"Happy Holidays!"

Recently, I turned on the radio in my car, and something compelled me to turn on 93.9 FM, which around my parts is Lite FM. This station is not on my regular presets, but it is one click away from 94.3, which I call Jesus Radio. In between songs, I heard a prerecorded message that said something along the lines of, "From all of us at Lite FM, have a Happy Holidays!"

I actually said out loud, "I am so sure."

I found it ironic that a station that makes a point to play nonstop Christmas music would still say "Happy Holidays." Perhaps I missed something on their website?

It's even on their Google result!

This perhaps-mildly-amusing anecdote hopefully provides a segue into the idea that Christmas in America has really become more of a commercial or secular holiday than a religious one, and this really freaks some people out. Securalization of the season has even been called the "War on Christmas." The timeline for the Merry Christmas vs. Happy Holidays debate is difficult, because there are Christians who say "Merry Christmas" as a first instinct, Christians who say "Happy Holidays" to try and be inclusive, and there are Christians who say "Merry Christmas" with secularization in mind who are purposefully trying to "Keep the 'Christ in Christmas'" or something of the sort.

As it turns out, around 60% of surveyed Americans prefer "Merry Christmas" to 23%'s "Happy Holidays, although when given an option, 45% said it didn't matter. The results followed along age, party, and religious lines, with older people, Republicans, and Evangelical Christians more likely to be supportive of "Merry Christmas" or public displays of religious symbols (although even President Bush wished people a "Happy Holidays" in office). One author quoted in The Huffington Post suggested saying "Merry Christmas" where the vast majority of people are Christian and "Happy Holidays" in more diverse areas.

Yes, the majority of Americans are Christian. But as one 2004 Reason Magazine blogger put it, instead of complaining about secularization, "the answer is in giving more time and attention to religious and charitable activities, not in demanding more Christian symbolism at the place where you shop. Macy's is not a temple." Indeed, the effort in "Happy Holidays"– in what some people perceive as a culture war –is not to belittle or take away Christmas from Christians. The effort is to try and recognize and account for the one-quarter of Americans who aren't Christian.

I identify as Christian and even I find this a little ridiculous. Christians are hardly an oppressed minority in America. We saw it recently with Rick Perry's infamous and homophobic advertisement, in which he proudly stated that "I'm not ashamed to admit I'm a Christian." Big deal! Although he said this before the Rick Perry spot came out (which may be a testament to the extent and ridiculousness of Christians' perceived oppression in America) I think Jon Stewart put this one best– "Yes, the long war on Christianity. I pray that one day we may live in an America where Christians can worship freely! In broad daylight! Openly wearing the symbols of their religion... perhaps around their necks? And maybe — dare I dream it? — maybe one day there can be an openly Christian President. Or, perhaps, 43 of them. Consecutively."

And to all my readers, Happy Holidays.