The poll says ... Merry Christmas! (69% use greeting - Gallup Poll)

[sabra]

http://www.azcentral.com/business/articles/1221Xmas-Greeting-ON.html

The poll says ... Merry Christmas!

If you think greetings such as "Happy Holidays" or "Season's Greetings" are poor substitutes for "Merry Christmas," you've got company.

A USA Today/CNN/Gallup Poll taken Friday through Sunday finds that 69 percent of adults surveyed say "Merry Christmas" is the greeting they most likely would use this time of year when first meeting someone. That's up from 56 percent in 2004. Only 29 percent would opt for "Happy Holidays," down from 41 percent in 2004.

The "Merry Christmas" preference appears to cross religious boundaries, including non-Christians and respondents who say they have no religious affiliations.

Perhaps that's no surprise, given well-publicized concerns that references to Christmas are being diluted in American society, from town celebrations to shopping malls. Fresh debate was prompted by the holiday greeting card sent by President Bush "with no explicit reference to this as the holy time of Christmas," noted Janet Davis, head of American studies at the University of Texas-Austin.

[displacedtexan]

1. I'm in DC, and I've heard "Merry Christmas" twice this month.

Most store clerks say, "Have a nice day!"

Everyone else has said, "Happy Holidays!"

[tatertop]

2. I say Merry Christmas out of habit

It rolls off the tongue nicely

[ChairmanAgnostic]

3. I say merry winter solstice. Everyone smiles in response.

[tatertop]

5. Merry Solstice!

[DBoon]

4. I prefer "Merry X-Mas"

[Javaman]

6. X indeed....

Sheeeee had to leave....Los Angeles...

[Pathwalker]

7. No one says ANYTHING around here!

With GM closing two local plants, no one will give any Holiday greeting, lest they get an earfull from an out of work GM employee. I have not heard one single Merry Christmas, or Happy Holiday from anyone, anywhere. Just: Thank you for your business!

[schmuls]

8. I work for the University System in Wisconsin. I work off campus

in adult education. My colleague just told me up on the main campus, it is forbidden to say "Merry Christmas". She didn't say what happens when someone does, but... So she and I said very loudly to each other..."Merry Christmas!!!!!"

[Bill McBlueState]

11. "it is forbidden to say 'Merry Christmas'"

I bet it is. Think for a minute about who would make that rule, who would enforce it, how the public would respond, and what the courts would say about banning any particular spoken phrase. Then ask yourself whether it really is forbidden to say that, or whether it's more likely just a rumor some wingnut invented to fire people up.

[Hyernel]

9. I am a raging atheist who wants Christianity eliminated from the planet...

...But I say Merry Christmas.

Has as much to do with the fictional character, "Christ," as someone named "Christopher" has anything to do with Christianity. It's just an assemblage of letters. It's just my way of taking secular ownership over a fun winter holiday.

I might even be saying Merry Krismas...who the hell is going to know.

[eowyn_of_rohan]

14. Merry Grinchmas to you

Ebenezer Grinchmas

[Hyernel]

16. The Grinch is a prefect example of the "spirit" of the holiday....

...without all the Jesus bullshit.

Do you suppose there's a WhoJesus?

Humbug!

[high density]

10. I'll say Merry Christmas to people starting on Friday leaving work

I mean we don't say "Happy 4th of July" all through June, so I kind of treat Christmas the same way.

[Maeve]

12. Gee...I usually just say "hi" on meeting someone n/t

[MODemocrat]

13. I couldn't care less how people greet me

I'll have a good day as long as there's food and love in my home, and my family and friends are well, and happy.

[Orsino]

15. I guess that settles it.

We're a Christian nation, despite my best efforts to kill the baby Jesus.

[Crunchy Frog]

17. Happy Solstice everyone.

[NYC Liberal]

18. Merry Christmas is not bad greeting...it's just that a few rabid

rightwingers turned it into a snide anti-liberal remark. I used to use it but why bother now when it's being used as an attack?

[yorkiemommie1]

19. that's how i feel

now that there's some sort of litmus test i just say ' have a good one' .... altho today i said, happy holidays to a store clerk and got a dirty look so i said it again....merrily and loudly!

i just am sick of people watching and judging to see how i greet people; it's beyond rude.

[0007]

22. My feelings exactly. The Right winger have made a heathen out

out me, LOL!!

"And I heard him exclaim as he rode out of sight,
piss on you all,
it's been a hell of a night

[oustemnow]

20. I usually go with "Hail Satan"

seems to be a good substitute

[daleo]

21. Let's try "Super Saturnalia"

Since that is where the majority of the Christmas customs originated.