What ever happened to a good old “Merry Christmas?” To the times when our country was united “under God,” rather than trying to get rid of Him?

Increasingly more in our society, the term “Merry Christmas” is being replaced with the barren phrase “Happy Holidays.”

For example, in 2006, Gap Inc., which is the owner of such companies as Old Navy and Banana Republic, chose to keep Christ out of their stores by just promoting people to have a “Happy Holidays.”

“We have a lot of Christmas gifts in our stores, but the word ‘Christmas’ is not used here,” an Old Navy store manager told the American Family Association, according to the Christian Post. “Everything is ‘holiday.’”

It’s a very safe approach, when considering the feelings of those who celebrate Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and all those in between. But I don’t believe “Happy Holidays” is meant to appease other religions or followings, supposedly bringing harmony to our country.

Instead, it’s an atheistic approach to do away with God. It’s watering down the significance that these holidays hold for so many people. And besides, that manager failed to recognize his mistake.

“Holiday” in its Latin root, actually means holy or special religious day. In essence, there’s no hiding from the fact that Jesus is the reason for the season. The holidays were created for Him alone.

For those people like the Old Navy store manager, Jesus just gets in the way of their true reason for the season: making money. To them, Christ is an inconvenience. He’s a distraction who takes the focus away from shopping and spending money. In result, their effort is to brainwash us to forget about our Savior.

And sadly, as materialism continues to grab control on our economy, “Merry Christmas” will become increasingly forgotten.

So how do we as Christ followers respond to this atheistic overtaking? How do we avoid becoming robotic minions, with our emotions for the Christmas season contorted by money-driven people in factions of our government?

Simple: promote Christ.

Realize that the winter season is not about the exchanging and receiving of gifts. Realize it’s not about you, your family, your friends, the newest gadgets on the market or anything money-oriented. Realize it’s all about Christ.

And when you do find yourself shopping, as I know it’s inevitable, choose to shop at any of the “Happy Holiday” adorned stores and fill the air with a jubilee of “Merry Christmas’’ when you’re there. Although employees may be restricted to only giving a generalized holiday greeting, you are free to let others know the holiday that you celebrate each winter with love and cheer.

“Merry Christmas” to all, for now and forever.