So this is bound to be a popular topic as it will affect everyone.
At work the other day, we had a meeting so all the experienced employees could meet the newly hired people. It was fun, and our boss explained the upcoming holiday season. In one word: crazy!
We were talking about how we would greet and thank people, and so I raised my hand.
"Because the holiday season is pretty much upon us," I asked, "do we have to say 'Happy Holidays,' or can we say 'Merry Christmas'?"
I'm not sure if my boss was expecting a question like that or not, but he answered quicker than I expected (and almost wanted; I figured he would understand where I was coming from).
"We have to politically correct. 'Happy Holidays.' "
Dang it.
To be perfectly honest, I didn't want to obey him and go ahead and say 'Merry Christmas' anyways. Then when I realized that my job would be placed in jeopardy, I thought better of it. I've decided now to say, "Have a safe holiday," and hope that he won't say anything to me about it.
I honestly don't understand. Why do we have to say "Happy Holidays"? A huge percentage of the population like "Merry Christmas" better than "Happy Holidays" (69% to 29%; http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/12/20/poll.season/), so we're really not appealing to the general public, which is the point of being politically correct. I know there are a lot of people who aren't Christian, and so they might not like the who reference to the birth of Jesus. Besides, Jesus probably wasn't even born in December, so there's no reason to celebrate his birth on that day, save tradition.
I don't know. Maybe I'm just typing out loud and this has no relevance in today's society. I think it does, as being politically correct and the holidays don't quite mix...
"Merry Christmas" is a rather specific holiday greeting. It automatically excludes any non-christian from feeling fully accepted in your store. "Happy Holidays" on the other hand is inclusive. It allows employees to greet every customer without having to assume that customer's religious beliefs, thus running the risk of offending if your guess is wrong. I would also suggest that there are probably more people who are likely to take their business elsewhere over being wished a "Merry Christmas," than there are who will refuse to patronize a store because a cashier said "Happy Holidays." Its really a rather simple matter of being willing to put one's money where your mouth is.
TTFN,
Blackout
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You can either include the general public, or include everyone. The latter sounds like a better choice.