I teach such a mixed group of students, not only Christians and a handful of Jews, but also plenty of Muslims, Hindus, and others, including atheists, I’m sure, that I sometimes wonder whether I should even say “Happy Holidays” to my students, let alone “Merry Christmas.” And I teach at a Catholic university!
cashier
There are many things I would say to my mom, dad, siblings, husband, kids that I wouldn’t say to people I encounter in public, I prefer it that way, I want personal interactions to be personal, not the same as my interactions with Joe Schmo on the street.
I find that odd, in my experience Christmas parties were the stuff of grade school and ended when you went to Jr. High. The only place in high school where there were Christmas parties were in the language classes and those were more of a “these are some French/German/Spanish holiday traditions”.
And of course this would hold true for Christians who are wished a Happy Chanukah or Happy Ramadan.
Why not use it in speech and why would you say Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukah if you you don’t know what the person in front of you celebrates, those 2 salutations do not cover every possibility or include New Years. If you don’t know then it seems Happy Holidays would be more considerate.
The “government” is not making you say anything or controlling your speech, the government is controlling its own speech.
And these people make Christians look superficial and petty, they are the Christmas equivalent of Bridzillas, “it’s my special day and I want everyone to do, say and look just as I want, and if you can’t understand that you’re just being mean and hateful”
This seems to be a very American debate. In my country I get many many Carols from the English tradition of Christmas, but from the Americas I get snow, santa, snow. Dreaming of a white Christmas, let it snow let it snow let it snow, santa baby, rockin around a Christmas tree etc.
When a governmental / public authority can tell you what terms to use for not just “holiday trees” but even for articles of clothing worn in a setting like a school (“Yes, this is my Christmas, uh sorry, my ‘holiday’ sweater” - I call that controlling my speech. Perhaps you don’t live in Massachusetts.
If that is going on, it’s time to start filing lawsuits.
If he was an atheist it probably not about Christianity but religion. Many atheists I know don’t care for anything that has to do with any religion. He might have been frustrated at your tolerance for a different religion, surprised by your support of a religious practice not your own, and that you weren’t hypocritical about religious practices e.g., yours is okay but not others.) Christianity is probably at the top of the list but only because it dominates in the West.
That works perfectly if you don’t have any little ones believing Santa is bringing gifts on Christmas Eve.
I would just like to say, we should distinguish between people who say “I am offended by ‘Happy Holidays’” seriously, versus people who say it as a rhetorical point.