For starter, I like to wish my Christian friends Merry Christmas, I have no problem saying it loud. In fact I enjoy saying "Merry Christmas" to the ones I know it means a lot to them more than the commercialization of it. My rule is always on such occasions, always have yourself a good time.
Now, but I do not go around asking people what their religion is. It's tricky to assume that they are Christians who observe this season. There are those agnostic and atheists too, so it's tough to guess when to probably say it with people you do not know. I was once told by an Arab friend of mine who is Christian, that sometimes it bugs her when people assume she is Muslim and wish her a Happy Eid. I understand her plight and I can see how that would feel like erasing your identity.
When people wish me Merry Christmas, I say Merry Christmas back with a smile. I do not lecture or correct people. However, I do not know how other Muslims and Jewish people feel in this situation. I know for some of them--not all it's an identity thing to reject Christmas. Therefore, when I visited St. Louis, I was wishing people Merry Christmas, but always had doubts about it.
At the end of the day, this could be a Muslims wishing a Jewish person a Merry Christmas--a holiday of no value to neither of them.
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