When I'm paying attention, I try to alter what I say for the person I'm addressing, but as often as not, I'm not paying attention and all kinds of stuff pops out - Merry Hanukha, Happy Christmas. I think it's a waste of time to get bent out of shape about any of it though, the point is to wish the other person well.

Nope. I'm not a politically correct person, and if we're close enough that I'm wishing you SOMEthing? Then you can deal with "Merry Christmas." I don't wish it to customers or passers by on the street because while in my heart I DO wish them well, I don't have time for the bullcrap of "I don't celebrate Christmas". Many years ago I wished someone a Merry Christmas and was verbally attacked for it, so if you want to wish yourSELF a merry Christmas, go for it, but I'm out.

"Family Tree." Lolololbarf.

I am a Scrooge this Christmas, so I don't have any well wishes for anyone.... but if I did, it would be "Merry Christmas."

I appreciate the sentiment of "Happy Holidays" and use this phrase accordingly, but seriously... it's not a Holiday Tree. It's a Christmas tree.

I work for one of the most diverse companies in my region, and I have yet to come across a person of differing ethnicity who takes offense to "Christmas Trees".

Isn't Christmas commercialized enough anyway that we don't have to really care about the religious overtones?

merry Kwanzaa!!! yeah sure... I said yes. I always say Merry Christmas!!! If it is before Thanksgiving, then I may say have a good holiday/holidays.

Nope, I don't avoid it. And I say it in response to whoever (whomever?) wishes me a Merry Christmas.

I always say Happy Holidays. Not everybody celebrates the same holidays, and that's an easy way to be inclusive. Plus, I mean it!

well if something is for Christmas then its Christmas-related, so no "holiday tree" is lame.

I do like the happy holidays though, I don't think it should be assumed people celebrate Christmas, so being more inclusive is the best way to go. While "Merry Christmas" leaves people out, Happy Holidays includes everyone including the Christmas folks.

Pretty much everyone I know is Christian/Catholic so it's Merry Christmas for me. But seriously--I'm Agnostic, and even my Agnostic/Atheist friends say Merry Christmas. I never saw it as a heavily religious/ethnic thing but more a celebration of family and friends. I try to be as politically correct as I can but for the most part, Merry Christmas. Have a good time.

Blah. Happy Chrismahanukwanzaakah.

You may say happy new years, but someone may not celebrate it. So maybe we should just be cold and rude and not say anything at all, for fear of offending someone or for fear they may not celebrate that specific holiday....

I'm not gonna let anyone tell me that I can't call it CHRISTmas!
If they can stick to THIER rights to call it 'holiday' then I can stick to mine and keep CHRIST in Christmas, where it belongs.

People can be so ridiculous-- gawd. let them call it Christmas. It IS Christmas.

I say Happy Holidays because I'm agnostic and that's what applies to me, but I don't take offense if someone says Merry Christmas. I accept it in the spirit with which it was given.

Of course retailers are going to say whatever it takes to sell products...

I say Happy Holidays because I don't know who is Jewish or celebrates Kwanzaa. But if it's my friend, yea I'll say Merry Christmas. But I usually say Happy Holidays.

I have said "Happy Holidays" for a while, but it was more because I was trying to include Christmas AND New Years all at once. Now I know a lot more Jewish folks, so I just continue to say Happy Holidays. Ultimately it is just wishing someone well...it kind of sadness me to see people declaring "war" on "happy holidays", which to me is the anti-thesis of what Christmas stands for. Treat people well, appreciate them and all of the blessings you have. Putting too much focus on semantics takes away from that, IMO.

"I'm agnostic and that's what applies to me, but I don't take offense if someone says Merry Christmas. I accept it in the spirit with which it was given"

I agree, good point!

Everyone always lumps in Hannukka, Christmas, and Kwanzaa together.

Does anyone here celebrate Kwanzaa? I can't say I've ever met anyone who does. I'd be interested to know how many people celebrate it.

I don't think I have ever known anyone that celebrates Kwanzaa. I don't know that much about it!

I know a few who celebrate Kwanzaa. Almost half of my college is Jewish (though only a handful are practicing Jews) and the other half is Agnostic/Atheist. When I think of it I actually know personally very few Christians now, yet we all celebrate "Christmas". It is such a cultural thing at this point.

Well, it would be pretty ridiculous of me to wish my Hindu and Jewish friends a "Merry Christmas" just because Christians are offended at the use of "Happy Holidays" or "Happy Hanukkah." But, if I know someone celebrates Christmas, then I will certainly wish him a "Merry Christmas."

