Most humans often assume that if something is popular then everyone is part of it. However, if you were working amongst peers that are Muslims or Jews or even Atheist, would you still wish them a Merry Christmas?
I usually say something like 'Seasons Greetings'. That way I am not referring to a specific celebration with religious annotations. I may sometimes slip and tell a non-Christian Merry Christmas, and it is always awkward when they reply with "I dont celebrate Christmas" or something to that extent.
If I know a person is Jewish or has some other holiday at the same time of Christmas, then I'll wish them a happy whatever. If they're Christian, or no other major religion, I'll tell them Merry Christmas. Whether they celebrate it or not, it's still the season. I don't really get all into New Year's as a holiday, but I still tell people Happy New Years. It's just a fact that it's the holiday, and that's what holiday it happens to be. I don't do it in a smug or insensitive way though.
My jewish friends in Argentina always wish me a Merry Christmas and I wish them the same in their sacred holidays, if there is a group of people and some are Christians and some are not, I say a general 'Merry Christmas'.
Well, I pretty much say Merry Christmas to everyone. I will also say Happy Hannukkah, but in reality, Hannukkah is a very minor Jewish holiday. It is we Christians and the retailers who have made it so big.
Last year, I gave everyone a candy cane on the final day of work before Christmas. Then I sent an e-mail out wishing everyone a Merry Christmas. In my message, I said I realized not everyone in the office celebrated Christmas, but that I hoped they would accept my candy cane in the spirit in which it was intended which was to wish them all well.
I personally use the words Happy Hollidays several weeks befor Christmas and then use the term Merry Christmas about 2 weeks befor Christmas, that way they know there is a differance between the holidays befor the Christmas Day and the actual days of celibration.
I'm Jewish but I don't care if someone tells me merry christmass. I don't get offended, I know they won't do it on purpose. I don't reply with any witty remark, either. Just thanks, since christmass is celebrated in the US, and even though I myself am not celebrating it, it might as well be merry.
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Well, I pretty much say Merry Christmas to everyone. I will also say Happy Hannukkah, but in reality, Hannukkah is a very minor Jewish holiday. It is we Christians and the retailers who have made it so big. |
I personally think there is nothing wrong with wishing a person of another religion a 'Merry Christmas', just because they don't celebrate it, doesn't mean they can't enjoy the time of year. Something that is also very interesting is that Christmas is starting to be celebrated in non-christian cultures, like Japan for example.