The is my response to a conversation about saying "Happy Holidays" vs. "Merry Christmas." Some people felt that if they had to give up saying "Merry Christmas," that would be persecution. In some ways, yes, they're right, but again, this is a subject full of grey area. In some settings, "Happy Holidays" is just more polite. At work or in a position of authority, you're not denying your own beliefs, you're being inclusive of others'. When working or in a position of authority, how you act is not supposed to be about you, but about the people you are serving.
I'm not offended by anyone saying Merry Christmas to me. The person is just trying to be nice, (hopefully.) I don't think the point is to take away from someone else's beliefs, but to find a way to INCLUDE everyone. But for a twist of fate, "Happy Hanukkah" or "Blessed Yule" could be the top dog of religious greetings. Saying "Happy Holidays" is just a simple way of wishing someone a happy holiday, no matter what holiday a person follows.
I do think that the whole P.C. thing is taken too far sometimes. Getting pissy when someone uses a specific religious greeting is excessive. I doubt most people are TRYING to offend when saying "Merry Christmas," or "God Bless." However, I don't think saying "Happy Holidays" is going to "break" anyone. I see it as another example of teaching my kids that there are a multitude of religions in this world, and we should be tolerant of all of them.
At this age, if I encouraged my kids to only say "Blessed Yule," that sends a message that there is something wrong with other religions, or that ours is somehow better. I don't want them to think that. I want them to see all religions as equal, just as I want them to see all people, no matter what they look like, as equal. Young or old, fat or thin, black or white or sky-blue-pink-with-purple-polkadots, I would expect my children to treat them all with respect. So, too, would I expect my kids to respect anyone else's religious beliefs.
