Ah, once again it's time for the annual Christmas Wars (yawn).
This is so silly; I have heard phrases like "Seasons Greetings" and "Happy
Holidays" all my life, perhaps encouraged by post-Holocaust and Civil
Rights-era ecumenicism, the fact that all the major world religions have a
holiday tradition for this time of year and the fact that the "holiday
season" also includes New Years Day.
A few years ago while I was publishing The AM Press/Exchange, one of our
out-of-state subscribers rang me about submitting an article. It was just a
few days before Christmas, so I wished him a "Happy Christmas". He wasted
no time informing me that he was Jewish and did not recognise the Xmas
holiday.
Wouldn't a devout Christian be expected to tire of exchanging "Happy
Ramadan, Hanukkah or Visakah Puja (Buddha Day)" for weeks on end every year?
A retailer, especially in to-day's economy, may feel that he has to walk a
thin line so as to offend as few customers as possible, hence the generic
holiday greeting.
But this may not be a matter of faith or no faith at all, but a matter of
marketing. Christmas SALES begin at Halloween if not before. Therefore,
"Happy Holidays", "Get your Christmas shopping done early". Now that
retailers sell "Christmas" through Halloween, Thanksgiving AND Christmas.
"Happy Holidays" takes in the whole 3 months.
Don k4kyv
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