Merry Christmas or Happy Holiday?

The Christmas season is primarily a Christian affair because it’s the time of each year that is dedicated to the celebration of the holy birth of Jesus Christ. It’s however such a captivating period of every year that several non-Christians usually join in the celebration. It’s also a period most favored by all retailers and small business owners irrespective of their beliefs or religious leanings. The Christmas mood is so contagious and pervasive all across the world that it spreads even to Saudi Arabia, the cradle of Islam.

And all over the global community, people fondly exchange compliments of the Christmas season by saying “Merry Christmas!” The only exception though is the United States where it’s a social crime to utter this form of greeting. Here, in God’s own country, the safe words to use is “Happy Holiday!” And this is all because some people don’t believe in Jesus while there are others who don’t even believe in God. Fine, I respect that school of thought. But my first question is, in a democracy, why will a minority of people impose so much stress on the majority? Secondly, how can a small section of the nation’s population expect the bigger number of people to know about their petty objection to a mere form of greeting when the objection is not written on their foreheads or their clothes?



It’s in view of this situation therefore that I have personally resolved to exercise my rights under the First Amendment by saying “Merry Christmas” to anyone I choose to greet in that manner irrespective of their beliefs. And in fairness, all I expect them to do in return is either to respond appropriately or to simply ignore me. But no one should expect a “Happy Holiday” from me!