In our overly politically correct society, there is a recurring debate that happens every year at Christmas time. The ‘War on Christmas’, as it is sometimes referred to in the media, is the argument about whether people should say “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays” and whether it should be celebrated as a religious or non-religious holiday.
Neil deGrasse Tyson, a well-respected American astrophysicist, may have won the war altogether with an epic tweet that reminds us that ‘holiday’ does mean ‘Holy day’. This is a fact and also defined in the Online Etymology Dictionary as a ‘religious festival’ or a ‘day of recreation’.
Neil deGrasse Tyson may have won the ‘Merry Christmas’ VS ‘Happy Holidays’ debate with this epic tweet.
I hope this helps clear the debate but it probably won’t. Nobody complains about Valentine’s Day which is essentially the day of Saint Valentine, a Christian saint. Like mostly everything we do or say, it will come up eventually for debate by somebody who gets offended by the phrase “Hope you have a Happy Valentine’s Day!”
Holiday derives from Holy Day. So it's etymologically under-informed to assert that "Happy Holidays" does not reference God.
— Neil deGrasse Tyson (@neiltyson) December 20, 2012
H/t: Upworthy
What do you think? Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays? Please share this epic tweet by Neil deGrasse Tyson letting us know that “Happy Holidays” is just as religious as “Merry Christmas” with your friends and family.
