The politically correct thing to say over the Christmas season is “Happy Holidays” that is what you see in all of the stores and malls and most restaurants. I understand why people say that, they do so because yes, Christmas is not the only holiday celebrated during this time of year. With that being said if you celebrate a different holiday than myself feel free to tell me “Happy Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or insert name” I will not get offended nor should you by me telling you Merry Christmas. I’ve never said “Happy Holidays” and if you celebrate something specific this season than neither should you.

One of the reasons I say “Merry Christmas” besides the obvious that I am a Christian is because some of us do not get to celebrate openly. A growing thing in the Middle East is that Christians must worship and celebrate in silence or in fear of being arrested or hurt or sadly even killed by celebrating the birth of our Savior. I and all Christians in North America, the U.S. especially, have the great gift to being able to worship and proclaim our faith openly without fear; so I feel all of us should be able to say “Happy or Merry whatever you celebrate.”

Another reason why I say “Merry Christmas” instead of “Happy Holidays” is that simply it is not offensive. Even if Christmas is your least favorite holiday or you celebrate something completely different if should not offend you what so ever. It is not derogatory to any race or gender. By saying that I am not telling people they are terrible people for not celebrating what I celebrate. I am simply expressing the right of freedom of religion that we have in our great country. I would also hope that people of other religious backgrounds would feel free to do the same. I am comfortable with someone telling me “Happy Hanukkah” as long as they are okay with me returning the greeting with “Merry Christmas”. Now maybe this is not exactly what our founding fathers meant by “freedom of religion”, but we should all be understanding and accepting enough that we can give people a greeting comfortable to ourselves and vise versa.

The last reason I say “Merry Christmas” is the fact the it is more personable than “Happy Holidays”. Saying “Happy Holidays” isn’t only annoyingly PC, but it is also generic. It because a way to shoo customers along at stores, keep the lines moving at malls, and clear a table at restaurants. When saying “Merry Christmas” it catches some off guard, in a good way, seems more welcoming, and more personable. It is a way of being the slightest bit vulnerable with the person you say it to because that means you are letting them know what you celebrate.

So to the very select group of people that may see me as offensive by saying “Merry Christmas” sorry not sorry, this is my right and what I believe so it is what I will say to you. To the people who celebrate differently than me, please feel comfortable and welcomed to tell me your traditional seasons greetings as I will do the same. I hope each and every person around the world feels or will one day feel safe to say “Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, etc.” in this joyful time of the year.