Here's something I've been considering for a while now about Christmas.

We have holidays to celebrate the births, lifes or deaths of any number of historical figures: St. Valentine, Columbus, Washington, Lincoln, King, etc. Some people want more, such as a holiday for John Lennon.

As far as I know, most people consider Jesus a historical figure, even if they don't consider him the messiah. Jews and Muslims, for example.

Why can't we consider Christmas to be the celebration of a historical figure who, like King (for example) preached peace and say "Merry Christmas"?

I can't picture anyone, other than some racist perhaps, getting offended at someone saying "Happy Martin Luther King day," for example.

So why can't we say "merry Christmas" in the same spirit?