)We can still just say "Merry Christmas"....

...but for those situations when you arnt sure on the position of the person you are greeting BK (Brian Kullman) has come up with the following incredible greeting that can never fail.

Dear Colleague:

Please accept, with no obligation, explicit or implied, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non-addictive, gender neutral, culturally and ethnically tolerant, celebration of the winter solstice (un) holiday / season (or otherwise appropriate time period which best describes the duration of your celebration or non-celebration), practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious / secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all.

And furthermore, a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling, and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2006, but not limited to or without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make this country great, (not to imply that this country is necessarily greater than any other country), and without regard to the race, creed, color, gender(s), age, physical ability, religious faith, hair color, astrological sign, dressing habits, choice of computer platform, favorite reality television program, paper / plastic, or sexual preference(s) of the wishee.

By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms:

This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for her/himself or others, and is void where prohibited by law, and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year, or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher.

Yours,
{enter name here}

(Kullman, 2005)

In the beginning we said Merry Christmas. Then Xmas was invented, kind of like a variable one could fill in depending on the situation, and as a way to save ink perhaps? Then it was Happy Holidays. Now it is simply a time of celebration, not necessarily a holiday as that could mean a greater significance that far to many are trying to avoid association with in this day and age. Regardless of your preference for greeting I still say "Merry Christmas", its Christmas and that can never be changed, it does have a meaning beyond eating, drinking, gifts, and being a commercial goldmine.....
In Norway there is an organization with the slogan "Give us Christmas back" which stands for the traditional values and customs of Christmas past, if I was 50 I would start a Calgary chapter.