There’s a War on Christmas?

I’m sure we’ve all heard about it by now. There is apparently a war on Christmas. When I first heard the term, I thought it was some kind of joke, or at worst, an agenda cooked up by a pundit or political figure for some instant fame (which may not be too far from the truth). Turns out the term has been around at least since last year, maybe longer. I also thought its effects had not yet reached down to John and Jane Doe, but I witnessed the politically correct machine first hand at a retail clothier just last week.
Through the course of conversation with the saleswoman (oops, retail professional), I mentioned something about finishing Christmas shopping. On my way out the door, she said, “happy holidays” but then immediately corrected herself, saying, “oh, Merry Christmas, since I heard you say ‘Christmas’ earlier.”
Had she said something like Happy Kwanzaa or Happy Hanukkah, I would not have been offended. I would have assumed that she was celebrating whatever day to which she had referred and that she was wishing me a good day. Simple as that. What is it about Christmas that has caused so much hand-wringing?

One argument I’ve heard is that schools should not force students to sing Christmas carols that make mention of Jesus, God, or any other religious figure. Ok, so I can maybe understand this. Would it be fair to have the kids sing a traditional Muslim song, or Hindu, given the diversity of the classroom? They are a captive audience, who do not have an option of removing themselves from the setting without some repurcusion. The obvious solution, then, might be to sing secular songs, or none at all.
But how far do we take all this? Shall I worry about offending the Chinese man who uses the Chinese calendar by saying “Happy New Year?” Or, even better, what if I offend the man who looks Chinese but is fifth generation American using the Western calendar by not saying “Happy New Year?” Believe me, it’s going to come to this. Eventually people will be just as offended by something you don’t say as something you do say. What if people start recognizing that the etymology of the word “holiday” is “holy day,” and I ask the atheist British national if he’s taking the “July 4th holiday” off? Double whammy!
Apparently, we are heading in a direction of taking it pretty far. A school in Wisconson has banned students from bringing in red and green cookies in December because “the color combination strongly suggests the divisive sectarian feast day of Christmas.” (link – with PC quiz!) Divisive? Feast day?
The PC scare is all over the world now, not just in good old scared-to-death America. I don’t know what the threshold is, but a principal at a school in Australia crossed it when she used the word “Christmas” ten times in one week. She is being sued. (link)
In un-holiday related PC retardedness (oops, mentally handicappedness), a hospital in England has “banned visitors from cooing at other people’s newborn babies for fear of trampling over the youngsters’ human rights.” (link)
Merry Christmas! Zing!
(Rule for this entry: you must phrase comments in the most politically correct way as possible.)