Does your hospital allow you to say "Merry Christmas"??

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Any american nurses working in a hospital in the USA that tells staff they can no longer say "Merry Christmas"? Are there hospitals here in our country that are forcing their staff to only say "happy holidays" and not allowing them to say "Merry Christmas"?

I'm just curious if this is becoming an issue in the nursing profession? I recently spoke to some public school teachers here in Florida who told me they can say happy holidays but they can't say Merry Christmas. I have read that many department stores and other retail businesses are no longer using the word Christmas, but replacing it with Happy Holidays and Season's Greetings.

I haven't heard of this being a trend in any hospitals in my area, but very curious if this is taking place in hospitals in other states?

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ED.

I work in a Catholic hospital, so no, not a problem.

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Specializes in ICU/Critical Care.

I say Happy Holidays to patients and families. It's not that its more politically correct, I am just aware that there are people who are not Christian or Catholic.

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I tend not to say anything until a patient or family member says something first, anyway! And then I wish them "and to you, as well" or something of the sort.

I tend to also say "enjoy the season" so that whatever season it IS for them (Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa), they have been wished a good holiday :)

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Specializes in -.

I work in Australia and our Nursing Home is like a shrine to Christmas ! We have tinsel everywhere, Christmas trees, talking Santa statues, a nativity scene, lights...

So far we haven't had any complaints but being an elderly persons home many people have grown up going to church etc. I follow a different religion but I don't mind..It's all about the spirit of the season to me, not religion !

To me, saying "Merry Christmas" IS saying "have a happy holiday season"...not exclusively saying "Merry Jesus Day !"

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Specializes in psych. rehab nursing, float pool.

Our hospital uses the term Happy Holidays, or Holiday Celebration is a term officially written on bulletins. However no one has ever said a thing when we say Merry Christmas, Happy Hanaka or Happy Kwanza to each other.

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Oh, please don't let this turn into a wingnut "war on Christmas" diatribe.

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Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

We live in an affluent suburban area that is on PC overdrive. My daughter's public elementary school had non-specific "holiday" parties for years until 1 parent, who refused to identify him/herself, sent a letter to the principal expressing offense. Mind you, this was 1 child out of about 500, and since no one knew who the child was, it was not possible to alter the party in his/her class. From then on, the parties ceased. The kids couldn't even eat snowflake cookies or drink hot chocolate on the last day of school before winter break.

I transferred my daughter to an inner city magnet school this year. Last night was her holiday music program. I was near tears at the beauty of a roomful of children and families of all colors from all over the city coming together to celebrate the holidays with beautiful music from "The Blessed Virgin had a Baby Boy" to "The Hanukah Song" to the finale of "We Wish You a Merry Christmas."

I should probably add the the evening began with the children reciting a pledge that they had written in support of diversity in their school and community. What a fitting tribute to tolerance and respect of other cultures than to learn about and celebrate their holiday traditions, rather than insisting that the mention of other beliefs is "offensive".

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I'm of two minds regarding this issue.

The first part of me thinks that Christmas is no more religious than Thursday. You see the Keep Christ in Christmas stickers on cars, right? I want one that says Keep Thor in Thursday. To that end, "Merry Christmas" is just as generic a greeting as "Happy Holidays" and the likes.

The second part of me, however, knows that a very vocal minority pushes for "Merry CHRISTmas" with heavy emphasis on the "Christ" part of it. They want to remind people it is a religious holiday and that Christ is the reason for the season.

These people irritate me and make me more reluctant to use "Merry Christmas" simply because of the first point I made and the fact that there are about 3-10 different actual holidays from Thanksgiving to New Year's depending on your religion and your culture and without knowing a person it'd be rude not to include their equally cherished celebrations.

I then add that the Earth's axial tilt is the actual reason for the season. Both literally and metaphorically- Christmas celebrations originate from winter solstice celebrations, after all.

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To address the question, my hospital doesn't care what we say so long as we are considerate of patients' and visitors' cultures. We're a religiously affiliated facility, however, so there is no quarrel.

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Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.

Now THIS is micromanagement at its best.

I mean, quite honestly, I REALLY don't see how in the world a hospital can tell its employees that they cannot say "Merry Christmas!". I personally do try to be careful with it sometimes, as I know that there are plenty of people who do not celebrate.

Now, I guess I can see a hospital asking departments to put up decorations that only say "Happy Holidays" and such, but to actually forbid your employees from saying the words to others? Crazy.

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Specializes in Telemetry, Case Management.

My dd worked at a Jewish hospital, and they could not have any Christmas decorations, or Christmas scrub tops. Not so much as one small poinsettia. They also did not have Hannukah decorations either. No menorah, no dreidels, nothing. Very UN-holiday-ish all around.

I say Merry Christmas. And if they reply they are of X religion or the lack thereof, then I say, Excuse me, Happy Holidays, (or whatever celebration they are having).

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Specializes in School Nursing.

no one's going to stop me from saying merry christmas ! and yes, i do keep the christ in christmas.

praiser :heartbeat

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