Ten minutes to write. Less time to read.

For years, I tried to be politically correct and theologically sensitive around this time of year. In the waning days that I sent cards, they were holiday greetings. When I was in charge of the company’s annual party, the word ‘Christmas’ was struck from the invitation. I even used Hanukkah wrapping paper for my Jewish friends.

This year, Hanukkah coincides exactly with Christmas Day, while the African-American and Pan-African holiday known as Kwanzaa begins December 26. I suppose it’s as good a time as any to maintain a neutral holiday greeting to all.

On the other hand, I understand some Christians feel discriminated against with the sanitizing of Merry Christmas into something that offends no one, but also has little personalized meaning. Bill O’Reilly has gotten into the fray, supporting these particular Christians and mentioning retails stores by name that have switched their advertising to Holiday Sales, rather than the more limiting Christmas Sales. Personally, Mr. O’Reilly, I would hope you had better things to do with your airtime.

But here’s the shocker. I’m changing my mind about all this political correctness and returning to wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas. No, I’m not a beleaguered Christian, but I’ve decided that Christmas is the religious tradition I’ve celebrated for years, regardless of what I called it in public.

I’m proud to celebrate Christmas, and I am certain those with different religious traditions are equally proud. So I hope anyone who celebrates Hanukkah or Kwanzaa will respond to my Merry Christmas with their appropriate greeting instead of worrying about upsetting me. I think if we all offered our own greetings and accepted others’ with the same graciousness, regardless of the religion involved, the world would be a better place. And just as politically correct.