The term Merry Christmas doesn't have any religious bias and is often used by people of all races and religious backgrounds, during Christmas time. It reflects that messages of love, joy and well wishes can be communicated irrespective of belief systems. It's a greeting that makes total strangers make instant connection. It's a message that dissolves anger. It's a message that evaporates misunderstanding between loved ones and creates a bridge to the beginning of a new relationship. It's amazing that these two simple words "Merry Christmas" can have this profound effect.
In some places, people use a slight variation of the term "Merry Christmas." In Ireland and Great Britain, some people prefer using "Happy Christmas" instead. However, the power and significance of the phrase is not diminished at all because of a difference in phraseology, because the intent of love and well being remains the same, no matter which phrase is used.
The phrase "Happy Christmas" was used by Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain and proceeded to gain popularity in that part of the world. In fact, in the concluding lines of his now famous "A visit from St. Nicholas", Clement Moore actually used "Happy Christmas." However, in later reincarnations of it, "Merry