The Wish Me A Merry Christmas Campaign is trying to get Christians to wear buttons reading “It’s OK, Wish Me A Merry Christmas” when shopping this holiday season.

A letter they ask Christians to give to store managers also lists the following statistics (PDF):

97% of Americans celebrate Christmas.

53% of Americans are offended when wished “Happy Holidays.”

90% of Americans “know the true meaning of Christmas.”

60% say they won’t shop at stores that have anti-Christmas policies.

68% of Americans want to hear “Merry Christmas” specifically.

You can pick apart all those stats, but that first one stood out immediately: 97% of people celebrate Christmas? And that’s supposed to be a reason that saying “Happy Holidays” is wrong?

Nearly 20% of Americans aren’t religious. And nearly 3% of the American population consists of Jews, Hindus, and Buddhists.

So if any of these people are celebrating “Christmas,” it’s obviously not for Jesus-y reasons. And we certainly won’t be upset if you say “Happy Holidays” to us.

A message to retail workers:

If you notice someone wearing the button, wish them a “Merry Christmas.” Smile at them. Let them buy the stuff your store sells.

If you notice someone without a button — which is pretty much the entire population of America — wish them “Happy Holidays.” Smile at them. Let them buy the stuff your store sells.

Your job is to make the customer happy. One way to do that is to say something nice to them as they enter your store. You don’t need to waste your time trying to guess what holiday some stranger celebrates.

Personally, I won’t get offended if you say to me “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays” or “Can I help you find what you’re looking for?” In fact, I’ll just be thrilled that you acknowledge my existence. I think most people would feel the same. So say whatever the hell you want.

Actually, I take that back.

If you see someone with a Special Christian Button, wish them a “Happy Solstice.”

You might lose some business but the reaction on the person’s face will be well worth it. Think of it as a holiday present to yourself 🙂

(Thanks to Christine for the link!)



