Don’t forget the grace

I first posted this two years ago, but it is still apropos:

A few years ago some stores began forbidding their employees to say “Merry Christmas” lest it offend non-Christians. That led to a backlash by Christians toward those who would take Christ out of Christmas and transform it into a generic winter holiday.

While I do agree that that forbidding employees to say “Merry Christmas” is going ridiculously too far (that was one thing I hated about working in retail sales: everything from how you answered the phone to how you dealt with customers had to follow a prescribed script, though general conversation was also encouraged) and I do believe there is a general secularization of American society away from it Biblical roots, and I grieve that, on the other hand not every person who says “Happy Holidays” is a rabid politically correct anti-Christian.

Some might not mean anything amiss by it. I’ve said or written “Happy Holidays” for years. It started when I first began signing Christmas cards “Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year,” got weary halfway through, and changed to “Happy Holidays” or “Season’s Greetings.”

Some just might want to include the other holidays, like Hanukkah, celebrated this time of year in their well-wishing.

And even if a “Happy Holiday” wisher is a rabid politically correct anti-Christian….what kind of witness is a snarky chip-on-the-shoulder response? We need to remember to “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man” (Colossians 4:5-6). Salt — truth — yes, but with grace.

6 thoughts on “Don’t forget the grace”

It’s hard to be politically correct now days regardless of the time of year. No matter what you say it’s going to offend someone. Sad what our entire society has come to if you ask me. Happy Holidays seems correct for this time of year. I’ll stick with it. Thanks for sharing 🙂

Well I’m a pagan and I have no problem with wishing people Merry Christmas when they say it to me. It is just the convention in the country where I live (UK). I know some people take the Christian nativity very seriously but every traition has its Anointed One or Child Of Light so why pick an argument. Especially at this time of year.

Putting The F In Fairy Tale (satire on politically correct attitudes)

I’ve found myself saying Happy Holidays because, for me, it encompasses Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. But I do say Merry Christmas, too. Yes, our society has just gone to the extreme in so many ways, not just this one, by any means! Good post, Barbara!

Excellent post, Barbara. I agree that some Christians have put a chip on their shoulder about it and have taken it too far. But I do find myself noticing the stores that say or post Merry Christmas. I know it is intentional so I give them my business.

I am sick to death of all this political correctness. I am very purposefully concentrating on Jesus during the Christmas season … his joy, his light, his glory, his love, his purity.

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