HISTORY: How Did The ‘Merry Christmas’ Vs. ‘Happy Holidays’ Battle Start? (VIDEO)

For years now, we have dealt with the “War on Christmas.” Some RWNJs are claiming that they are being persecuted because they say “Merry Christmas.” Many people think that we should say “Happy Holidays” instead.

We can say whichever greeting or nicety we want to. There are many holidays that people celebrate in November and December. The debate is not necessary.

How Did The Debate Start?

The “War on Christmas” rhetoric actually started in 1959. This is when the John Birch Society (JBS) first declared the “War on Christmas.” They are a conservative education group.

A writer named Hubert Kregeloh warned:

“One of the techniques now being applied by the Reds to weaken the pillar of religion in our country is the drive to take Christ out of Christmas — to denude the event of its religious meaning.”

The pamphlet he wrote about the subject spread like wildfire. He was predicting that “UN Fanatics” would “poison” the season.

The JBS claimed that there was a plan afoot to ban all religious beliefs and customs. It didn’t really spread that far at the time, but it has started up again in recent years.

Before it became mainstream, one former writer, Peter Brimelow, was talking about this issue a lot. In 1999, he ran competitions with his magazines to find the biggest opponents of “Mery Christmas.” The first winner was the Department of Housing and Urban Development for hosting a party and calling it a “holiday party.”

The Debate Today

In 2004, Fox News stirred up a lot of controversy surrounding the “War on Christmas.” Bill O’ Reilly said that Christmas is “under siege.” He was mad that Macy’s was using “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas.”

President-elect Donald Trump joined the “War on Christmas” bandwagon this year. His campaign is selling a Christmas ornament for a whopping $149.

Trump has latched on to this “War on Christmas” to rile up his rabid fanbase. He said this about it at a rally this week:

“We’re gonna start saying ‘Merry Christmas’ again. How about all those department stores, they have the bells, and they have the red walls, and they have the snow, but they don’t have ‘Merry Christmas’? I think they’re gonna start putting up ‘Merry Christmas.’ ”

This is just a ridiculous debate that right-wingers love to stir up around the holidays.

Here is Hemant Mehta talking about this war on Christmas:

Featured image via Twitter

Hi, I'm from Huntsville, AL. I'm a Liberal living in the Bible Belt, which can be quite challenging at times. I'm passionate about many issues including mental health, women's rights, gay rights, and many others. Check out my blog weneedtotalkaboutmentalhealth.com