And just like that, we’re getting ready to turn the page on the calendar and welcome the final month of 2022. As holiday preparations kick into high gear, it’s only a matter of time before the annual debate over Merry Christmas vs. Happy Holidays begins. Read on to find out why this discussion makes me shake my head every year and why I’ll love it if you wish me happy holidays.
No Blogmas this year
Unlike the last two years, I won’t be participating in Blogmas this year. If you’re not familiar with Blogmas, it’s a blogging challenge that involves posting every day between December 1 and Christmas. It’s a lot of fun and a great way to grow your blog, but it’s also a ton of work.
I won’t be posting every day, but I do have some holiday-themed content planned, and I’m going to refresh and republish some of my original Christmas posts from 2019.
Wait, did I just say “holiday-themed content”? Uh-oh…the Christmas police will be all over me for that one. Which brings me to the main point of today’s post. What’s the big deal about happy holidays?
I won’t be offended if you wish me happy holidays!
Every year, my social media feed is abuzz with people complaining about the use of the word “holidays” instead of “Christmas”. I usually just roll my eyes and keep on scrolling.
Before I go any further with airing my grievances, let me be clear. I’m a Christian and I celebrate Christmas. When I send Christmas cards, I specifically look for cards that say “Merry Christmas”. I buy Christmas presents. I go to Christmas mass and sing Christmas carols. So, as a Christian, am I offended when someone wishes me happy holidays, or I see ads advertising holiday sales? Heck no!
Being inclusive doesn’t undermine anyone’s beliefs
Those on “Team Christmas” seem to believe that the term “Happy Holidays” somehow undermines the Christian beliefs that our society was supposedly built on. Their argument is usually along the lines of “we shouldn’t have to change our traditions to suit them”.
No-one is telling anyone to change their traditions. One of the great things about living in a free society is each of us can celebrate the holidays and traditions that are important to us. But in an increasingly multi-faith and multi-cultural society, many people don’t celebrate Christmas. That’s a fact.
As businesses and individuals acknowledge the diversity in our society, they’re changing the words and language they use to be more inclusive. That’s a good thing. However, while I totally support more inclusive greetings, I do have an issue with stores that forbid staff to wish customers Merry Christmas. If you know your customers celebrate Christmas, or see them buying Christmas merchandise, it should be okay to wish them Merry Christmas.
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Go ahead and wish me happy holidays
In a world where people are increasingly unkind to each other, it’s baffling to me that anyone would take offence to any happy, positive greeting.
I’d rather you wish me happy holidays than tell me to go to hell (or worse). And I’ll never be offended if you wish me happy Hanukkah, Eid Mubarak, joyous Kwanzaa, happy Diwali, or whatever greeting your faith or culture acknowledges.
Because that holiday the Christmas police claim to be protecting is all about love. So let’s love, accept and embrace all faiths and cultures. It will only make us better!
Whatever holiday you celebrate, or don’t celebrate, this time of year, I wish you an abundance of peace, joy and love.
Drop me a comment below and let me know your thoughts on the Merry Christmas vs. Happy Holidays debate.
I have never understood the debate. It is the holiday season from now through January 1. People are too easily offended. I hope you have a very happy holiday season. It sounds like you have wonderful plans.
It is a bizarre debate. When I posted this on Facebook, I couldn’t believe some of the comments. Happy Holidays to you, too, Judy.
I can imagine. People can be quite vocal on FB. Thanks!
I love this reminder that we can be inclusive and welcoming with our seasonal wishes. There are so many other religious and cultural holidays alongside Christmas at this time of year that we can’t always assume what people celebrate. I think it’s a nice way of saying “Hey, enjoy the season ahead”. Thanks for this!
I agree. It really is such a simple way to be inclusive. I don’t understand why there is so much resistance. As I said, I’d much rather someone wish me happy holidays than many other things they could say to me.
I don’t really belong to any religion but my husband is loose-practicing Catholic.. we celebrate Christmas (not as the birth of Christ) as a time for our family to gather and enjoy each other’s company… I am sensitive to others (who I am aware of what they do or don’t celebrate) and for those I don’t know much about, I typically stick to happy holidays! 🙂
I think Happy Holidays is an appropriate greeting when you don’t know what the individual’s beliefs are. I really don’t understand why people have an issue with it. None of their arguments make much sense to me.
Thank you for sharing Michelle. I am accustomed to say “Merry Christmas “ or “Happy Christmas “ to people. It seems the old debate continues, yet there are far more important subjects to debate. Merry Christmas,Happy Holidays, and in my case, Happy Birthday!
I agree 100%. We have far bigger issues to debate. Yes, Happy Birthday indeed!
I was literally just thinking of this upcoming season of debate around this topic this week. It’s sad that these are the type of thoughts that December brings. I wasn’t raised a Christian and yet always said Merry Christmas. It was never associated with a religious celebration to me, but a time of year. I think that’s why I find the debate even more perplexing. I’m with you on being totally okay with Happy Holidays and for the same reasons. I think it’s so important to be inclusive. If I know someone celebrates a different type of holiday, I’ll seek out/make a card that says Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas. If I know someone is a Christian, I’ll intentionally send a Christmas one. I think it’s important to respect other people and their beliefs.
Right! This post has been percolating in my brain for a couple of years now.
I agree that it’s so important be inclusive and, if these so-called Christians are secure in their beliefs, they have no reason to feel threatened by other faiths and other cultures.
Thanks for dropping by!
The part about people reacting badly to a greeting is something I have dealt with. Just like trying to shuffle customers around to tills so one till does not have a giant line up and people stare at me like I am crazy. Don’t come complaining about wait times if you don’t want to move checkout lines. However one day after wishing a customer a good day, a co-worker asked me if I ever thought that maybe they did not want to have nice day. That my cheerful greeting could really be annoying. And I looked him in the eye and said “With all the things in this world to be upset over, if my wishing you a good morning tops that list, you have bigger problems then just my greeting.”
Needless to say he figured I was right and has not said anything to me again about my greeting everyone. 🙂
No kidding! I’m happy any time someone greets me in a pleasant manner…no matter the reason. We have much bigger issues to solve!
😊😊😊