Is ignorance of the origins of the greeting 'Merry Christmas' common?

[Peikko 1,575]

I'm actually a bit shocked that there are people who think this is as old as christianity or more significant than a literary device. Comments please

[JohnSmith2007 353]

I always thought it came from the poem, The Night Before Christmas. That would make it about 150 years old. Before that it was Happy Christmas. All of that isn't the point though, the point is that the phrase "Merry Christmas" has been turned into some sort of religious greeting to be suppressed by athiests rather than a secular holiday greeting. I don't see how anyone would have a problem with it especially to the point of demanding others not utter the phrase for fear of offending someone with micron thick skin.

[ready4ONE 5,400]

I am a confirmed atheist and have absolutely zero issue with saying, writing, signing or signage saying Merry Christmas. The entire controversy has got to be one of the dumbest in history.

[Jenn! 918]

I don't understand the question. Are you asking why people get upset when you say "Happy Holidays" rather than "Merry Christmas"?

[Dan and Judy 614]

I don't understand the question. Are you asking why people get upset when you say "Happy Holidays" rather than "Merry Christmas"?

No the question is "how common is ignoranceof the origin of the phrase" Merry Christmas". I confess that I was ignorant so I looked up the origin.

Origin

Merry Christmas"A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You" was the verse that was shown on the first commercially available Christmas card in 1843. Christmases has been merry long before that though. The use of 'Merry Christmas' as a seasonal salutation dates back to at least 1565, when it appeared in The Hereford Municipal Manuscript:

"And thus I comytt you to god, who send you a mery Christmas & many."

So the origin is at least 400 years ago but there is no way to identify the origin now, So the answer is yes, very common because no one Knows the origin.

[Peikko 1,575]

The point of the question is about the attachment a certain fundamental christian seems to have to it (be that merry christmas, happy christmas or whatever). A christmas greeting is relevant to the mass on christmas day, not to the whole period of December. Wishing strangers a happy holidays while conducting financial transactions has nothing to do with a christian christmas so the form the greeting takes is irrelevant. When someone tries to surpress the ability to identify christmas speficially, then there might be an issue, but no one is. All that's going on is the marketplace is trying to ensure the usual high volumes of spending during December.

As to whether schools and the like should reflect christian values, that's another kettle of fish enrirely. I don't have a problem with public institutions decking themselves out superficially with decorations of all descriptions and what not - but they should not endorse one religion over the other as they are secular, not the public face of a state religion.

Edited December 16, 2010 by Madame Cleo