I dont get this holiday ambiguity. A few days before my wedding, I got my hair cut by my favorite barber, a fairly religious 80 year old who is one of the nicest, sweetest, kindest men I have ever met. Also a great barber, but I digress.
Upon finding out that we were to be married, he called over his pastor and asked him to bless us. I didnt say, *i dont need a Christian pastors blessing! I am Jewish* I let myself and my wife be blessed, and to this day I was very touched- and felt blessed by it- for it was a kind gesture of a friend wishing upon me his best through the medium of another man he considers worthy of helping with it.
Likewise, when I am wished Merry Christmas, who am I to take offense? I hope I am happy and merry on December 25th; why shouldnt I be? I mean besides the fact that I am a cantankerous golem of a kvetch and probably dont deserve it.
I said Christmas gets me down, and it does. Its a time other people are happy for reasons I cant relate to. I dont wish them unhappiness; I merely wish I could be happy too. To take offense at others happiness, to rectify disparity by dragging others down, I think that would be a disrespect to any god- mine, yours, or the flying freaking spaghetti monster.