Julia Kane ‘27
Opinions Editor
Every December, especially in recent years, there has been an emergence of “Happy Holidays” in Christmas cards, company messages, and everyday vernacular. Many call this switch from Merry Christmas to Happy Holidays a product of increasing political correctness and oppose the new, more inclusive phrase. Those against the switch frequently refer to it as the War on Christmas, viewing the change as an attack on their beliefs. This mentality was seen in former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, as he once said, “When I started campaigning, I said, ‘You’re going to say “Merry Christmas” again,’ and now, people are saying it.” Similarly, President-Elect Donald Trump has made past comments along the lines of “We can say Merry Christmas again.” While the divide between phrases typically comes down to party lines, religion and Christian predominance in America is another factor to consider. While non-Christians often prioritize including a wide breadth of celebrations and customs from different faiths, Christians may interpret fewer symbols of Christmas as meaning that their faith is getting rejected by society. This topic has become increasingly polarized, as John Gibson, former co-host of The Big Story on Fox News, wrote a book titled The War on Christmas: How the Liberal Plot to Ban the Sacred Christian Holiday Is Worse Than You Thought. On the opposite side, the city council of Birmingham, Alabama hosted a celebration called “Winterval” as an attempt to highlight the holiday traditions of Diwali, Chinese New Year, and Christmas, among others. The political right saw this as an absurd expression of political correctness, although that was not the event’s goal. Similarly to most topics nowadays, the hyperpolarized political climate of the US makes this seemingly trivial issue one that many feel strongly about.
As someone born and raised a Catholic, I believe that Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays can each be appropriate expressions in their respective situations. As I enter my living room on Christmas morning to greet my family, who share the Christian faith, I tend to wish them a Merry Christmas. For a presidential statement or a company-wide message, however, I feel that Happy Holidays is perfectly suited to address a wide range of religions and beliefs of a diverse population. Additionally, I do not find Merry Christmas to be a phrase that forces Christianity down others’ throats, as oftentimes it is simply a way for someone to wish others well and spread love during the holidays. If I wish someone a Merry Christmas without knowing their religion, I am not trying to indoctrinate them but rather spread positivity. Comparatively, saying “God bless you” after someone sneezes has little to do with religion and more with courtesy. This is not to say, however, that I don’t appreciate the flexibility and inclusivity of saying Happy Holidays. In administering a widespread message, it succeeds in getting its point across without assuming that every individual celebrates a singular holiday.
As we enter the universal season of cheer and festivity, try not to worry about constantly distinguishing between saying Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas or picking a side, so to speak. It should not be politicized as much as it is today since they are both meant to be well wishes without ulterior motives. At least for me, in certain scenarios, one will just feel right. It should not serve as an identification badge for the speaker, as some may believe, and I do not believe that choosing to use one or the other immediately classifies you, either by religion or party. Enjoy whichever holiday you choose to celebrate, and know that more often than not, those who say Happy Holidays do not intend to shun Christmas or Christianity as a whole, and those who say Merry Christmas are not intentionally dismissing all other holidays.
Featured image courtesy of Scholastic
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