Should I Say “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays”?

What is the real difference between saying “Merry Christmas” and “Happy Holidays”? These two wishes of good cheer are echoed throughout the month of December. December brings many different holidays that are celebrated across many cultures and religions. Both are meant in the same spirit, stating a wish that a person has a happy holiday season. But, recently there has been controversy over the difference between the two sayings.
“Merry Christmas” refers specifically to the Christian holiday, celebrated on December 25th: Christmas. But recently, Christmas is no longer just considered to be a Christian holiday by most people. Christmas traditions like tree decorating, cookie making, and caroling are enjoyed by many families, not just those actively attending church. Stockings, presents, and Santa are concepts that everyone can enjoy regardless of religious affiliations. Christmas celebrates the birth of Christ and the teachings of goodwill and kindness towards one another that Christ brought to this world. Even though Christmas is one of the most predominant winter holidays, there are many other celebrations such as Hanukkah and Kwanzaa during the same time.
The saying “Happy Holidays” includes all religions and cultures in its sentiments. It spreads good spirits to those who celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or any other holiday. Happy Holidays also include New Year’s Day. If someone wants to be more inclusive of many holidays, this phrase would be most accurate as it categorizes all the winter celebrations. This specific phrase works for those who may celebrate a holiday for religious purposes and those who enjoy the season for its fun and glory with family and friends.
Typically, if you know the person who you are greeting, you are more likely to say “Merry Christmas” instead of “Happy Holidays”if you know they celebrate Christmas. When saying hello and goodbye to strangers, people more often use the phrase “Happy Holidays” to be more inclusive without knowing their celebrations. “Merry Christmas” and “Happy Holidays” can be easily used interchangeably, but sometimes the phrases have some casualties in the battle of political correctness. Today, the practice of using “Merry Christmas” is a fraught one. The choice between sticking with traditional salutations or the more politically correct “Happy Holidays” is divided by the difference in ideology, geography, and gender.
According to USA Today, “an NPR/PBS/Marist poll reveals that “Merry Christmas” remains the favored seasonal greeting for 56 percent of Americans, with 31 percent preferring “Happy Holidays.” An interesting finding was that a majority of those under 30 favor “Happy Holidays,” while older people are more traditional. This can be attributed to newer generations being more diverse and inclusive, whilst older generations tend to be more conservative. The political divide was the most significant with a 33% gap between “merry” republicans and “happy” democrats. In addition, it has been shown that people who live in the northeast are more likely to use “Happy Holidays” compared to those who reside in the midwest, where they would commonly greet people with “Merry Christmas”. There are many factors that contribute to the specific way people greet each other during the holiday season.
This disagreement over the use of Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays leaves some people worried about offending someone over their choice of greetings. Religious holidays — whether Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, or others — are meaningful and important holidays for those who observe them. The exact way to greet someone is not something to stress too much over, and it’s more important to enjoy the joyous times surrounded by family and friends. However, in the end, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays are simple greetings between friends, acquaintances, and strangers during a season where almost everyone is just a little merrier.