Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays
Over the past few years I have found it interesting that during the holiday season the question of whether it which phrase was more acceptable Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays.
For me I grew up in a pretty traditional Midwestern area and was Thanksgiving was over the phrase Merry Christmas was most common. Then I moved down South and if I remember correctly it was still pretty common to say Merry Christmas. As I continue to think back I believe it wasn't until I moved to New England and was working for the corporate marketing department at a bank that I was really presented with having to decide which was more appropriate. We were creating seasonal marketing pieces for the branches to use and I was quickly told by management that Merry Christmas could be offensive, to which I was very puzzled. What is offensive about Merry Christmas, to me it's a cheery greeting.
But in a polite manner I was reminded the phrase was associated with a Christian religious holiday that not everyone celebrated. Okay, I get it then from a business perspective Happy Holidays was more widely accepted. It wasn’t until I was asked to have materials made that reflected other holiday greetings to different religions that I really questioned is really about the cheery greeting or not..
So, I ask do you say Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays.
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