If someone says "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas", I think it's important to note that they are still extending a friendly greeting and they're being nice. To me, I value inclusion. I might tell someone Merry Christmas, or I might tell them Happy Holidays, or Best of Season .. whatever I decide to say at the moment.Again, all of it is a friendly greeting, and whatever the words are chosen by someone else to say to me, I recognize it as friendliness and appreciate the gesture. I will never be offended by that.

I don't think there's a war on Christmas. I think some people react far too negatively to the concept of "politically correct." In fact, I think the irony here is that it's politically correct to complain about being politically correct. :lol: Rather, I see the whole "Happy Holidays" effort as being about inclusion and respect. But on the flip side, I've never known anyone in my whole life who was ever offended by being told "Merry Christmas" even if they themselves were not exactly of the Christian faith or whatever. All my friends always just appreciated the gesture of goodwill and friendliness (see paragraph #1 above). If your experience has been different then maybe you just need to meet nicer people!! :lol: Or you know what, make the choice to truly own the values you want to represent, and lead by example.

Just be nice to each other. It's really not that hard. :)

Peace out! And Happy Kwanzaa to all. :)

I vote this one "Best Answer" :)

I'll say Merry Christmas but with the Modern Christmas season having so little to do with the birth of Christ, Happy Holidays is just as appropriate.

Well said!!

Nailed it!

If I was to say Merry Christmas to someone Jewish, I would be delighted if they said Happy Hannukah back to me. And that goes for any other faith or belief as well.

AquaAddict

I love how we allow other cultures to come into our country and dictate our traditions and values.

I still say Merry Christmas.

Our entire family says MERRY CHRISTMAS.

I'm all for multiculturalism, but that does not mean we have to make our own Canadian traditions subordinate to traditions from other countries. Being strictly PC makes me want to gag, btw, which is probably true for a lot of other people. If people are offended by our saying Merry Christmas, then that's their problem since greeting fellow Canadians with a hearty "Merry Christmas!" is a long-standing Canadian tradition. If others want to greet each other with other sayings fine. If I'm traveling in another country while they're celebrating their own religious holidays, great, I'll use their traditional greetings. If I'm in their country, I'll be respectful of their traditions. That's not PC, that's just being polite.

I agree with AquaAddict and would be delighted if someone from another faith or culture greets my "Merry Christmas" with their own traditional greeting. Allowing the PC Police to impose a generic "Happy Holiday" on me, though, just won't fly. If my daughters' school imposed a ban on Merry Christmas at school, I'd make it a point to walk through the hallways and greet every teacher and administrator with a hearty "Merry Christmas" just to take a stand on this issue. I'd rather they teach the kids to be proud of their own cultural traditions and greet each other with either a "Merry Christmas" to acknowledge Canadian traditions or their own "Happy Hannukah", etc. rather than impose a PC "Happy Holidays" on everyone.

Here in Canada:

• If someone greets me with a "Happy Holidays",
• then I'll likely ask, "To which holiday are you referring to?"
• to which they will probably respond, "Christmas",
• and I'll come back with a "Merry Christmas to you, then!"

For myself and my family, we greet all of you with a hearty "Merry Christmas!"

Anthony, Irene, Felicia & Isabella

Poll reopened.

Merry Christmas!

Despite being from a different faith, I greet with "Merry Christmas and happy holidays" (whenever greeting is expected)....that covers both ends and I don't get into trouble.

To whom it may concern:

Merry Christmas & happy holidays fellow reefers :mrgreen: