What's wrong with "Merry Christmas"?

[Carol]

Carol brilliantly wrote:
> 
> > Question for Alla: I thought that Rosh Hashanah was the day of
Atonement. Is it proper to wish someone joy on that day? It seems
rather like wishing someone "Happy Lent" or "Happy Good Friday." 
> 
zanooda responded: 
> You know, Carol, Rosh ha-Shana is not the day of atonement, but it
is (in addition to being just the beginning of a new year) something
like a judgement day. This day God decides who lives and who dies in
the new year. However, this day your fate is not sealed yet, and you
have ten days to repent and change your life (if you are a sinner and
have a  reason to fear the worst from God :-) - ten days until Yom
Kippur (Yom ha-Kippurim), Day of Atonement, comes. After that, there
is no way of changing your fate ;-(. And yes, this day people wish to
each other "Shana tova u-matuka" - "good and sweet year". I'm not
Jewish, so of course I might not be the right person to explain jewish
traditions, but I used to live in Israel (although it was a long time
ago), and that's how I remember it :-).

Carol again:

Thanks to everyone who corrected me and apologies for the erm, senior
moment. (Hate the term *and* the fact that I'm more forgetful than I
used to be.) I did already know that Yom Kippur was the Day of
Atonement and Rosh Hashanah was the Jewish New Year. It just slipped
my mind for a moment. Should have refreshed my memory before posting.

Carol, thanking zanooda for the additional information, which I didn't
know and found interesting