When I first set foot in America in the mid-2000s, I found myself in an odd situation come December. I had to bite my tongue to catch myself from saying “Merry Christmas.” It was just something I did out of habit; I had always said “Merry Christmas” while growing up in England. But I had to adjust to the correct greeting—“Happy Holidays”—in my new cultural context. I still haven’t gotten used to it.
