"Holiday" vs. "Christmas"

During the holiday season I really start to notice how far out of their way people go to be "p.c." (politically correct). I think it's great that our mall has a Kwanzaa display, a Hanukkah display, and a Christmas display. I also enjoy hearing Adam Sandler's Hanukkah song on the radio in addition to the gazillion Christmas songs they play. I think that we should treat these non-Christian holidays with the importance and respect that they deserve. After all, America is founded on freedom of religion.

HOWEVER, sometimes I think that people push the envelope a little too far. For example, my sisters children go to a Baptist pre-school. Well, for some reason this BAPTIST school has decided to do a "holiday" party instead of a "Christmas" party because some of the children attending aren't Christian. Maybe it's just me, but if I chose to send my child to a Baptist school, I would expect that they would, at the very least, celebrate Christmas... while using the term Christmas instead of the catch-all term of "Holiday". If I sent Elaine to a Buddhist pre-school, I would expect them to teach Buddhism. (I don't think there is such a thing as a Buddist pre-school, but you get my point.) I wouldn't expect the whole school to change because of my child. After all, I have a choice of where I send her to learn. Obviously things are different in public school and I understand that, but I'm talking about a private pre-school run in a church. I just don't get it.

I recently encountered another similar situation. On one of the larger forums I talk on they are doing a "Christmas card" exchange. There are a LOT of people participating, but you don't have to participate... again it's a choice. After talking about it for a couple of days, a non-Christian mother replied,

"How come they are Christmas cards, not holiday cards? I send out cards every
year and would love to participate in this, but as someone who isn't Christian
it would be very strange and uncomfortable for me to receive cards of a
Christian nature - i.e., specifically geared to Christmas."

Nobody replied to her on the forum, but I did send her a private message. I told her that I would LOVE to recieve a Hanukkah card (or a card of any faith) because It would help me teach my children about diversity and about all the different holidays around the world that people celebrate. I also told her that as a Christian family, we will be having Christmas cards made (as opposed to "holiday" cards) and that to ask me to make "holiday" cards instead is a little un-fair. I was as gentle in my words as possible because I didn't want to offend her or have her think that my argument against her had ANYTHING to do with her religion. Let's say that I was Hindu and I saw the "Christmas card exchange" topic on the forum. If it would be "strange and uncomfortable" for me to recieve Christmas cards at my home, I simply wouldn't participate. But, since it wouldn't bother me (because I enjoy celebrating the differences of the people in our nation), I would sign on and welcome any card I recieved with a smile. Am I making my point or just diging my own grave? Anyway, we discussed it nicely and moved on... but after hearing about my nephews pre-school I've started noticing a trend in all of this.

Any discussion on this would be welcome. Let me make it clear however that I am NOT trying to start a religious debate. I believe that my religion is EQUAL to all others and that everyone has the right to believe what they want. I enjoy learning about other religious beliefs and practices. This discussion shouldn't be about religion in itself, but about where conformity should end.