Community Corner

'Merry Christmas' or 'Happy Holidays' — What's Your Preference?

Do you think there really is a war on Christmas?

So this is Christmas, or maybe happy holidays?

When it comes to season’s greetings, a new poll shows the majority of Americans prefer “Merry Christmas” to “Happy Holidays.”

The survey from Rasmussen Reports finds that 68 percent of the people polled prefer the traditional “Merry Christmas” while just 23 percent like "Happy Holidays," which can cover a variety of occasions.

Find out what's happening in Sarasotawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

When it comes to holiday signs, a whopping 70 percent of shoppers polled said they prefer to be greeted with “Merry Christmas” in stores rather than the more neutral Happy Holidays, according to a Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

But it doesn't end there. There have been "Christmas Trees" banned or replaced with "Holiday Trees," nativity scenes scrapped to avoid offending some, and the list goes on. The so-called “War on Christmas” has been a hot topic for years, with some saying such things as “Merry Christmas” and nativity scene exclude non-Christians.

Find out what's happening in Sarasotawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

What do you think? Should it be Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays? And do you believe there really is a war on Christmas?


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here