It's not a war

Let me be clear, there's no war on Christmas.

I've seen this claim on bumper stickers and headlines about politicians and evangelicals calling out  majors enterprises who use "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas."  The President has made comments about it's resurrection after decades of supposed obscurity:

"Remember I said we're bringing Christmas back? Christmas is back, bigger and better than ever before. We're bringing Christmas back."

And, he's not the only one who believes that it's been missing.  My question is, where do people like this think it's gone?

The President hails from New York, and I can't think of any one place more in tune with the season than Manhattan.  It starts with the Thanksgiving Day Parade (affectionately called the 'Macy's Day Parade' in my house) where the event is capped with Santa Claus as the official end of the parade...every year since 1924!  Technically, Santa was crowned "King of the Kiddies" in 1924 and was permanently stationed at 34th street; he didn't march...but that's semantics. 

It's been long known that Thanksgiving officially begins the Christmas season, though stores begin prepping for it as soon as the Halloween rush is over on November 1st.  That said, store-fronts all across the United States begin their holiday push by decorating every inch in Christmas-specific decorations.  Up and down 5th Avenue in New York, the major department stores provide Christmas-centric themed decorative windows to both advertise their wares as well as dazzle passers-by with (now) feats of technologically assisted stories full of animatronic characters and special effects. 
But, that's just New York.  I dare you to walk into any chain retail store or restaurant where Christmas music isn't blaring.  I dare you to shop on the Internet without seeing Christmas-inspired advertisements.  I dare you to turn on your TV without seeing Christmas specials, or decorations on morning talk-shows or commercial after commercial for the previously mentioned retail stores.  It's impossible to escape.  

Now, what the President and people like him are likely referencing in their belief that there's a war on Christmas is that many large institutions have taken to wishing people a Happy Holidays instead of a Merry Christmas.  Duh.  Multi-national corporations, who want to appeal to people of varied ethnicities, will and should adopt a generic holiday greeting so as to not exclude anyone.  It's called capitalism.  Also, as a method of cost savings, it makes the most sense to have this phrase on products that cross into regions where Christianity isn't the dominant religion.  Again, see Capitalism: 101.

As a Jew, I appreciate it when a person doesn’t immediately think I celebrate Christ. I respect others holidays, but, as previously stated, we minorities can’t easily escape the capitalistic juggernaut that is Christmas. It’s nice to know that many of our neighbors and friends respect us enough to not further shove it down our throats when they wish us a "Happy Holidays." I love how impassioned people can get about the Christmas holiday, but as you weigh the war on Christmas, remember that there are many holidays this time of year.  Out of respect, I believe it's appropriate to wish you a "Happy Holidays" regardless of your level of faith. That way, you can take it to mean whatever it means to you, and celebrate the concept and intention of well wishing to the fullest...because maybe, just maybe, nobody is waging a war on your belief system.  It's quite possible that they're merely trying to be kind and compassionate, and hope that you too will have a very healthy and happy holiday season, however you choose to celebrate it.