Justinerd- then point isn't that you can't call Christmas "Christmas," the point is that not everyone in America celebrates Christmas. Stores, who might not know what all of their employees and customers celebrate wish to be inclusive. This does not mean that you should be offended because they are not choosing to single out the majoritarian holiday in favor of recognizing everyone. Last time I checked, Christmas IS a holiday, so to be upset at being wished a "Happy Holiday" is to deny that Christmas even is a holiday! Plus, you are free to say whatever you want to your friends and family, and to celebrate whatever you want, even if someone is heartless enough to wish you a "Happy Holiday."

Before I met my boyfriend, I would say "Merry Christmas", but he is Jewish and more involved with other religions. So now I say "Happy Holidays".

Correction..."AND NOW I AM more involved with other religions".

I always have said Merry Christmas, becuase that is the holiday I observe. My Jewish collegues wish me a happy Hanukah, and I always tell them they have time to, step forward and see the light.

Seriousily, They wish me happy (holiday of their following), and we are both content with the arrangement.

I don't see why this issue gets so bitter. Nobody's intentionally trying to be offensive, I don't think; it's a busy time of year for a *lot* of faiths.

If I know someone doesn't celebrate Christmas and is a close friend, then I usually try to wish them a Happy {insert friend's holiday here - also, most of my atheist/agnostic friends still put up trees and give out presents and call the day "Christmas", so I don't see the harm in telling them so}. It's a lot of fun, and I learn more about their culture and religion to use the next time I meet someone of the same faith.

Usually they reciprocate by wishing me a "Merry Christmas". It's the holiday I celebrate [we observe a bit of Kwanzaa too, but not in any religious/holiday sense], and I can tell them more about why it's important to me.

When I'm out, I usually just wish people a good day, like I do any other time of year - unless they say "Happy Holidays"; then I respond with the same.

My Jewish relatives have no problem with "Merry Christmas". I always wish then "Happy Hanukkah". So what? just be happy! (Or merry).

Anyone else annoyed by the "Nope" option. Saying Happy Holidays is not the same as saying Holiday tree. Happy Holidays makes sense to me, as there are multiple Holidays and vacation time, holiday tree is avoiding or pc'ing the association that the evergreen coniferous tree has to Christmas. While no one knows the origins or reason for the association it would be like calling a Hanukkah Menorah a Holiday Menorah...and that is just silly.

I agree that "Holiday tree" is silly. But unlike the menorah, the Christmas tree did have its origins in pagan and druid saturnalia festivals.

That's interesting Janneth I didn't know that. I thought they couldn't date the exact time and place the Christmas tree popped up.

I read that ancient Egyptians, Romans, and Druids all brought palm leaves or evergreen boughs into their homes during the solstice or saturnalia celebrations.
(It was not until the 1960s that aluminum trees with colored light wheels were used, haha. Original "Christian" invention.)

If I know the person celebrates Christmas, then I'll wish them a Merry Christmas. But if I don't know, I always go with Happy Holidays, considering that I'm Jewish so I don't celebrate Christmas. It's not that I'm offended or will go on a rant if someone wishes me a Merry Christmas (I just smile and say you too and keep the kvetching to myself) but when you don't celebrate Christmas, all of December is just an OVERLOAD of Christmas stuff and it gets annoying to be wished a Merry Christmas over and over when you don't even celebrate it -- yes, in America, gentiles celebrating Christmas are by far in the majority, but there are others of us out there with different religions! To avoid the problem, I always send out either general winter-themed holiday cards, or combine elements of Christmas and Chanukkah on them, so nobody feels left out!

if I know someone is of another religion then I'd say Happy Hannukah/Kwanzaa/any other holiday, but generally I say Merry Christmas. if someone told me happy hannukah i wouldn't be offended so they shouldn't be offended by me saying merry Christmas. i'm not a fan of happy holidays though, its too PC for me haha

I alternate between Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. I work part-time at Chick-fil-a, a notoriously christian company, and my manager actually told me the other day that he likes that I say 'Have a Merry Christmas' to the guests. I told him I just say whatever comes to mind at the time.

Besides, no matter the words, the sentiment is nice and the message is universal.

I am positively surrounded by non-Christians, and I do both Christmas and Hanukkah - so I definitely notice, and don't like, when someone says Merry Christmas or Christmas cookies. I don't go out of line, though - I would never say anything to anyone for doing it. After all, they wish me well. But I would never say it, not even on Christmas (hey, I celebrate with my super-jewish-until-the-holocaust-took-everyone-he-knew-but-his-nuclear-family-and-he-began-to-doubt-god Grandpa.)

