Well, being a
Jew, I can sort of understand her reaction.
My self, I would have probably not reacted like this, but. Christmas is a rather difficult time in some cases.
Last week I wanted to get all my friends nice holiday cards before I left campus. I went to the bookstore at the fine institution for clinically insane that is University of Maryland. I looked around for one of those packaged card deals, and hmmmmm... I found one Hanukah card set, about 20 Christmas card sets and NO "HAPPY HOLIDAYS" CARDS! I was slightly offended, I am not very religious, but I am very Jewish. And I am proud of being that. I am not about to wish people Merry Christmas; however, I am not going to wish my non Jewish friends "Happy Hanukah". Now, what am I supposed to do? I went back to my dorm very upset. Christmas is a wonderful holiday, and though I don't have anything against it, I just don't believe in Christ, like I said, I am very Jewish. Christmas is so widely celebrated that sometimes it makes us feel left out. When you wish a Jewish person Merry Christmas, you are implying that we believe in Christ, we don't. That is the reason why my ancestors were kicked around all over Europe. Christmas makes us feel alienated, not part of the big picture. While everyone is putting up Christmas trees, we light candles; Christmas morning is just another morning to us. Perhaps wishing Merry Birth of Christ, you brought up painful memories of having to explain to all your friends when you are little why your house lacks Christmas lights, and there is no tree.
Next time, do what I do, wish everyone Happy Holidays, it's a little anal, but more politically correct.
Oh, and by the way, 'yenta' is a bit of an offensive term for a Jewish woman, especially coming from a non-Jewish person.