1. Warmest thoughts and best wishes for a Merry Christmas. 2. Keeping you in our hearts this holiday season, and always! 3. Happy holidays! So glad we get to spend so much time together.

“Happy Holidays,” after all, was clearly created to give the false impression of inclusivity. An individual can appropriately wish a Christian “Merry Christmas,” of course.

Happy campers (1965) Mark Willerton, 50, museum owner, Spalding, Lincolnshire With its identikit chequered tablecloths, this picture from 1965 typifies the holidays of my childhood in that decade.

Initially, the phrase “Happy Holidays” was adopted either as a way of avoiding offence, or as a catch-all to include other celebrations like New Year, and other religions’ winter festivals ...