The stated aim was to be inclusive and give people 'something to say "hey, we realize that you exist!"'. A way to be inclusive without coming off like you hate American culture. I don't really care if "Merry Christmas" has just one day and "Happy Hanukkah" has 8. I'm fine either way. It just seems more likely to get broader acceptance if each group is allotted equal time. A compromise of sorts.
Ohoh!! Here's the money quote: "American culture". How is American culture relevant here? I thought we were talking about a religious holiday (Christmas), and that if the religion is sincere then you're trying to lead people by your witness to find Christ, beyond nationality and even culture. Christmas as such is simply a symbol, rather than an aim in itself.
It seems as if you're operating from an axiom that many other discussants do not agree on. No wonder the conversation seems like it's folks talking past each other.
You know, I'm back, because the more I think about this, the more it bugs me.
You compare Christmas to Halloween and Thanksgiving, which are in the US secular holidays. The most common argument I've heard for wishing everyone "Merry Christmas" is that many people celebrate Christmas as a secular holiday. That's fine for anyone who does so, but it's not a correct assumption in general. I celebrate Christmas because it is one of a set of holidays that tells the story of Christ's birth, and it's an important part of the liturgical calendar. I do not want Christmas to be secularized. I know I do not share my approach to Christmas with random coworkers, and in particular with non-Christians, and I do not want to pretend I do. It's a religious holiday for me and it irks me to treat it otherwise.
So it seems like you're trying to cheapen or appropriate my religious observance to be a cultural marker instead, a marker of "being American". But the colonies were established in large part by religious dissenters, including in particular Puritans, who were highly critical of the secular Christmas. So you betray the roots of the American nation in forcing secular observance of Christmas on people.
Having abandoned both American ideals of religious liberty and Christian ideals of sincere and sober religious observance of the birth of Christ, what, exactly, are you left with?
I'm with you, as an agnostic with Christ-inspired morals. I know folks believe in it, I don't; so I don't even like to attend mass 'cause it feels disrespectful. And the capitalization is gross for reasons manifold.
Christmas is considered part of American culture. Whether it should be is not relevant. Given how liberals widely seem to hate "America"[0], I was remarking that avoiding mentioning Christmas (by a well-known woke company) comes off as being motivated by hatred of American culture. If one's motive is really to be inclusive rather than to display hatred, there are ways to be inclusive that don't look like hate.
If it's a religious holiday to you, then that's great. That's a good reason for not wanting it to be considered part of American culture, but it doesn't change the fact that it is.
