Who knew seasonal greeting cards could cause such controversy? Might I add, how ridiculous. I was raised in a Catholic household; not overly-religious, but church on Sundays was a regular practice throughout my childhood. Yes, we celebrate Christmas, and yes, we send Christmas cards, even in this highly digital era. This is not to say I advocate for a card that says merry Christmas over one that provides a more generalized salutation like season\u2019s greetings to include multiple belief systems. \u00a0Holiday cards, whether those that highlight the actual holiday of Christmas or ones that provide an alternative verse like season\u2019s greetings are both very popular in the United States. But what is the purpose of any of these cards? At their purest of intentions, it\u2019s to let those around us know that we are thinking of them during a joyful time of year \u2013 a time of year that holds the value of family and friendship in the highest regard.<\/p>\n
Surveys conclude that about 92% of Americans celebrate Christmas. That\u2019s a lot! But that leaves 8% divvied up among other holidays throughout December and early January \u2013 with some not celebrating any holidays at all. So for those who don\u2019t celebrate anything during this time of year, should we just send and say nothing? I don\u2019t think so. The practice of wishing someone some form of a seasonal greeting is just plain polite, it\u2019s a nice gesture. Some non-celebrators of Christmas don\u2019t take offense to the words merry Christmas but understand that the person wishing them the greeting does, in fact, celebrate the holiday, and merely wants to share the joy. Even wishing people happy holidays has religious implications, as the word holiday is derived from the Old English phrase holy day, but now can be applied to several dates of jubilation.<\/p>\n
Of the 92% of Americans that celebrate Christmas, 81% are not even Christian. For many, Christmas holds little to no religious meaning. But it is still one of the most widely searched seasonal terms on Google, well above happy holidays (see below).\u00a0<\/p>\n
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