Happy Holidays? Bah Humbug. NJ agrees – It’s Merry Christmas (Opinion)

If you celebrate Christmas and you great someone you may not know, do you say "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays"? Personally, I always go with the "Merry Christmas" and here's why:

As one who celebrates Christmas and all the joy that it brings I want to share my holiday with all those around me whether they celebrate it or not. By wishing you a "Merry Christmas," I'm sharing not only my holiday but a piece of myself as well.

"Happy Holidays" seems just so emotionless and uncaring. I'm sure you celebrate something too, so "Happy Holidays" as I could care less, and the person saying it back to you is just as emotionless about it. Not that they're bad people but they may not want to be offensive or insensitive. Like saying 'Merry Christmas" to someone could be either of those things.

Now on the other hand, if I know that you celebrate a specific holiday like Hanukkah or Kwanzaa or Diwali, I will gladly wish you well in your specific holiday, but my default is always "Merry Christmas."

Many in New Jersey still believe that there's a war on Christmas. I believe Christmas should rather be a symbol of peace, as in "Peace On Earth," "Goodwill toward men," and of course women and whomever else should be included.

Did you ever think we'd get to the point where there would even be the thought of a "war on Christmas: or that people would be afraid of offending by wishing you a "Merry Christmas"? Well here we are and without any fear of offending and meaning nothing but good intentions, from my wife Deneen and sons Albert and Lennon, "We wish you a very Merry Christmas."

I put up a Twitter poll asking how New Jersey feels and here are some results.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Steve Trevelise. Any opinions expressed are Steve's own. Steve Trevelise is on New Jersey 101.5 Monday-Thursday from 7-11 p.m. Follow him on Twitter @realstevetrev.