First, there is a big difference between public celebrations and governmental observances. Private citizens and religious organizations are perfectly free to celebrate Christmas openly, visibly and in most public places! It’s only governments that, under the First Amendment, cannot observe religious holidays or lead religious exercises.

Even within the realm governmental expression, there is fairly widespread agreement that seasonal holidays can be acknowledged in many ways. For example, holiday concerts in public schools can and should include religious music along with the secular, as long as the sacred does not dominate. Religious dramatic productions can be put on in the public schools as long as they do not involve worship and are part of an effort to use religious holidays as an occasion to teach about religion. Although free standing crèches – a pervasively religious Christian symbol – should not be sponsored by government, Christmas trees and menorahs are sufficiently secular under Supreme Court precedent to allow their display without constitutional difficulty.

Second, there is a fine line between political correctness and good manners. For example, it is perfectly appropriate to extend a specific holiday greeting like my Jewish friends do when they wish me a “Merry Christmas,” and I return a “Happy Hanukkah.” But it’s often similarly appropriate to wish another “Happy Holidays” or “Season’s Greetings” if I’m talking to a person whose religious affiliation I do not know. It’s simply good manners and common courtesy to employ a more general greeting. The same goes for merchants who have advertised goods to all Americans of many religious traditions who may or may not celebrate Christmas. None of this disparages Christmas one iota or diminishes its enjoyment in the least.

So, yes, celebrate Christmas in public; but we should resist governmentally promoted Christmas observance most of the time. No, we do not need mindless political correctness; but we should welcome all of the good manners we can get.

In sum, as we celebrate our religious holidays, we should acknowledge and embrace the religious pluralism that makes up the American landscape, even during – particularly during – this season. In that spirit I wish everyone, then: Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and a Joyous Kwanzaa, Martyrdom Day of Guru TeghBanhadur, Bodhi Day, Maunajiyaras Day, Beginning of Masa’il, Nisf Sha’ban and Yalda Night, Yule and Shinto Winter Solstice, and Ramadan! Or, happy holidays!