My research is relying heavily on a list of holidays from wikipedia and another page called Holidays Calendar. I've defined "Christmas Season" as all of the days starting November 15th and ending January 7th. This incorporates every Christian Christmas-related holiday, feast, festival or what-have-you that I can find. Any day on which a person celebrating might be tempted to wish others a "Merry Christmas."
Incidentally, this exact same time frame could be referred to as Yule-tide which is a pre-Christian midwinter festival that different people at different times have celebrated as a nearly two month time frame, a 12 day festival, a three night festival or a one day holiday. If you think "Merry Christmas" should be the common greeting just because of the sheer number of days it covers, then it's just as appropriate to wish everyone "Joyful Yule" regardless of whether or not the person you're talking to celebrates the Germanic pagan festival. In the following list I will include Yule as a one day holiday on what appears to be the most common date, but my understanding is that practitioners could use any particular day they feel best represents their Yule celebration so it shouldn't be viewed as a set in stone date.
Several other holidays also vary on their dates, so I've included a year in parentheses where it's relevant. If there is a country in parentheses assume the date is for 2020, I don't know if these dates are variable or not. There is also a Ukrainian new year holiday that seems to overlap the end of this time frame, but it was difficult for me to understand and make it fit into my list. It should also be noted that Pastafarians may celebrate their own Holiday whenever and however they please.
Holidays during the "Christmas Season"
November 15: Nativity Fast 1 of 40, Diwali day 4 of 5 (2020), World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, Republic Proclamation Day (Brazil), 7-5-3 Day (Japan), National Day of Mourning (Germany), National Peace Day, America Recycles Day (USA)
November 16: Nativity Fast 2 of 40, Diwali day 5 of 5 (2020), Day off for Revolution Day Memorial (Mexico), International Day for Tolerance, Independence of Cartagena (Columbia)
November 17: Nativity Fast 3 of 40, World Prematurity Day, Polytechneio (Greece), Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day (Czech Republic), Fight for Freedom and Democracy Day (Slovakia)
November 18: Nativity Fast 4 of 40, Republic of Latvia Proclamation Day, National Day (Oman), Vertieres Day (Haiti), Independence Day (Morocco), Repentance Day (Germany)
November 19: Nativity Fast 5 of 40, Garifuna Settlement Day (Belize), International Men's Day, World Philosophy Day, World Toilet Day, National Day (Monaco), Discovery Day (Puerto Rico)
November 20: Nativity Fast 6 of 40, Revolution Day Memorial (Mexico), Universal Children's Day, Africa Industrialization Day, Black Consciousness Day (Brazil)
November 21: Nativity Fast 7 of 40, Dignity and Freedom Day (Ukraine), World Television Day, Armed Forces Day (Greece), Dayton Peace Agreement Day (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
November 22: Nativity Fast 8 of 40, Christ the King Day (Mexico), Harvest Festival (Turkmenistan), Albanian Alphabet Day (Republic of Macedonia), Teacher's Day (Costa Rica), Independence Day (Lebanon), Sunday of the Dead (Germany)
November 23: Nativity Fast 9 of 40, National Sovereignty Day (Argentina), St George's Day (Georgia), Labor Thanksgiving Day (Japan), Rudolf Maister Day (Slovenia)
November 24: Nativity Fast 10 of 40, Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Sahib
November 25: Nativity Fast 11 of 40, International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, Independence Day (Suriname), Statehood Day (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
November 26: Nativity Fast 12 of 40, Republic's Day (Mongolia), National Day of Mourning (2020)
November 27: Nativity Fast 13 of 40, Thanksgiving (Turks and Caicos Islands), State Holiday (USA, Georgia), President's Day, Lincoln's Birthday, Black Friday, American Indian Heritage Day, Aviation Day (Venezuela)
November 28: Nativity Fast 14 of 40, Thanksgiving (2019) Independence from Spain (Panama), Day of Albanians (Kosovo), Proclamation of Independence Day (East Timor), Proclamation of the Republic (Chad), Small Business Saturday
November 29: Nativity Fast 15 of 40, International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, Unity Day (Vanuatu), Saisiat Festival (Taiwan), Liberation Day (Albania) William Tubman's Birthday (Liberia)
November 30: Nativity Fast 16 of 40, Kartik Purnima (2020), St Andrew's Day, Independence Day (multiple), Bonifacio Day (Philippines), Unity Day observed (Vanuatu), Cyber Monday
December 1: Nativity Fast 17 of 40, Advent 1 of 4 (2019), World AIDS Day, Day of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Restoration of Independence (Portugal), Republic Day (Central African Republic), National Holiday (Romania), Giving Tuesday, Rosa Parks Day
December 2: Nativity Fast 18 of 40, Chalica day 1 of 7 (2019), International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, National Day (Laos)
December 3: Nativity Fast 19 of 40, Chalica day 2 of 7 (2019), International Day of Persons with Disabilities, Day of Navarre (Spain)
December 4: Nativity Fast 20 of 40, Saint Barbara's Day, Chalica day 3 of 7 (2019), Farmer's Day (Ghana)
December 5: Nativity Fast 21 of 40, Krampusnacht, Chalica day 4 of 7 (2019), International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development, World Soil Day, St Nicolas's Eve/Sinterklaas (Netherlands), Small Business Saturday (UK)
December 6: Nativity Fast 22 of 40, St. Nicolas' Day, Chalica day 5 of 7 (2019), Army Day (Ukraine), Good Neighborliness Day (Turkmenistan), Independence Day (Finland), Foundation of Quito (Ecuador), Constitution Day (parts of Spain?)
