In order to not single out any one religion, many advertisers have decided to say “Happy Holidays” so that they don’t single out Christmas, Hanukkah, Ramadan, Kwanzaa, Saturnalia, or whatever winter religious holidays happen to come up outside of Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. (This is also in order to not exclude any one religion. God forbid they advertise Christmas shopping so much that they miss out on any of that sweet Hanukkah-gift action.)
The silly part is that there’s a lot of unthinking behavior that goes along with this “Happy Holidays” behavior.
Case in point: I was watching TV this evening when a Lowe’s commercial came on the air. Not once did Gene Hackman (who does the narrating) mention Christmas; it was all, “For your holiday decorations, shop at Lowe’s.” Followed by images of Christmas trees, Christmas greenery, Christmas lights, Christmas baubles and trinkets. You don’t decorate your house with this stuff for Ramadan; you don’t decorate your house with this stuff for Hanukkah. It’s all Christmas stuff.
Even so, Lowes wishes you a happy holidays.
Now, I’m not offended by this as a Christian. I could care less if Christmas gets mentioned, because all this commercialism and greed has nothing whatsoever to do with Jesus. But if I were Jewish or Muslim or pagan, I would—and should—be offended. The bloody stores claim they’re inclusive, but aren’t carrying any other holidays’ stuff. Where’s the Hanukkah menorahs? Ever found one at Walmart? I haven’t. Where’s the Ramadan ornaments?… that’s right, Ramadan doesn’t have any. Where are the pseudo-African flags for Kwanzaa, at least? Does anyone sell that stuff other than specialty shops?
Inclusive, my pasty white arse.