Mailbag: Confusion over the controversy

There were some relatively long-winded responses to the In Theory column, “When a greeting becomes grating.”

“Merry Christmas” is a holiday greeting. Christmas is a well established holiday and “merry” means enjoy. It is not proselyting but a simple display of good wishes for the day and the season. Why should it be controversial? My credentials for this favorable opinion of “Merry Christmas” — I am an agnostic but really enjoy receiving and giving the greeting in the good spirit of the holiday season. Let those who do not care or believe in the Christmas story not celebrate if they wish, but why not accept the personal good wishes that come along with “Merry Christmas”?

Robert Morrison

Glendale