The Reason for the Season

With the Christmas season in full swing, holiday cheer is often accompanied by seasonal spats. Conservative Christians maintain the traditional "Merry Christmas" greeting, but it has become increasingly fashionable to utilize the more innocuous phrase, "Happy Holidays." Proponents of the latter argue that this ensures greater religious tolerance, political correctness, and avoiding the constitutionally-prohibited establishment of a state religion. The politically correct are countered with charges of secularization to a sacred and ancient celebration. For fairness’ sake, it should not be ignored that America is a melting pot of ethnic celebrations, and that Christmas--though the most commercially recognized--is not the only wintry festival that is commonly celebrated. Conversely, it is true that one cannot simply "take Christ out of Christmas" any more than they could pc the menorah out of Hanukkah. Thus, the principles of both sides retain a certain