December 7: Nativity Fast 23 of 40, Chalica day 6 of 7 (2019), International Civil Aviation Day, Spitak Remembrance Day (Armenia), Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, The Feast of St. Ambrose (Milan, Italy), Eve of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception (Colombia), Anniversary of the Coronation of King Tupou I (Tonga), National Heros Day (East Timor), Western Province Day (Solomon Islands)
December 8: Nativity Fast 24 of 40, Advent 2 of 4 (2019), Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Chalica day 7 of 7 (2019), Bodhi Day, Saint Kliment Ohridski's Day (Republic of Macedonia), Mother Day (Panama), Day of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception (East Timor), Battle Day (Falkland Islands), Virgin of Caacupe Day (Paraguay), Constitution Day (multiple), National Youth Day (Albania)
December 9: Nativity Fast 25 of 40, International Anti-Corruption Day, National Heroes Day (Antigua and Barbuda), Republic Day (Tanzania)
December 10: Nativity Fast 26 of 40, International Human Rights Day
December 11: Nativity Fast 27 of 40, International Mountain Day, Anniversary of the Statute of Westminster (Canada), Human Rights and Peace Day (Kiribati), Republic Day (Madagascar)
December 12: Nativity Fast 28 of 40, Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe (Mexico), Day of Neutrality (Turkmenistan), Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe (USA), Jamhuri Day (Kenya)
December 13: Nativity Fast 29 of 40, Saint Lucia's Day, Salgirah, National Guard Birthday, National Day (Saint Lucia), Republic Day (Malta)
December 14: Nativity Fast 30 of 40, (sometimes part of Hanukkah)
December 15: Nativity Fast 31 of 40, Advent 3 of 4 (2019), Zamenhof Day
December 16: Nativity Fast 32 of 40, Las Posadas day 1 of 9, Independence Day day 1 of 2 (Kazakhstan), National Day 1 of 2 (Bahrain), Day of Reconciliation (South Africa)
December 17: Nativity Fast 33 of 40, Las Posadas day 2 of 9, Saturnalia day 1 of 7, Independence Day day 2 of 2 (Kazakhstan), Pan American Aviation Day (Wright Brothers Day), National Day 2 of 2 (Bahrain)
December 18: Nativity Fast 34 of 40, Las Posadas day 3 of 9, Saturnalia day 2 of 7, International Migrants Day, Arabic Language Day, National Day (Qatar), Nigerien Republic Day (Niger)
December 19: Nativity Fast 35 of 40, Las Posadas day 4 of 9, Nikoljdan, Saturnalia day 3 of 7, St. Nicolas Day (Ukraine), Separation Day (Anguilla), Remembrance Day for Roma and Sinti killed by Genocide (Germany)
December 20: Nativity Fast 36 of 40, Las Posadas day 5 of 9, Saturnalia day 4 of 7, Macau S.A.R. Establishment Day, International Human Solidarity Day, Abolition of Slavery
December 21: Nativity Fast 37 of 40, Las Posadas day 6 of 9, Blue Christmas/Longest Night (2019), Pancha Ganapati day 1 of 5, Saturnalia day 5 of 7, Yule, Yalda, Winter Solstice, Soyal, Turkish Language Day (Republic of Macedonia)
December 22: Nativity Fast 38 of 40, Advent 4 of 4 (2019), Las Posadas day 7 of 9, Pancha Ganapati day 2 of 5, Saturnalia day 6 of 7, Hanukkah day 1 of 8 (2019), Dongzhi Festival (2019), Unity Day (Zimbabwe)
December 23: Nativity Fast 39 of 40, Las Posadas day 8 of 9, Pancha Ganapati day 3 of 5, Saturnalia day 7 of 7, HumanLight, Hanukkah day 2 of 8 (2019), Festivus, Emperor's Birthday (Japan)
December 24: Nativity Fast 40 of 40, Las Posadas day 9 of 9, Christmas Eve, Pancha Ganapati day 4 of 5, Modraniht (Mother's Night), Hanukkah day 3 of 8 (2019), Yap Constitution Day (Micronesia), Birth Date of Kim Jong Suk (North Korea), Independence Day (Libya)
December 25: Christmas Day, Anastasia of Sirmium feast day, First Day Christmas 1 of 12, Pancha Ganapati day 5 of 5, Malkh, Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, Hanukkah day 4 of 8 (2019), Koliada, Newtonmas, Asarah B'Tevet (Israel), Constitution Day (Taiwan)
December 26: Second Day of Christmas 2 of 12, Twelve Days of Christmas 1 of 12, Saint Stephen's Day, Hanukkah day 4 of 8 (2019), Boxing Day, Kwanzaa day 1 of 7, Synaxis of the Mother of God (Greece), Family Day (Vanuatu), National Day of Thanksgiving (Solomon Islands), Independence and Unity Day (Slovenia)
