Where In America To Say 'Merry Christmas' vs. 'Happy Holidays': Mapping the 'War on Christmas'

Five Thirty Eight ^ | 12/24/2015 | http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/where-to-say-merry-christmas-vs-happy-holidays/

[SeekAndFind]

'Tis the season for some to take offense when a store clerk says "happy holidays" instead of "merry Christmas," or when a coffee chain converts to plain red cups for the holiday. The "war on Christmas" trope seems to surface with Black Friday sales, but who is actually at war?

It is easy to imagine saying "merry Christmas" as another cudgel in the culture wars between Christians and the irreligious. The actual story, however, is much more nuanced. Public Religion Research Institute asked a nationally representative sample of Americans whether retailers should greet their customers with "happy holidays" or "season’s greetings" -- rather than "merry Christmas" -- "out of respect for people of different faiths." Although a slim majority of those with a preference want retailers to say "happy holidays" or "season’s greetings," we found that preference depends on your level of tension with the culture where you live. To explore these cultural tensions, we analyzed the PRRI data jointly with the 2010 Religion Census results.

According to the findings, evangelicals, on average, strongly favor "merry Christmas" and seculars prefer "happy holidays" or "season’s greetings." But the war on Christmas is not simply a religious divide. One of the more surprising findings is that the Bible-Belt South does not show the weakest preference for "happy holidays" (54 percent). That distinction belongs to the Midwest (44 percent). One reason for the difference is African-Americans (20 percent of the South in this sample), who strongly prefer "happy holidays" despite their high levels of religiosity.

[UnwashedPeasant]

No one is offended by "Merry Christmas."

It is politically correct to pretend you are offended.

[This I Wonder32460]

I work with the public and if I’ve met someone enough to know Merry Christmas are welcome words, then when we are concluding business I will say:

“You’re all set. It’s good to see you again. And I hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.”

However, if I know someone only a little or not at all, then I find myself saying

“You’re all set. It’s nice to have met you (again?) and Happy Holidays.”

Then if they say Merry Christmas back to me; I will say Merry Christmas back to them. I find this works best for me at work since it helps keep the moment comfortable and it stops anyone who might take offense from making an issue out of it. However; outside of work I’m more apt to say Merry Christmas.

[Chickensoup]

I say Merry Christmas to everyone. It is not my responsibility to take their temperature and manage their emotional content.

People with class will say thank you, or Merry Christmas back.

I also say thank you when confronted with Happy Solstice, Happy Hanukah, and May Day greetings.

I say Happy Independence day on the Fourth of July

I say Happy Columbus Day in October.

I say Happy Valentines Day in February

I say Happy Washington’s Birthday

I say Happy Lincolns Birthday

I ignore presidents day.

I honestly don’t care how they are received. They are my greetings.

[This I Wonder32460]

I’ve been known to occasionally say Merry Holidays! It’s kind of a fun saying.

[This I Wonder32460]

I really don’t think much about it, it’s more of an automatic response on my part, which works for me, since I don’t need anyone’s “temper” interrupting my work because they have an ax to grind and want me to feel the edge of it.
Merry Christmas to you and other holiday or holy-day you may celebrate.

[HotHunt]

Throughout my life, I have never, ever buckled under to this PC crap or given in to the notion that one can't speak the greeting "Merry Christmas" to anyone I want. If people are going to be offended, I've always taken the approach that's their problem, not mine.

I am a Christian and celebrate the birth of Christ as Christmas. People who don't want to celebrate it can go about their own business and I won't be offended or bothered. But I am not going to change because of some poll or Leftist PC crap or an atheist push to eliminate Christmas from the culture because they aren't Christian or are offended by someone else's celebration.

[tbw2]

My daughter was performing in a local parade of lights. A trailer of pre-teens wished me a happy holidays. I replied, Merry Christmas.
“You’re supposed to say happy holidays!” I was corrected.
“Christmas is the holiday most people are celebrating. Merry Christmas!”
A different girl corrected me, as if wishing Merry Christmas at a holiday parade is unacceptable. “Have a blessed holiday season,” I retorted.

[BatGuano]

To lump the South with the Northeast, even with a lesser percentage, is a doubtful poll.

I live in the South and only a rare person will use “Holidays” and they are usually from the Northeast.

Merry Christmas to all!

[roadcat]

"Happy Holy Days" (that'll mess with some PC minds!)

Yes, when someone says "Happy Holidays" to you, reply "That's great that you're so religious! Happy Holy Days to you too!"

[markman46]

i get a mixture.. i live in orange county

[T-Bone Texan]

Well, Kwanzaa is only celebrated by white female elementary school teachers.