Why? Because they probably assume I'm a Christian, and even if I or they are not, we can share the sentiment of the season.
That would make sense for them to wish YOU a Merry Christmas if they knew you were a Christian.
and even if I or they are not, we can share the sentiment of the season.
The sentiment of the season is "I hope you have a nice holiday celebration of the birth of the Lord and savior of the world, Jesus Christ, God's only son, who came to earth as a gift from God, to reconcile sinners to himself so that we might all be saved from otherwise certain eternal death".
THAT is the sentiment. Why on earth would you wish a Muslim or Jew or pagan or atheist such a greeting? Makes no sense at all.
Christmas is not a secular holiday, and including non Christians in it, allowing them to co opt it, is playing into the hands of those who would like to secularize it. I'm not buying.