[Halibut]

Gah. It's that time of year again when clerks, cashiers, waiters, doctor's office staff, etc. are going to start wishing me a merry Christmas. I shouldn't let it bother me but sometimes it does because, hey! I'm not Christian. Do I go around wishing people a happy Hanukkah or blessed Diwali or whatever?

If I'm getting a haircut and am trapped when the barber asks what I'm doing for the holidays, I'll usually just say I don't celebrate Christmas and hope he shuts it. But I do realize it's pretty churlish and rude to snap at cashiers who are just making passing small talk while working the register and not even looking up at me.

My wife tells me I should consider "merry Christmas" to be a non-sectarian greeting, but I'm not convinced. I guess it's the assumptions that bother me. Don't hang your religious beliefs on me, okay? I promise not to put mine on you.