Is Wishing a Non Believer a “Merry Christmas” Rude? [POLL]

Question: if you’re a non-Christian or just a non-believer, does it annoy you or do you feel it’s rude to be given the greeting “Merry Christmas” – even though you may not be celebrating the holiday per se?

At one time it may not have been all that out of the ordinary to wish everyone you came into contact with a “Merry Christmas” – even if it wasn’t “their” holiday.

Now, with some folks, it’s as though you’re telling them to go “F-themselves” if they don’t recognize Christmas.

I wish we could leave it alone and let it stand as a greeting - wishing our fellow man good tidings for the season.

However that’s not to be, as is cited in this "news piece", where a 9 year old was reportedly suspended for wishing his teacher, an avowed atheist, a “Merry Christmas”.

According to this:

Timothy Dawson, a 9-year-old student at Anon Elementary School in San Francisco, CA., was in the school cafeteria Monday eating with friends when he was taken to the principal’s office and given a week-long suspension. His punishment was consequence for saying ‘Merry Christmas’ to his homeroom teacher earlier that morning.

Dawson’s teacher, 35-year-old Paul Horner who is an outspoken Atheist, was offended at the student’s display of Christmas spirit and had staff suspend the young boy for the rest of the week.

“I say ‘Merry Christmas’ to everyone,” the boy told CNN. “I didn’t think it would cause so much trouble just for saying a couple little words.”
The boy’s mother, Laura Dawson, 41, was fuming over the issue.

“You don’t traumatize a child who loves to go to school, who wanted to be early every day to school, you don’t make him cry, just for wishing someone Merry Christmas,” she told reporters, holding back tears. “You just don’t do it.”

Reporters spoke with Mr. Horner as he was leaving from school on Tuesday. “I warned the children not to bring religion into my classroom,” Horner said. “Maybe he’ll [Tim] listen to adults next time.”

Anon Elementary School officials declined to comment.

For the record, the above article cited is a hoax, …..however, it does beg the question, should
an innocuous greeting like Merry Christmas be taken in the spirit in which it is given – as a sign of wishing good cheer upon the person to whom you are greeting.

Perhaps it's not so "innocuous" and that's why we bite our tongues.

Do you?

Do you feel it’s rude to wish a non believer a “Merry Christmas?”