However, it is a Christmas tree. Anything else is ridiculous. Around Jewsih friends, I just mention my 'tree'. They know what it is.

To me, it is MERRY CHRISTMAS, I do not partake of the politically correctness... at the same time,I don't go out of my way to irritate people. But, come on, 25 DECEMBER is CHRISTMAS...and that's what most people celebrate, whether they are christian or not...

I know too many Jewish people. I also have Arabic friends and people who don't celebrate Christmas. However, people shouldn't go out of their way to please everyone. Happy Holidays is enough I guess. There is nothing more annoying than people who try too hard to me politically correct.

I say happy holidays...but that could be because I'm an Atheist and don't really put too much emphasis on the holidays, other than the fact that they are thrown in my face lol. Don't mind them though, it's an enjoyable time of year, but to get so bent out of shape about it? I'm sorry but if someone says Merry Christmas to me, I don't get offended:)

I say Merry Christmas unless I know the other person doesn't celebrate Christmas... then it's Happy Holidays.

And I'm sorry, but 'Holiday tree' is ridiculous. Most everyone accepts it's a Christmas tree even if they don't celebrate Christmas. Actually one of my Jewish friends have a Christmas tree. Her dad was Christian and converted to marry her mother, so they keep that little piece of his past. They made Star of David ornaments for it... rather funny if you think about it.

Like others mentioned, I hate the term "holiday tree" - it just doesn't make sense! However, I am firmly in the Happy Holidays camp, mainly because it doesn't exclude anyone. I also like the fact that it covers allll the holidays of the season, from Thanksgiving through New Year's Eve.

I am an atheist and my husband is Jewish, so I do find it a little off-putting when I get a really religious Christmas card from someone. Don't they get a little twinge of something being off when they're writing our very Jewish-sounding last name on a card with Baby Jesus? Ha ha!

Happy Holidays...that covers any and EVERY one.

At work I only say Merry Christmas if some one else says it first.

Outside of work I say Merry Christmas normally. Sometimes I say Happy Holidays though. I guess it just depends on my mood.

No I don't avoid saying Merry Christmas however if I happen to observe the obvious signs that someone is not a mainstream American who celebrates Christmas or a (Christian) then I'll make the simple adjustment and go on about my day. Merry Christmas.

It's Rudy!

I always say happy holidays since not everyone celebrates christmas.

which by the way..

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

I say whatever comes to mind - Merry Christmas, Happy Christmas, Happy Holidays, Merry Holidays, Merry Hannukah, you name the combination I've said it. I don't worry about it too much. I think "Merry Christmas" is what I say most of the time, but that's because of my centrist view of what I celebrate. LOL. I celebrate Christmas, so it's what is most natural.

It just depends on the person. If I know someone really does celebrate Christmas Christmas, then I'll say "Merry Christmas"; otherwise I'll just say Happy Holidays. It doesn't take a lot of thought, and it definitely doesn't seem like something to get miffed about either way.

I agree Jude, it depends on the person.

I was raised in a joint Jewish/Christian household, so we would wish everyone Happy Hanukkah and Merry Christmas, irrespective of what their faith was, and no one seemed to mind. My husband is a Muslim and he wishes people Merry Christmas all the time! We have a Taiwanese friend staying with us for the holidays and he is a Buddhist - but we still have presents for him under our Christmas tree and he wishes people "Merry Christmas", too.

If I know someone is really against the religious aspect of the holiday, I will wish them just Happy Holidays, and the cards we send out are generic "Happy Holidays" just because we send them to so many people, all of different faiths and persuasions (and to be honest, I just use the card to show off my cute little boy! )

But, like you Jude, I don't notice that people get miffed about it either way...I think most people just take it in the spirit it was intended...

"I think most people just take it in the spirit it was intended..."

Yeah, one would hope

In Brazil that's really not an issue. The jewish are like 0.001% of the population, most people never even heard of Kwanzaa, and as for us atheists we're too excited about the gifts and the food and the partying to feel offended by anything! =D

Martini - you seem to have the coolest life story!

I just say "Happy Holidays" because it includes everything--Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, etc. I don't think the actual words matter, it's the sentiment behind it. Meaning, "Have a great time stuffing your face with food and alcohol while possibly having to spend time with people you may or may not love".