Muslims and Christmas

Every year I notice Muslims asking their scholars or learned ones how to respond when told merry Christmas. Stupidly enough it's rehashed not to participate in a pagan celebration or rite and by wishing kuffars merry Xmas you are encouraging them. As an atheist when I say merry Christmas this does not mean I am endorsing the birth of the God-man or advocating the Christian theology behind it. But this is indeed what this religion does turn such a simple pleasant token into a corrupted satanic. Gesture not to be responded to in kind. This is another reason to f**k Islam. This is the type of hyperliteral lunacy that religion breeds. Who would of thought such an insignificant issue required a post but no doubt Muslim have hundreds of pages dedicated to absurd questions like this.