Key Takeaways:
What you need to know—fast
• Americans still send about 1.3 billion Christmas cards each year, even in a digital age.
• Surveys consistently show roughly two-thirds of Americans (about 67%) prefer “Merry Christmas”, while about one-quarter (around 25%) prefer “Happy Holidays.”
• In past years, a majority of Christmas cards were explicitly Christmas or Christ-centric, with a smaller—but growing—share using secular greetings.
• The “Merry Christmas vs. Happy Holidays” debate isn’t trivial—it reflects a much deeper cultural and spiritual conflict.
• Christmas remains a unique opportunity for Christians to speak truth—clearly, kindly, and without apology.
Our post-Christian culture has increasingly pushed the idea that saying “Merry Christmas” is somehow offensive, outdated, or inappropriate.
And sadly, many Christians, including evangelicals, have gone along with it.
“Happy Holidays.”
“Season’s Greetings.”
Anything… except the name of Christ.
But is this really just about politeness?
Or does it reveal something much deeper?
The Cards Tell a Story
Americans still send approximately 1.3 billion Christmas cards every year.
That’s not nothing.
That’s tradition.
That’s culture.
That’s belief expressed—one envelope at a time.
In past surveys, the messages on those cards broke down roughly like this:
• A majority were Christmas or Christ-centric
• A significant minority used “Happy Holidays”
• Others opted for generic seasonal or secular messages
While the exact percentages have shifted over time, the direction is unmistakable:
Less Christ.
More neutrality.
More avoidance.
And yet…
Americans Still Prefer “Merry Christmas”
Despite DEI corporate messaging and media pressure, the public hasn’t fully followed.
Survey after survey shows:
• About 67% prefer “Merry Christmas”
• Roughly 25% prefer “Happy Holidays”
• The rest say it “doesn’t matter”
Even among evangelicals, about two-thirds say “Happy Holidays” is acceptable, while only a minority say it’s inappropriate.
That sounds tolerant.
Reasonable.
Kind.
But it also raises serious questions:
Why Even Talk About This?
Does it really matter what we say?
Shouldn’t Christians be tolerant and accepting of all faiths—or no faith at all?
That’s the argument.
But it misses the real issue.
This debate isn’t about manners.
It’s about meaning.
It’s about the reason for the season.
FIVE REALITIES WE CAN’T IGNORE
1. There is a culture war—and this is part of it
At the heart of this conflict are two competing worldviews:
• One acknowledges a personal God, Creator of all that exists
• The other rejects God and claims everything came from random, unguided processes
Words matter because beliefs matter.
2. “Merry Christmas vs. Happy Holidays” is a byproduct—not the cause
No one woke up angry about greetings.
The greeting debate flows downstream from a larger effort to remove God from public life.
3. Secular culture resists the name of Christ
“Merry Christmas” names Christ.
That’s the problem.
First it was “Xmas.”
Then even that became uncomfortable.
Now, neutrality is demanded.
4. “Separation of church and state” is being misused
There is a huge effort in recent years to remove all mention of Jesus Christ from schools, government and public places.
Schools ban Christian songs.
Cities ban prayers.
Christmas trees are simply winter or season trees.
But that phrase is just an excuse.
That phrase was meant to protect the church from government control—not erase faith from society.
It was never intended to silence voluntary religious expression.
5. Christmas is an opportunity—if we take it
Christmas is, by definition, a Christian holiday.
Without Christ, there is no Christmas.
And that makes this season a powerful moment to witness for Christ – speaking truth in love.
So What Should We Do?
We don’t need to shout.
We don’t need to be rude.
We don’t need to attack anyone.
But we also don’t need to retreat.
Saying “Merry Christmas” is not intolerance.
It’s testimony.
FAQs:
Isn’t “Happy Holidays” just being polite?
Politeness is good. Silence about truth is not required.
Are Christians trying to force beliefs on others?
No. Speaking freely about faith is not coercion. It’s liberty.
Does this really impact culture?
Yes. Culture changes when language changes and language shapes belief.
Can Christians be gracious and bold at the same time?
Absolutely. In fact, we’re called to be both.
About Craig:
Craig Huey is a longtime commentator, author, and publisher of The Huey Alert.
For decades, he has written on faith, culture, politics, and the spiritual battles shaping America—always encouraging Christians to engage the culture with truth, courage, and conviction.