What is it with people wishing me a Merry Christmas???

Everywhere you go during this time of year, you are bound to get a “Merry Christmas!”, and that’s perfectly fine with me.  If its a stranger, in return I just do my usual:  “Yea, Yea Happy Hanukkah to you too!”  After which, they give me that sad face, as if to say: “Oh, I’m sorry!”  And then they go on to console me: “But at least you are done with all the shopping, right?”  What the hell does that mean?  Its almost like some consolation prize.  Oh, you are Jewish, so sorry to hear that you don’t celebrate the Greatest Holiday ever!  Well, Happy Hanukkah anyway!

They act like I’m missing out big time, or worse like I am dying.

I understand it if you don’t know me, and don’t know that I am a Big Jew.  But if you know me… why do you still insist on wishing me a Merry Christmas?  It’s as though they think that all year long we are Jewish, then all of a sudden Christmas rolls around, and by some miracle we (the Jews) drop our Jewishness, and become Christians for that one special day called Christmas!?!?  I don’t get it, is that the thinking behind it?  Please, do enlighten me…