"Merry Christmas" vs "Happy Holidays"
Which greeting do you go for?
In English-speaking countries such as the UK and Australia, traditionally the greeting has been "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Christmas", while "Happy Holidays" is often seen as a "woke" US import and, therefore, subject to much cultural baggage, cynicism and animosity. However, "Happy Holidays" is actually the default greeting in many countries around the world this time of year, such as in southeast Europe/the Balkans. Saying the equivalent of "Merry Christmas" in the Balkans is just reserved for immediately around Christmas and so you'll get weird looks if you say this in the weeks of early/mid December.
Here are the reasons why the Balkans go for "Happy Holidays"
🔔 There's more than just Christmas now
There's actually a whole string of holidays from the start of December right through to mid-January. We start off with St Nicholas Day on 6/19 December. The day after Christmas is St Stephen's Day. Then there are New Year's Eve and Day, and then Epiphany... and these are just the main ones!
🦌 Not everyone celebrates Christmas
Unless they are wearing visible religious garb, it's hard to tell if anyone you're talking to actually celebrates Christmas. In the Balkans there are large native populations of Muslims, non-religious people and Atheists, plus smaller groups such as Jewish people, not to mention the increasing number of people from other parts of the world (such as Africa and Asia), most of whom don't celebrate Christmas and it's rather presumptuous to think otherwise.
🎅🏻 Christmas is not the main event
This is definitely the case for the people above who don't celebrate Christmas, but also for many Orthodox Christians, where the birth of Jesus is not as important as the resurrection (i.e. Easter). Also, Orthodox Christians from ex-Yugoslavia and ex-USSR celebrate Christmas relatively modestly (though this is changing) not on 25 December but according to the Julian Calendar on 7 January – so too the Coptic Christians of Ethiopia, Eritrea and Egypt, and the Armenians do Christmas the day before. For most of these people, New Year's Eve and Day is the BIG day, with all of the trappings that westerners associate with Christmas – New Year's trees, Grandfather Frost (who looks like Santa), New Year's presents and cards, family gatherings, etc.
🕎 As a side note, Hannukah traditionally for Jewish people has been a minor holiday compared to the "high holidays" such as Passover, Jewish New Year or Yom Kippur. Hannukah is not the "Jewish Christmas" that it has become particularly in the United States.
🎁 "Happy Holidays" is the most inclusive greeting for this time of the year. Please see past any perceived US cultural hegemony or cynicism and embrace it for the all-encompassing greeting it has traditionally been.
Среќни празници!
Srećni praznici!
Sretni blagdani!
Sretni praznici!
Весели празници!
Gëzuar festat!
Καλές γιορτές
Sărbători fericite!
Vesele praznike!
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