I am not sure when it was exactly that "Happy Holidays" fell on such hard times. I remember, with some nostalgia, Perry Como crooning "may the merry bells keep ringing, happy holidays to you..." from somewhere back in the '50's. It seemed to have been okay then. Why is it suddenly such a bad thing? Is it because we believed some talking head who told us that it was anti-Christian? Is it because we truly believe there is a war on Christmas in this country? Are we somehow trying to "keep Christ in Christmas" by saying only "Merry Christmas" and not "Happy Holidays?"
As a historian, and as a church historian, allow me to correct our perceptions, if I may. The phrase "Happy Holidays"is actually rooted in Christian tradition, and is, in fact, in its origin, Christian. That's right. It began as a Christian tradition and cannot be divorced from Christian faith simply because we do not remember its origins. In the early church, when Christmas was still celebrated for twelve days (yes, the song is historical in its origins as well - so, too, is Santa Claus, whose beginning is like wise Christian, but that's another blog), the greeting of Merry Christmas was only used up until the actual arrival of Christmas.
For the next twelve days, from Christmas day up to Epiphany, which is still celebrated in many churches, and which marked the end of the holy tide of Christmas, a different wish and greeting was extended. During that season the greeting and wish was for Happy Holy Days. Holy Days was eventually contracted into the more modern form, holiday, or holidays. The wish was extended that one might have a happy season of holy day celebrations, or that they might have blessed holy days.
Writing in his blog, Lew Rockwell says, "Holiday is not only a religious word; it is a Christian
word. Its derivation is from the Old English through the Middle English. Holy
might somewhat predate Christian England from the Angles and Saxons, but in its
persistence down through Middle English holy very much has brought down its
Christian associations, both Roman Catholic, then Church of England. The reader
doesn't have to believe, just acknowledge."
Eventually the phrasing crossed from Middle English into more modern vernacular and we end up with the modern greeting "Happy Holidays." This greeting, by the way, can be documented in common usage during the holiday season in the U.S. in newspapers and magazines going back about a hundred years. It is by no means new and by no means secular. One cannot, in fact, deny its roots in Christianity even if one intends it to be a less religious greeting. By definition and derivation, holy days, cannot become secular simply by contracting the word.
And finally, I would suggest that if we want to keep Christ in Christmas, it is not the greeting that does it, but rather our participation in church and our own faithfulness to the Lord. We cannot influence anyone else to be religious, except by our own participation and through our own example. So whether the store clerk wishes you "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays" know that both are a nod to the Christian origins of this most blessed of holy days and take comfort in your own faith practices as the example to others of God's love in Christ that we celebrate at Christmas.
Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays!
