Normally, I try to stay PC. But not on Christmas Day. I give the same greeting to all, regardless of religious affiliation. So, Hybreeds, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!
I don't really get this PC thing about Christmas. In fact I do, but it is not the time or the place to go off on right wing nuts who need the drama of the so called war on Christmas to push their agendas.
Here's the deal - Christmas, at least in the Western world, is a highly secularized holiday anyway. A lot of those who celebrate it are people who live strictly secular lives; they may or may not declare themselves Christians for many reasons, but if indeed they are, then they practice what I call Christianism Light. And a lot of "spiritual but not religious", "unaffiliated theists", atheists, agnostics and members of completely different faith groups enjoy Christmas as well.
Other Abrahamic monotheists.... Most muslims are, again, fairly secular in their day-to-day life, but even if they aren't, then they believe in Jesus anyway. They don't believe in the whole Son of God concept, but if you stick to Merry Christmas and don't say "Happy Birthday to Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, and if you say it ain't so you're going to rot in Hell for all Eternity" I think it should be fine. As for the Jewish, well, a majority of them are either reformed or secular and should not be insulted by a tree and Christmas cheer; in fact, those I know are insulted by the assumption that they'd be insulted. Incidentally, this year, Hanukkah is over so it would be a little odd, maybe even pretentious, to try and replace the wish... Hanukkah isn't 'the Jewish Christmas', but rather a wonderful and very interesting holiday in its own right, and the whole Christmas / Hanukkah thing is more likely an attempt to push the corporate end-of-year sales peak agenda onto the ones observing it than anything else...
Then, among other religions, subscribers to non-Abrahamic Eastern religions (Buddhist, Hindu, Tao, etc.) don't give a damn, shouldn't give a damn, and usually enjoy nicely lit trees and presents just as much as anyone else.
Sure, there are always
militant, hardcore, fundamentalist members of any faith group. At this time of the year, the most visible are actually the militant atheists, rather than any other religious group, who are actively
against Christmas. As sort of an atheist / free thinker myself, I find their militant nature and hidden dogmatic, tribalist world view insulting to a far higher degree than any sane person could ever justify being insulted by 'Merry Christmas!'...
Like with everything, my take is that one should be rational and open minded and remember life is too short to go out of one's way to be insulted or insulting...
That was my Christmas rant... Now onward with the cheer!
Merry Christmas!