holidays schmolidays

I feel like Linus in the old Charlie Brown Christmas Special. I told Seth today that the only time I'm really excited about Christmas anymore is really when I get to go to the Christmas service and sing the carols that really have meaning behind them and hear about the reason that we celebrate for real. And then I think that of course Jesus wasn't born on December 25th, and there's no way the wise men visited on that night, etc, etc...but that's not really important.
I've been thinking all this week about how dumb Christmas is anymore. People can't tell you "Merry Christmas", it's all "happy holidays" and to be anywhere near politically correct, you have to represent at least Christmas, Hannukah, and Kwanzaa all together to really show how very cultural you are. It's on all the news holiday greetings, everywhere blah blah blah.
Now, I'm all about celebrating other holidays and letting people have their own thing. I think it's really cool that all these holidays sorta coincide so everyone gets festive all at once, but c'mon.
Over 80% of Americans in multiple polls claim to be Christian. So that means they celebrate Christmas. Even if you don't go to church every Sunday or whatever, chances are you're going to put up a tree and stuff some presents under it. And if you're a really good American, you'll support our struggling economy by buying way more than you can afford. Why? Because it's Christmas and by golly, everyone needs $500 worth of gifts (if anyone would like to contribute to my $500 worth - I do have ideas, and it's not too late).
All I'm saying is that when you're talking to people in your office, or on the phone and you understand that they are of the anglo-american persuasion, there's an awfully good chance that they'll be cool with you wishing them a Merry Christmas. Especially after you guys have sat around at lunch and crabbed about how the cats or the kids are getting into the tree this year and all the trouble you go thru because of it. So suck it up, and actually wish someone a Merry Christmas, screw the "Happy Holiday" vagueness. And if they end up being Jehovah's Witness or Jewish or something like that - well, there's a little awkwardness, but that's always good once in awhile. Just ask Adam, who devotes an entire blog category to its celebration. And then next year you can either skip the holiday greeting entirely, or wish a Happy Hannukah, and show that you care enough to be celebration appropriate.