In recent years, the term, “War on Christmas” has come around quite a bit. Driving through my hometown, there are signs everyone reminding me to, “keep the ‘Christ’ in Christmas.” And, being raised Catholic, I understand this sentiment. I celebrate Christmas in the traditional way. There is a nativity scene in my house, an angel on my tree, and I go to mass on Christmas Eve. But my girlfriend is Buddhist and she celebrates the sentiment of Christmas with presents, food, and family time. Both of these are equally important, and both are valid. Christmas is not the only holiday during the season, however. There are 14 religious holidays in the month of December alone.

When I say, “Happy Holidays,” I am not diminishing the meaning of Christmas. It doesn’t mean I respect Christmas any less. It’s actually quite the opposite. It means I am acknowledging the 13 other holidays that occur in the month of December. It also does not mean I will be upset if you tell me, “Merry Christmas,” or “Happy Hanukkah,” or “Happy Kwanza,” or any other holiday you may observe. I choose to say Happy Holidays because I will not assume someone’s religion, or that they are religious at all. In the year 2016, many people celebrate the holidays without a specific religious affiliation and that is completely valid.

This is the season of giving. So this year, I am giving respect. Respect to every religion. And a little extra respect to the Muslims who got really beat up this year, particularly by our president-elect and his supporters, but I digress. I choose to give love. I choose to love my family, my friends, my enemies, strangers. Everyone deserves to be loved, to feel love, and this time of year everyone deserves an extra hug. I choose to give a smile. To smile at everyone I see during the most wonderful time of the year.

To dismiss happy holidays as a war on Christmas overlooks the very meaning of this season. This is a season of love and happiness and family. By being inclusive, all we are doing is spreading the love. And it is a lot easier to be inclusive with two words instead of listing all 14 holidays that happen in December. I will never be offended by someone saying Merry Christmas, or any other specific holiday. But the same people who call millennials special snowflakes who get offended by everything are the people who throw a fit over the non-existent war on Christians.

Like I said, I won’t tell anyone what to say or what to celebrate. What I will do is explain why I choose inclusion and promote love. Remember, the next time you think inclusion is oppression, that, “When you’re accustomed to privilege, equality looks like oppression.”