the debate is totally stupid. the answer is totally easy.

1. if you know what the other person celebrates wish that person joy of that holiday. that includes merry christmas (happy christmas if you're british), happy chanukah, joyful kwanzaa, good solstice or WHATEVER. it's okay to be specific if you KNOW.

2. if you don't know what the other person celebrates, it's okay to ask and then be specific.

3. if you don't know what the other person celebrates and you're not in a position to ask, say happy holidays.

4. if you're addressing a group and the group is not homogeneous say happy holidays.

5. if you're not even sure the recipient of the greetings celebrates anything at all, say season's greetings, or how about hello? hello is good! hello works!

the thing is, if you're really wishing happy ANYTHING to the recipient, then what you say should be about the recipient, not about you! otherwise your wish is hypocritical and shouldn't even be expressed, unless you say "happy whatever i celebrate and to hell with what YOU celebrate!"

g

I say Happy Holidays on those occasions when I don't simply murmur "Bah Humbug". But if someone says Merry Christmas it certainly doesn't offend me.

I'm not convinced it's even a thing

This was just sent to me from the Humanist. I thought it apropos. "Back in 2015, when he was executive director of the Yale Humanist Community (YHC), Stedman initiated the public art project as an attempt to counter the tired “war on Christmas” narrative. While YHC does acknowledge the importance of protecting public spaces from unconstitutional promotions of religion, the community is dedicated to highlighting what nonreligious Americans are for in addition to what they are against."

[thehumanist.com]

What I find offensive is the "Christ is the reason for the season" drivel. Or the "put Christ back into Christmas". I have a bad habit telling these people that the season was there long before Christianity, and that they need to put Christ back into Christian.

They don't care for me much.

Like it makes a difference what you say, or at least between these 2 it shouldn't. A tiresome debate at best.

I'll take what ever greeting they want to give me. I almost always say "Happy Holidays", and have never been disrespected.

Yes. The proper term is "fuck this".

I agree. It affects my life in no way what so ever.

Chanukah and Christmas are not always the same time so I say both. When they do fall same time.. I say Happy Holidays. Nobody... I mean nobody....has ever been offended by my saying any of these.

It comes down to this: Choose your battles wisely.

Happy Saturnalia works for me.

It reminds me of Chevy Chase in Xmas Vaca. Greeting the yes men following the boss.
Mery xmas
Merry xmas
Kiss my ass
Kiss his ass
Happy Hanukia

Because I have never heard a single person go on a rant about this, I'm going to assume the people who are outraged are on Fox?

I grew up outside of Boston. You were either Jewish or Catholic, we always said "Happy Holidays " as you might not know a person's particular religion. The war on Christmas is made up.

Stupid, yes. Infuriating, no. Consider the source.

It’s christmas. Always was, always will be. There wouldn’t be a ‘holiday’ if christmas hadn’t been there to start with. Anyone who’s offended by the use of the word can do one. Anyone who thinks non christian religious groups are offended by it really needs to take some time to actually meet people from those groups. Any non-believers (I am one) who object to it need to find something important to occupy their minds.

It's one thing to push your sentiments on another but completely wrong to try and control what the other says in return.

Only the bible thumpers and religious freaks get all butt hurt over such a trivial thing such as this. What the hell difference does it make.. most of us that know this shit doesn't matter, could care less. I don't say either one to anybody because I don't partake in the bullshit myself.

Seems as if you are not alone - not "infuriatingly" but "unbelievably" yes

Not worth getting riled up about.

This is not a hill I intend to die on. Say whatever you want, I don't care.

I prefer Happy Holidays, but I’ll take any kind wishes. I just get annoyed by the fake persecution of those who insist their right to say Merry Christmas has been violated. My neighbors have a sign the says it’s ok to say Merry Christmas. I wish they felt the same about all holiday greetings. Happy Solstice, Feliz Navidad, Happy Christmyth, and Happy Festivus!

Who, honestly, should give a shit? It's a bloody holiday and it's celebrated in different ways, by different ethnicities and societies. This rubbish of "not being able to say Merry Christmas", has made me want to throat punch a few people, in my circle. I'll wish whatever I want, to everyone...at least I'm wishing them something "nice and fuzzy"; even if it doesn't placate their agenda.

I believe it is extremely stupid. If religious people want to stick with Merry Christmas, more power to them; just because I say Happy Holidays (I switch back and forth); the feelings are the same, so those religious folks should just accept the well wishes - otherwise bah humbug to them. I also think the fury over the song, Baby It's Cold Outside, is equally stupid. You can't hold up many things from the past to today's society and issues. Geez, it's just a damn song. If you don't like it - TURN THE DAMN CHANNEL. You don't have to listen to it. For those of us who don't have a problem with it; mind your own business.