A Christian’s Response to “Happy Holidays!”

“Happy Holidays!”

“Don’t miss this holiday sale!”

“Join us for the lighting of the town’s holiday tree!”

“18th Annual Holiday Parade!”

“School will resume on January 5 following the holiday break.”

Does the replacement of “Christmas” with “holidays” in phrases like these these irk you?

It’s everywhere, isn’t it?

Pervading pretty much every aspect of public life.

Our schools. Our workplaces. Our stores. Our government agencies. Our media.

I’m saddened that I’m raising my children in a culture that is considered post-Christian.

I’m indignant that my God who deserves for the whole earth to be full of His glory (Psalm 72:19) is being denied what He’s due in the public realm of our nation, while we still dare to invoke His blessing on us.

I’m confused, wondering how so many people fail to understand the simple logic of acknowledging the holiday celebrated by a whopping ninety percent of Americans.

How should a Christ-follower respond to all this?

Happy Holidays vs Merry Christmas

I don’t know about you, but I want to stand up for this Christmas season I love.

I want to defend the Christ whose birth I celebrate.

I want to advocate for the God whose name is being blighted and whose glory is being shoved as far from public circles as possible.

And there’s certainly a place for all those responses.

But can we all agree on what a wrong reply looks like? Because when a well-intentioned person greets us with a cheery “Happy Holidays,” the very worst thing we can do is to snap out a cranky “Merry Christmas!” in retort.

That doesn’t vindicate Christmas. It doesn’t remind people of the birth of the Messiah. It doesn’t spread God’s glory.

It’s really the response of just one more person who’s trying to make Christmas revolve around her offended preferences.

And aren’t there too many of those running around already?

So perhaps you’ll write a letter to your town council or governor or President to kindly express your opinion.

Maybe you’ll choose to spend your Christmas dollars at stores which actually acknowledge Christmas in their advertisements.

Hopefully, you’ll spread the good news of the Savior’s birth on your social media networks.

But let’s also make sure to reflect God’s glory by treating people like they were made in His image.

Because they were.

Let’s treat people like the Jesus we’re celebrating was born for them.

Because He was.

Let’s treat them like He considered them worth dying for.

Because He did.

Even if they don’t realize it…

yet.