I was in Hobby Lobby last night doing some last minute shopping, and as the person in front of me was getting ready to leave, the cashier wished them a Merry Christmas. The person turned around, looked the cashier in the eyes, and in the most pissed off tone I had heard in long a while - said "Happy Holidays", and stormed off.
For those of you who don't know, there is a war going on. It is a war between wishing someone a "Happy Holidays" vs. wishing them a "Merry Christmas". Apparently, wishing somebody a "Merry Christmas" these days is considered extremely offensive! You are only allowed to say "Happy Holidays", or you might offend someone.
I get it. Not everybody is Christian. Not everybody celebrates Christmas. Some people even hate everything the holiday stands for. But is it really that big of a deal for someone to wish you a Merry Christmas? Even if you completely hate the holiday, has someone really done you harm by wishing you a merry one?
The person saying it is not coming from a bad place. They do not mean you any harm. They basically see the season as one of love and cheer, and are offering to send some of that happiness your way.
Maybe you don't like when people say it, but if that is the case - can you just ignore it? Why get pissed off at someone just for saying it?
I have several friends in India, and they celebrate Diwali every year - the Hindu festival of lights. It is a very big holiday over there, and it sounds like a lot of fun. Every year when that time of year comes around, they wish me a Happy Diwali. I always wish the same to them.
Does wishing them a Happy Diwali mean that I all of a sudden now believe in the Hindu religion? Have I abandoned my Christian/Buddhist faith? Are they all of a sudden going to stop being a Hindu when I wish them a Merry Christmas later that year?
No. It is harmless. They have their religions believes, and I have mine. Whether we personally celebrate the holidays as part of their religious faith is irrelevant. We are just offering to share some of our joy and happiness with each other as we celebrate our individual holidays.
So if hearing "Merry Christmas" offends you, then that is just too darn bad. I still hope you have a Merry one. And if you celebrate Hanukkah - have a happy one of those too. Whatever holiday you celebrate - I hope you have a great one. And have a Happy New Year too!