What's wrong with "Merry Christmas"?

[sistermagpie]

> Carol responds:
> "Happy holidays" from a store employee is about as genuine and
> heartfelt as "Have a nice day." It's something the clerks are
> programmed to say.

Magpie:
But isn't this true for Merry Christmas as well? 

Carol:
 And if that happens not to buy the case
> and someone makes the logical assumption that we're buying Christmas
> presents when we're not and wishes us a Merry Christmas, there's no
> more need to get upset than when someone wishes a middle-aged woman 
a
> happy Mother's Day on the assumption that she's a mother. Would you
> get all huffy and say, "I don't have any kids, you moron?" or "How
> dare you assume that I'm a mother just because other women my age 
have
> kids?" No. You would courteously accept the good wishes and if the
> clerk is a woman, say "Same to you." Or so I hope.

Magpie:
Just have to say--wow, I'd never do that. Wish somebody a happy 
mother's day just because she's above a certain age and female? 
Never. If somebody wished it to me I would tell the person I don't 
have kids. I wouldn't call them a moron, but it would very much make 
me uncomfortable. As it does whenever random shopkeepers ask me about 
children I don't have. I don't think I'd get angry and turn on the 
person, and I might accept that they meant it as a way of wishing me 
good will, but it would make me feel the opposite of being wished 
well.

-m