In the run up to Christmas, there’s usually a bit of social media debate about whether or not Christmas as a Christian festival is gradually being cancelled. In the US, that takes the form of grumbles about the use of “Happy Holidays” instead of “merry Christmas”.
I recently saw the argument made that we should greet one another with “Happy holidays” because “merry Christmas” is “religious-centric”, it prioritise Christianity when many people are not Christians and will be choosing to celebrate other holidays such as Hannukah which fall around this time of year. The assumption then is that “happy holidays” is the neutral option, the secular option. However, there are a number of reasons why it isn’t.
First, it has its own -centricity. It’s American-centric. It’s a term particular to North-America, not one you are likely to find in common usage in other places including the UK. Secondly, it assumes that people are celebrating holidays -and in the more traditional sense of the word – we don’t wish people “happy holidays” for any work/school vacation. The reality is that lots of religions don’t celebrate specific festivals right now. Even New Year is a western specific celebration with other cultures following a lunar calendar. So, “happy holidays” excludes as many as it includes.
Thirdly, the assumption seems to be that lots of people, if they are not Christian, don’t celebrate Christmas. My experience of life in multi-cultural contexts is that this is far from true with people from other cultures and of other beliefs adopting Christmas into their own calendar at least in the sense of the wider, cultural celebration of parties and presents.
Fourthly, it is suitably generic and levelling because of course, it is a greeting designed by secularists who sit in judgement over all religious positions and choose to regard them all as benign and harmless in their place but largely false. The secularist says “happy holidays” because it doesn’t require them to truly engage with your culture and your beliefs. It’s pretty dismissive not just to Christmas but to all holidays. Someone who really cares and really wants to wish you well in your celebrations will find out what you are celebrating and will want to learn the appropriate greetings for the celebration.
Now, as I said at the start, this is pretty much an American-centric greeting, so many of us won’t even be thinking of using it any time soon. However, it is representative of how secularism sets itself up as the neutral observer and uniter when it is not.
Faithroots 