December 27: Third Day of Christmas 3 of 12, Twelve Days of Christmas 2 of 12, Saint John the Evangelist's Day, Hanukkah day 5 of 8 (2019), Kwanzaa day 2 of 7, Constitution Day (North Korea)
December 28: Fourth Day of Christmas 4 of 12, Twelve Days of Christmas 3 of 12, Holy Innocents' Day, Hanukkah day 6 of 8 (2019), Kwanzaa day 3 of 7, Day of the Holy Innocents (Mexico), Christmas/Boxing Day Holiday (Australia), Christmas (Gibraltar), St Stephen's Day observed (Ireland), Boxing Day (UK), Republic Day (South Sudan), Incwala Day (Swaziland)
December 29: Fifth Day of Christmas 5 of 12, Twelve Days of Christmas 4 of 12, Hanukkah day 7 of 8 (2019), Kwanzaa day 4 of 7, Independence Day (Mongolia)
December 30: Sixth Day of Christmas 6 of 12, Twelve Days of Christmas 5 of 12, Hanukkah day 8 of 8 (2019) Kwanzaa day 5 of 7, Rizal Day (Philippines), Day of the Declaration of Slovakia as an Independent Ecclesiastic Province
December 31: Seventh Day of Christmas 7 of 12, Twelve Days of Christmas 6 of 12, Saint Sylvester's Day, Hogmanay, Kwanzaa day 6 of 7, Watch Night, Old Year's Night (Barbados), Festival Day (Montserrat)
January 1: Eighth Day of Christmas 8 of 12, Twelve Days of Christmas 7 of 12, Kwanzaa day 7 of 7, Feast of the Circumcision, Saint Basil's Day, New Year's Day, Liberation Day (multiple), Republic Day (Taiwan), Independence Day (Haiti), Restoration of the Czech Independence Day, Feast of the Holy Family (Spain)
January 2: Ninth Day of Christmas 9 of 12, Twelve Days of Christmas 8 of 12, New Year's Day 2 (Multiple), Heroes' Day/Ancestor's Day (Haiti), Berchtold Day (multiple)
January 3: Tenth Day of Christmas 10 of 12, Twelve Days of Christmas 9 of 12, New Year's Day 3 (Multiple)
January 4: Eleventh Day of Christmas 11 of 12, Twelve Days of Christmas 10 of 12, New Year's Day 4 (Multiple), Independence Day (Myanmar), World Braille Day, Day of King Amador (Sao Tome and Principe) Martyrs of Independence Day (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
January 5: Twelfth Day of Christmas 12 of 12, Twelve Days of Christmas 11 of 12, Twelfth Night, Guru Gobind Singh Birthday, Armenian Christmas Eve
January 6: Twelve Days of Christmas 12 of 12, Epiphany, Three Kings Day, Armenian Apostolic Christmas, Army Day (multiple), Orthodox Christmas Eve
January 7: Orthodox Christmas, Victory over Genocide Day (Cambodia), Pioneer's Day (Liberia), Asarah B'Tevet (Israel)
End of list
I think one thing is obvious: humans love to celebrate. That's over 230 holidays and I'm sure it isn't even all of them. If you read that list closely enough, you might notice that even Christian people don't agree on when and how to celebrate Christmas.
In my opinion nothing takes the Christ right out of Christmas quite like Christians angrily spitting "Merry CHRIST-mas!" into the faces of people that don't celebrate Christmas and never will want to when that is the only picture of Christmas they see. If Jesus is the most important person to you, what do you think He would do? Wouldn't He be kind and respectful at the very least?
If your goal in life is to spread the peace, joy, and wonder of your interpretation of the Christmas season, wouldn't saying "Happy Holidays" suit that goal better?
If your goal in life is to spread the peace, joy, and wonder of your interpretation of the Christmas season, wouldn't saying "Happy Holidays" suit that goal better?
Interesting! I observe Advent and as I do I find myself thinking "I put more time into remembering his birth than His resurrection. We are told to remember his resurrection, but we are not told to remember his birth which is probably why we don't know when it is. Altho shepherds on a hillside at night suggest warmer months. Interesting thots. Thanks for sharing and I totally agree, we clearly love to celebrate. My fav was world Toilet day. November 19 I believe!
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