But the point is to acknowledge that different people celebrate different holidaysĪlso, this debate isn’t just about words: it’s about being politically correct and inclusive of diverse beliefs and traditions across the country. True, there aren’t too many people who celebrate all of those holidays. With that many holidays crammed into a few weeks, it makes sense to go for the general holiday wish. In the US, the period from late November until early January is lumped together as “the holiday season.” You’ve got your biggies like Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year’s, plus dates that get not quite so much attention, like Kwanzaa, the Winter Solstice, Boxing Day, and Festivus. Why does the “Happy Holidays” or “Merry Christmas” debate exist? And when the time comes to wish them well, it’s usually best to go for general. You’re also likely to express holiday wishes to folks you might not know very well, like a colleague or your child’s teacher. If you know someone celebrates Christmas you can go with “Merry Christmas,” but ‘tis the season for interacting with strangers (selling to them, buying from them, bumping into them on your way out of Target). In general, “Happy Holidays” is accepted as the broadest and most inclusive greeting at this time of year.

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