So what should I say tommorrow?

[sqbr]

I like wishing people a merry Christmas. But I know that as a Christian-encultured atheist I'm a lot more comfortable with Christmas as a secular holiday than people from other cultural or religious backgrounds.

I'm not sure the American "Happy Holidays" is an improvement: it assumes that everyone has a holiday around this time, which is fine if you're jewish(*) or (most types of?) pagan but not so much if you're Buddhist or Muslim etc, as are a great many of the people I know who are members of a religion other than Christianity (eg it's reasonableness as a greeting assumes the sort of religious demographics you get in America but not here(**)). And saying it tommorrow feels like "I'm wishing you a merry Christmas but giving it a veneer of inclusiveness."

Worse along these lines is "Happy Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/whatever", imo.

I like "A merry Christmas to those who celebrate it and a generally happy day to everyone else" and similar.

What are other people's thoughts?

(*)Though apparently Hanukkah isn't that big of a deal compared to some of the other holidays?
(**)Plus Americans have Thanksgiving. We all have New Years I guess, but I don't think people mean "Happy new year" when they say "Happy Holidays".

Comments

[elaran]

"Happy Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/whatever" doesn't strike me as worse in my head.

also i don't find the christmas-y decorations etc offensive? or have a problem with it? because living in a country that is predominantly caucasian and with the majority of people who celebrate it, if not in the religious spirit then as a cultural thing or something, i am not surprised that i have been listening to carols a lot or seeing tinsel and decorations everywhere.

having a problem with this/complaining about this strikes me like someone going to india and then complaining about holi or people getting upset about how ramadan is strictly observed in U.A.E or something which just seems.... rude. i don't know.

[sqbr]

Fair enough.

I have no idea what it's like to live in a country where my culture isn't the default(*), so I feel like I should double check from time to time to make sure I'm not accidentally stomping on people.

(*)I don't count a few hours wandering around Japan between flights :)

[ex_pippin880]

You can accept presents but don't feel obligated to give them! It's like the best hax holiday for you ever.

[sqbr]

I felt a bit hax when I got a red packet of money at nico_wolfwood's wedding :)