Happy holidays vs. Merry Christmas?

Sweetpeach and springhaze I pretty much agree with you!

In the UK, it is more about spending lots of money on gifts, eating lots of food, and drinking lots of alcohol, which isn't specific to Christianity. 

following on from sweetpeach's post, I will hold my hand up and say I celebrate "Christmas" as a completely secular holiday.  It's probably more accurate to say I'm celebrating the solstice (because I'm super excited for the days to start getting longer again and that is part of the reason why I enjoy the celebrations this time of year) but I like cheesy christmas songs about santa, reindeer and the rest and even religious carols will get me into the spirit even if I don't celebrate the religious holiday myself. 

I'm exactly the same way! I'm an atheist, but I adore Christmas songs, Father Christmas, etc. The whole thing makes me happy! 

Me too!!!!!  I think the story of christmas is fantastic and thus I love creche displays and Christmas music, religious and cheezy- but I don't think of it as religion to me, I just think of it as a story, like any other and as good as a time to have celebration as any!  I celebrate the food ,the fun, santa, family, pretty lights, lots of merry drinks, the end of the year, laughs, pretty colours, etc.      
I am most definitlely not religious!

My observation of Christmas in the UK was that it was every bit as commercial as the States, but it seems to be a less ostentatious outward celebration -- although I know that has changed somewhat since I first was in England.  There isn't as much of the lighting up the exterior of the house, setting up the inflatables in the front garden, very few Christmas wreaths on doors, etc. etc.  But it seemed like people decorated a lot more inside -- like a child's birthday party (hmmm ...) with balloons, streamers, people in party hats and so on.  Struck me as very odd at first.

I agree about the commercialism, but as far as ostentatious...you haven't been on my street in the last 2 or 3 weeks - I think I'm the last person in the neighbourhood to decorate!  Plus, we have everything from lovely wreaths on the front door to the inflatables and 'Santa' hanging from the edge of someone's roof.  I've found it all very interesting, as I lived most of my adult US life in a very rural setting, so I feel like I'm right in the middle of National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation!

but as far as ostentatious...you haven't been on my street in the last 2 or 3 weeks - I think I'm the last person in the neighbourhood to decorate!  Plus, we have everything from lovely wreaths on the front door to the inflatables and 'Santa' hanging from the edge of someone's roof.  I've found it all very interesting, as I lived most of my adult US life in a very rural setting, so I feel like I'm right in the middle of National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation!

Wow, I haven't been there in some time at Christmas.  So guess they are catching up alright!

Yesterday at work two different customers made a joke about having to say 'Happy Holidays' to me.  If it hadn't been for this thread I wouldn't have gotten it.

Me too!!!!!  I think the story of christmas is fantastic and thus I love creche displays and Christmas music, religious and cheezy- but I don't think of it as religion to me, I just think of it as a story, like any other and as good as a time to have celebration as any!  I celebrate the food ,the fun, santa, family, pretty lights, lots of merry drinks, the end of the year, laughs, pretty colours, etc.      
I am most definitlely not religious!

same here.

just being festive is fun - baking, having people over, wrapping stuff up in the evenings.

and of course, buying a gift for myself.