Just because I am on holiday -because my office or school is shut- it doesn't mean I'm celebrating Christmas. Maybe on the 25th I do nothing special at all.

I can remember my shame the day I asked two Chinese 6 and 10 year-old students (the rest of the kids being spanish) what they had gotten for Christmas. They didn't celebrate Christmas. I felt a bit bad about them though, being a kid surrounded by other kids with new toys when you got nobe must suck a tad.

Team Traci. Traci is most proper and polite.

It's true that I feel that twinge of irritation at "Happy Holidays" - because it would be a lot easier not to have to think about it and get on with my Christmas - but it's the right thing to say to people you don't know and aren't going to find out about.

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@ Janet - Ahem, I'll be a little more blunt: Now we all know what it's like to be Jewish and wished Merry Christmas when it's Hanukkah.

Though Happy Holidays is all encompassing, the irritation is really the same. *My* holiday is being denied. *My* holiday is being watered down. I'm not getting to express the spirit of *my* holiday.

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I'll throw in, I'm a cradle Catholic who grew up on the Jewish side of town. My oldest, dearest friend was from a conservative Jewish household. And so it also annoys me when people wish me a Merry Christmas and I know they have no idea what my faith is.

I'm a very difficult person. Haha.