Merry Christmas. Why do some Americans say Happy Holidays instead when there are a lot of Holidays already but only one Christmas?

Question

RingOfFire · Accepted Answer

Culturally, "the holidays" is thought of as the period between Thanksgiving in November and New Year's Day in January. There are several widely celebrated holidays that occur in this period. So it isn't one specific holiday, whereas Christmas is a specific holiday that occurs during "the holidays."

So "happy holidays" is a greeting that refers to wishing someone enjoyment during the entire holiday season and is inclusive of those whether they are Christians or not since the Christmas holiday is specifically a celebration of the birth of Christ and not religiously applicable to everyone in America's diverse culture.

It has become politicized in the last few decades as the political left has attempted to eradicate religion in America and hence any recognition of the Christmas holiday which is one of the holidays that occurs in this period.

So the greeting "Happy Holidays," it's not a rejection of Christmas, but a broader greeting regarding an entire season and wishing well to both Christians and non-Christians alike.

It's two different things.

Lliam · Accepted Answer

Not everyone is Christian. Only 31.6% of the global population is Christian. 68% of Americans identify as Christian. But there are pagans, other religions, and atheists. Plus, there are also millions of Christians who do not observe Christmas. Among them are Quakers, Jehovah's Witnesses, and members of the Churches of Christ. Some of the half-dozen Christian faiths that don't celebrate the festival contend there is nothing in the Bible that says Christ was born on any particular day.

So people who do celebrate Christmas can say Merry Christmas. Better yet, why don't they say Blessed Christmas if they are so devout? Where did the "merry" come from?

But why to some people get butt hurt and militant over the words Happy Holidays? They don't have a right to enforce their beliefs on others.
And Happy Holidays conveys the spirit of peace, joy and good will that Christmas has come to symbolize.

For me, the story that best conveys the spirit of Christmas is A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

Oh boy...the stories I could tell about this one related to a former job I had years ago in retail. I said "Happy Holidays" after every sale during December, because I had no clue what people celebrated and it was intended not to offend, as they could be Jewish or only celebrate Kwanzaa or whatever. THE ONLY people who ever got offended were  so called Christians.  When I say offended, I don't mean, they just gave a mean look, I mean they threw clothes at me, went on screaming rants about what the season was about according to their manifestos, tried to get me to convert...it was nuts! I wasn't going to change what I said because Christmas...is in fact...a holiday, and I don't care who you think you are and what you believe in, I live in a country where we are allowed religious freedom and freedom of speech,   so I'll say whatever I want to say.  It was more than ridiculous how these people who claim to live by the word of God would be violent and rude just because they heard "Happy Holidays."

GOLDFISH_smile · Accepted Answer

Because there are a lot of holidays? Instead of listing them all off one by one u can just say "happy holidays" :)

I use it for more casual friends & people I may not see very often between the different winter holidays. For those who I see often and will definitely say all the individual ones, I say them individual (happy Thanksgiving, happy birthday, merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah, happy new year, etc yknow as they come up).

WhiteSteve · Answer

America is multicultural and multitheist, so not everyone celebrates Christmas. It’s just being respectful of all people and not imposing Christianity on folks who don’t subscribe to it.

This year is a good example: the first day of Hanukkah falls on December 25th. And there’s also “only one” Hanukkah, haha. My younger cousins were raised Jewish, so this Christmas we’re going to have Christmas AND Hanukkah together. I’m excited for it, I’m happy we can include my cousins. They show up every Christmas and participate in our holiday, but we don’t go to Hanukkah for them. So I’m glad we can share the day this year, since it falls simmultaneously👍👍

ohsheeT · Answer

We are all the product of society and following you watch TV and you watch the TV channel each and every day for 14 days and they say the same thing over and over all 14 days then you believe whatever they said because it only takes 14 days to brainwash somebody with saying the same thing over and over and over

Our brains are on copilot at Thanksgiving time everybody says Happy Thanksgiving Christmas times everybody says Merry Christmas or? Whatever the last thing they heard if you watch TV for 14 days 24 hours a day or even 8 hours a day and then they said bah humbug somebody would say Merry Christmas and you would say bah humbug

OlderAndWiser · Answer

OC run amok amongst people who either have no religious convictions, or they lack the courage to openly acknowledge their convictions.

