# Why does Christmas have to be inclusive?

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-christmas-have-to-be-inclusive/429622
**Category:** Great Debates
**Created:** [December 11, 2007, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-christmas-have-to-be-inclusive/429622 "2007-12-11T16:49:44Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 4

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### Author: ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)
#### Post date: [December 12, 2007, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-christmas-have-to-be-inclusive/429622/61 "2007-12-12T18:47:19Z")

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[QUOTE=CurtC]  
If the OP question is regarding the government’s observance of the holiday, then it’s clear the answer is that the government must not play favorites with religion.

If the question is about why stores tell employees to wish customers “happy holidays,” then the answer is that a store doesn’t make money by making 20% of their customers feel unwelcome.  
[/QUOTE]

Probably closer to 50% where I live. When I went shopping yesterday, large numbers of people were very likely not Christian. We’ve got a Christmas-like tree in our office, where Christians are probably around 20% at most of the staff. On the other hand, there are a lot more pictures of Santa up than of Jesus, so we can tell who the real reason for the season is.

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### Author: ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)
#### Post date: [December 12, 2007, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-christmas-have-to-be-inclusive/429622/62 "2007-12-12T19:19:44Z")

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[QUOTE=Dob]  
I live in No. VA outside of DC. And no, I haven’t seen a single Merry Christmas sign.  
[/QUOTE]

Have you seen an optometrist?

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### Author: ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)
#### Post date: [December 13, 2007, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-christmas-have-to-be-inclusive/429622/63 "2007-12-13T03:00:26Z")

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[QUOTE=Steve MB]  
Have you seen an optometrist?  
[/QUOTE]

That’s a pretty rude thing to ask an apparent blind person.

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