​I’m one of those people who says “Happy Holidays” if I’m not sure of the religion of the person I am speaking to.

You may find that a bit annoying. The phrase is just as genuine as “Merry Christmas,” but to others it doesn’t seem that way.

I said “Happy Holidays” with a genuine smile to a woman who seemed completely sincere and pleasant, but she seemed to take it the wrong way as if I was insulting her by not automatically knowing she was Christian and would be celebrating Christmas.

How was I supposed to know that in passing?

She blew up about how it’s Christmas time, and Christmas is the only important holiday in this country. Of course, at this point, I was apologizing and trying to run away because I’m not a huge fan of confrontation and feared for my life a bit, but it stuck with me because I honestly couldn’t believe her. Christmas is not the only holiday celebrated around this time of year, and it is definitely not the first religion to have a holiday during the winter, but this didn’t seem apparent to her.

For example, Buddhism celebrates Bodhi Day on December 8th. It is a holiday to commemorate the day when the Buddha sat beneath a Bodhi tree and achieved complete enlightenment circa 596 BCE. It is a day of remembrance and meditation for Buddhists, and they decorate trees with lights and ornaments and eat rice with milk like the Buddha did after becoming the “Awaken One” to regain strength.

Judaism has Hanukkah which is stretched out over eight days. It stands for purification and rededication to the Temple after the Greeks overtook the Jews from their holy place in 168 BCE. It is reminder to modern Jews that they should stand with their religion for religious freedom.

‪These are two religions that I can think of that predate Christianity and Christmas, but both hold the same ideals of remembering what their religious ideals stand for just as Christmas commemorates the birth of Jesus. Each of these holidays and the others that I know exist around this time of year deserve the same respect and consideration as Christmas.

By saying “Happy Holidays,” I include any holidays that I may or may not know about that differ from Christmas. I practice religious tolerance because I believe that all religions deserve respect, but by wishing people anything but “Merry Christmas” I am taking part in the “War on Christmas”?

Somehow by being polite and considerate, I have been reprimanded more often than I had if I incorrectly guessed someone’s religion.  If I knew that someone was Christian and would be celebrating Christmas, I would say “Merry Christmas.” It’s just the same if I know someone is Jewish, I would say “Happy Hanukkah.”

I just think people want something to get angry about—that or they truly believe that the only religion that belongs in America is Christianity, which is ridiculous because America is a melting pot. Almost 6% of Americans aren’t Christian, so it doesn’t make sense to expect every single person I meet to celebrate Christmas, and I understand that some people aren’t as respectful as I believe they should be, but I thought the idea of religious tolerance was an important value to the American foundation.

This isn’t me bashing America. I just believe that the way other religions in this country are treated is outrageous. How are we supposed to achieve peace with the countries that house these religions if we can’t even make peace with the American citizens who worship Allah and Buddha?

If people are afraid of these religions because of what they’ve heard or what the extremists do, then they need to research what these religions actually believe in. Then they would find that they aren’t that different than Christianity.

I guess my biggest problem isn’t being told I shouldn’t say “Happy Holidays;” it’s that I can’t stand religious intolerance, and the “War on Christmas” only seems to reinforce my stance on religious intolerance.