AviatorTom · Answer

I often say Happy Holidays if I don't know what holiday the person celebrates. During the Christmas season, there are several different holidays: Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa and others. Happy Holidays covers them all.

exitseven · Answer

There is a war on Christmas. It is really a celebration of the birth of Christ. It has been made into a fund raiser for department stores and Amazon.

Tarifa · Answer

I guess most people refer to the 2 whole weeks, the one leading up to Christmas and the next week leading up to New Year. It's also a time of year where a lot of people will take a break from work, school or university. So in all, it's regarded as a holiday.

Smashingdoozy · Answer

There's many holidays that happen around the same timeframe as Christmas

Hanukkah starts on the 25th, Kwanzaa the 26th, Bodhi Day is December 8th, Feast Day of Our Lady Guadalupe Dec 12, Yule Dec 21

You get the gist

WhitneySnow · Answer

Because they want to extend holiday wishes to people and don’t know if they are Christian or not. Non-Christians can still enjoy the holiday festivities, and Happy Holidays respects their religious beliefs without blatantly deleting Jesus the way Christmas used to do.

Abbycado · Answer

Because it covers the whole holiday season. Christmas and New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

TheSpaceGnome · Answer

Because not everyone celebrates Christmas, and other holidays exist in December.

I'm an atheist, and just like other people did with all other holidays, I've stolen things from prior ones to incorporate them into a new holiday that I made up.

FunkyMonkee · Answer

Those are the loony lefty woke mob!!

Jennz6 · Answer

Merry Christmas 🎄, yes keep “Christ” in Christmas

Graptemys79 · Answer

I don't know. Most people in the USA celebrate Christmas, it least as a secular holiday. We have a Jewish family as neighbors who put up a Christmas tree every year.

Jerre · Answer

Probably because many people are of a different faith and don’t celebrate Christmas. Easier to say Happy Holidays tha n Merry Christmas

Friendlybro79 · Answer

Because I'm some countries it's not just Christmas time and not all people celebrate the same holidays.

Gabriel-Chicanito · Answer

Bc, Thanksgiving & new year's neighborize it..

bowenw · Answer

It's a way to include all the special days around this time of year including Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Christmas as well as to wish people well that don't celebrate any of those.

LiamJHayden · Answer

Sometimes it is to avoid offending others. Sometimes it is because they do not know if the other person celebrates Hanukkah.

molonski2 · Answer

I dont know about that , but for me , its always.. Merry Christmas and it always will be. I'm not from USA.

Dongie · Answer

If you're a Christian then say Merry Christmas! If not say what you want to say.

Agape93 · Answer

Because there's several holidays during that same time. Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, solstice, Yuletide etc.

strateguy632 · Answer

Because people are battling christ so also oppose 'christ"- mas.

dreamstar72 · Answer

Because the US is becoming like Rome before it fell

Anonymous · Answer

Because they are politically correct, woke, garbage humans.

Wiredone · Answer

I was told its Because not everyone celebrates Christmas. Some people celebrate kwanza, or hanukkah

DrPepper12 · Answer

Ever heard of Hannakah? The Eids? Zaryosht Nodiso? KFC DAY IN JAPAN?

Anonymous · Answer

It was sold as a more inclusive thing that was just used by antichristians to jab at Christianity.

beefcakebradybatson · Answer

Judaism, Kwanzaa, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and other faiths have holidays at this time of year.

LiamS95 · Answer

Because many celebrate various holidays around the same time but not necessarily Christmas.

CarolinaGirl5 · Answer

You answered your own question

the29thhuman · Answer

Because of wimpy religious people

eagle1951 · Answer

because they don't want God in the picture

DtMe89 · Answer

I'm Jewish

Hispanic-Cool-Guy · Answer

The Lord Jesus has nothing to do with Christmas.

Merry Christmas. Why do some Americans say Happy Holidays instead when there are a lot of Holidays already but only one Christmas?

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