How Religious is "Jingle Bells"?

The day after Christmas we went to the Hallmark store for their “After Christmas Sale”. Just about everything was marked off 40 or 50%.

Boy was it crowded and two long line to the cash registers.

We pretty much loaded up on cards that impressed us, either by the theme of the scene or the humor of the card. It didn’t even occur to me to check to see if they said “Happy Holidays” (gasp!) or “Merry Christmas”.

So, as far as I am concerned, by not even thinking about it, was my way of saying “Who cares? I don’t.” and meaning it.

I know of two people that complained because the cards available at Hallmark did not say “Merry Christmas”.

If you want only “Merry Christmas” cards to distribute I think in a way you are saying, if you do not believe in Jesus then you don’t deserve my good wishes. My good will towards men only goes to Christians - that doesn't sound very Christian.

It seems “Happy Holidays” would cover Christmas and other religious holidays and if you want to narrow your happiness requirement you can write in “Merry Christmas” as a personal note – that would give you something to handwrite, to make it more personal.

You paid for the cards and it is your right to have what you want on the card – go far it.

The only problem I have is when something of a certain religious influence is displayed or celebrated in a public-paid place. Such as for years the park in the Square had a Manger scene. That park was donated by the Glover family but is maintained by tax payers money (and people punished to do so many days of public service), so I think a Manger scene is not the thing to have there, which they don’t any longer.

But I think on the campus of a Christian School is probably okay, and we will turn our head on the public funding they get. Other religious schools can do their thing as well.