This Christmas, ‘Merry Christmas’ Came Back

This Christmas felt different.

Not louder. Not flashier. Just more normal.

For the first time in a few years, it felt okay to say “Merry Christmas” again. Not whispered. Not followed by an apology. Just said plainly, often, to strangers.

I heard it everywhere. At Target. At Spencer’s. At the supermarket. Buying donuts on Christmas morning. On my daily walk. From clerks, cashiers, and people passing by. Smiles, eye contact, and a simple “Merry Christmas.”

To some, this may sound small. To others, it may sound like nothing at all. But it isn’t nothing.

For years, many Americans felt unsure about saying it. “Happy Holidays” became the safer option, not because people stopped believing in Christmas but because they didn’t want the side eye, the correction, or the judgment. It was easier to avoid the moment altogether.

That hesitation didn’t come out of nowhere. It grew alongside a broader fear of saying the wrong thing, holding the wrong view, or being labeled, blocked, or canceled. We saw it clearly during the most recent election.

People were careful, guarded, sometimes silent about who they voted for or what they believed, not because their views had changed, but because the consequences felt real.

Cancel culture wasn’t theoretical. It was social. Professional. Personal.

That’s why this Christmas mattered.

What changed wasn’t a policy or a memo from corporate America. What changed was the tone. People seemed more relaxed and more willing to be themselves in public spaces again. Saying “Merry Christmas” wasn’t a statement or a challenge. It was just a greeting. A shared moment. A human exchange.

And that’s how it should be.

A healthy society doesn’t require everyone to agree. It requires space to be different. To believe different things. To vote differently. To celebrate differently. And yes, to greet one another differently.

This wasn’t about excluding anyone. It was about people feeling free to say what they actually mean. That freedom shouldn’t be controversial.

So when strangers smiled and said “Merry Christmas” this year, it felt like more than a holiday greeting. It felt like a small sign that maybe, just maybe, we’re moving back toward a culture where people don’t have to constantly self-censor to get through the day.

After the last few years, that’s something worth noticing.

And worth saying out loud.

Merry Christmas.