Snappy Sport Senter recently posted a message on their billboard that let everyone know where they stand on the “happy holidays” versus “merry Christmas” debate.

Have a merry, happy Christmas Taking sides at Christmas holiday debate

The Daily Inter Lake

Snappy Sport Senter fired a shot in the Christmas culture wars, picking up plenty of support for its stance.

For several days, the Evergreen store's reader board has proclaimed:

"Happy Holidays … No … No … No.

"Merry Christmas … Yes … Yes … Yes."

"We've received hundred of positive phone calls" because of the message, store owner B.J. Lupton said. "We've gotten only one negative call."

Lupton is taking sides in a holiday debate taking place in some circles: Is saying "Merry Christmas" being subverted by a supposedly more politically correct "Happy Holidays"?

The American Family Association had threatened to boycott the Target discount chain because it wrote "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas" in its advertisements, until the corporation capitulated. A similar threatened boycott was aimed at Wal-Mart for a while.

Commentators on the Fox News channel also have criticized the use of "Happy Holidays" in Christmas-time greetings.

Lupton agrees with those critics.

"All of a sudden we've been seeing this incredible erosion of this historical treasure," he said.

Lupton thought he had to make a statement in support of saying "Merry Christmas" with the store's reader board.

But isn't the Merry Christmas vs. Happy Holidays debate a tempest in a teapot?

"It baffles me that you'd ask that," he said.

Most U.S. presidents for more than 200 years have openly celebrated Christmas, Lupton said, adding it has been ingrained in American life with only a handful of people criticizing the concept.

He is not sure whether he will keep the message on his reader board until Christmas.

"I'll probably take it down in a few days," Lupton said.