentionally, I try to remember to just say Happy Holidays, makes things much simpler in today's America. I am not religious myself, and certainly do not even think about people's beliefs or try to figure out where they worship...or if they worship at all. But, being brought up to wish others well during the holiday season with the Merry Christmas wish, it's a hard habit to break in my 60s. Here's some thoughts on it...http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-raushenbush/happy-holiday-vs-merry-ch_b_4384874.html
Click to expand...

Exactly. It's Merry Christmas to those I know celebrate Christmas but happy holidays or the holiday I know them to celebrate if I know they celebrate something else or happy holidays if I don't know what they celebrate.
 
I say Happy Christmas to everyone [never said Happy Holidays or heard it said either.] However I don't live in a multicultural town or city, but a village in the countryside, so it's not a problem.
 

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