Last week I was at a big Woodbine Avenue drug store with lots of boxed Christmas cards for sale. After rifling through them, I began to notice that they all said “Happy Holidays” or “Seasons Greetings” inside. What happened to good old “Merry Christmas”?

Yes, I realize that I live in a diverse and multicultural country, and I think that is really great. But there is something that I just find so impersonal about sending a card that says “Seasons Greetings” to someone who I know celebrates Christmas.

I talked to a fellow East Yorker, Shirley Mathews , who said she always looks for cards that say “Merry Christmas.”

“I don’t care if Jesus or Santa is on the outside of the card. I just want the sentiment to be inside,” Mathews told me.

She also isn’t afraid to say “Merry Christmas” to the people she encounters over the holidays.

I work retail, which is always hectic this time of the year. To keep myself feeling cheery during this busy time, I wear a Santa Claus pin on my work vest. I even put on reindeer antlers or a festive hat when my manager isn’t looking. I won’t actually come out and say “Merry Christmas” to my customers, in fear of offending someone who doesn’t celebrate the holiday. But my outward appearance screams Christmas. If someone comes out with the greeting and says it to me first, I’m not afraid to say it back… with a huge smile.

I’m just tired of being politically correct all of the time.