What a wonderful attitude. To me, it boils down to the purpose of the statement. If we truly want to extend a good thought to the person we're addressing, we'll chose a statement that's appropriate to THEM, not something meaningful to US.
Saying "Merry Christmas" to another person you know nothing about, let alone their personal beliefs or observances, is only thinking of oneself, not the person being addressed. It could be argued that that's a selfish, even arrogant, thing to do. It sounds like the nuns and priests that Yoli learned from would agree.
Of course, it's different if we're in someone's home (as we so often are) and see a Christmas tree and/or Christmas decorations put up. In that setting, it makes perfect sense to wish them a "Merry Christmas". But if we see a Hanukah menorah, a Kwanzaa altar, or no decorations at all, that obviously wouldn't be appropriate. A generic "Happy Holidays", on the other hand, could be appropriate for anyone.
So the real question is are we trying to make a point, or are we genuinely wishing the other person to have the best of the season...
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