Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays 3386

That's nice. I'm Jewish, and I don't celebrate Christmas. If you wish me, "Merry Christmas," I will wish you one in return -- that's simple courtesy and, of course, I appreciate the sentiment. It is not, however, my holiday.

And it has even less to do with Jews, Budhists, Hindus, Atheists, Shintoists, etc.

Um, no. Obviously, I don't speak for all Jews, or for Judaism, but I'm not aware of any non-Biblical evidence that he even existed. To me (and to my non-Jewish, non-Christian wife) he is a myth, no different than Gilgamesh and the tooth fairy. Please note that I am not putting down anyone who has faith in Christ -- if your religion brings you peace and a sense of meaning and purpose, then more power to you, and I respect and support your beliefs. I just don't share them.

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Let's see -- you know one Jewish woman who thinks that way, so you extrapolate to all Jews?

Sorry, you're completely wrong. I don't know any -- not one -- Jewish person who observes December 25th as anything other than a day off work with pay.

And, apparently, you don't know what they are. Chanukah is a non-Biblical holiday, i.e. it celebrates actual history. It is considered a very minor holiday, and has been given an inflated importance primarily so that Jewish children don't feel left out when their Christian friends receives holiday gifts.

Based on your experience of your one friend, I suppose. I know far more Christian women who converted to Judaism when they married Jewish men. They do not observe Christmas.

It is, because non-Christians (not just Jews) recognize that Christianity represents the majority religion in the United States, Canada, Mexico and most of Europe. Most people, regardless of religion, when offered good will, regard the offer at face value and return it in kind.

They won't be offended by the proffer of the seasonal greeting. They will be offended by your buttumption that Christmas means anything to them other than someone else's religious observance.

it.

Hunh? The celebration of Christmas has incorporated a variety of observances that are not specifically Christian, e.g. Christmas trees, yule logs and the like. However, the purpose of doing so was make the observance of Christ's birth more palatable to those coming from different relgious traditions. The holiday was, is, and, for the foreseeable future, will continue to be a holiday particular to one religion. It is not a secular holiday in the sense that, for example, Halloween has become completely secular and divorced from any religious conotations.

regardless

I agree, but definitely not for the reasons you've listed in your post. You will find, however, that many non-Christian people will be offended if you buttume that Christmas is a holiday that they do, and should, celebrate.