Official greeting cards reflect everything from baby Jesus in a crche to the paw prints of first dogs.

After much soul-searching and anguish – oh, about 30 seconds – we decided to wish you a “Happy Holidays” on the front page of today’s paper. Hope it didn’t ruin your day.

Yes, this is the point we’ve come to, worried about the political correctness of wishing someone Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays.

Rest assured, the decision had nothing to do with the “War on Christmas.” We wished you a “Happy Holidays” last year, and we may very well wish you a “Merrry Christmas” next year.

“Happy Holidays” seemed to work better this year, since Christmas and the start of Hanukkah fall on the same day. It was the logical thing to do.

But imagine the dilemma faced by the nation’s politicians, famous for their extremely generous sending of Christmas cards … and birthday cards, and press releases, and newsletters, and surveys, and e-mails and whatever else they can send bearing their brand.

The Christmas/Holiday dispute has left them in a quandary, particularly after president and Mrs. Bush ended up in a hot holiday toddy by failing to include “Merry Christmas” in the official White House card.

In Maine, the official greeting card was – I struggle for the right word here – a little odd. It featured a glorious springtime painting of the Blaine House, complete with lush, green lawns and flowering rhododendrons. You’d think the governor’s manse was located in Bermuda.

Perhaps it reflects the governor’s subconscious desire to skip right over winter. Last year he bruised his ribs in a snowstorm rollover crash on I-295. Then he slipped on the icy back steps of the Blaine House while retrieving his morning newspaper. Tough season.

The card also contained a nice photo of the governor, his wife and son, along with a couple of extremely photogenic springer spaniels, Sam and Murphy.

The first cats, Figaro and Theodore, are conspicuously absent, but that is entirely understandable. Dogs are natural celebrators. Every day is a holiday. Cats, on the other hand, are like… well, the media – cynical, indifferent and aloof.

The governor’s greeting reflects traditional Yankee reserve: “Happy Holidays From our House to Your House.” No slobbering sentimentality.

Compare that, if you will, to Gov. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas. According to Stateline.org, the Huckabee card pictures the baby Jesus in a Crche, mentions Christmas four times as well as “our Savior’s birth” and the “Messiah.”

What, no Wise Men? Huckabee probably will receive a stiff rebuke from the American Association of Wise Men.

The back of Huckabee’s card can be torn off and features Mrs. Huckabee’s recipe for brisket. Holy cow! A Christmas card and recipe card in a single envelope. Oh, bless you governor!

The news organization Stateline.org actually collected, read and pondered the cards sent by the nation’s governors. Generally, the governor’s cards became more religious as one moved from northern to southern states.

In total, Stateline found that 37 of 50 state leaders – 18 Democrats and 19 Republicans, sent “Happy Holidays.” Nine governors, two Ds and seven Rs, wished some form of “Christmas” joy.

Three governors, in Minnesota, Nevada and New Mexico, sent no cards at all. Apparently heathens, or just fiscal conservatives. And Democrat Kathleen Blanco of Louisiana, busy defending herself at hearings in Washington, must have expected FEMA to mail the cards. They’ll probably go out in a few weeks.

Maryland Republican Gov. Robert Ehrlich had a surplus of seasonal zeal … or tax money. He burned up a significant slice of the state budget sending 40,000 cards.

John Baldacci was one of eight governors who featured dogs on their Christmas cards. But Democrat Jennifer Granholm of Michigan went a step further by having her dog actually “sign” the card with a paw print. Maybe it’s mud season in Michigan.

The award for most clumsy greeting goes to Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue, whose card included a seasonally appropriate picture of … what else? The governor, of course, surrounded by his loving family, the family dog perched front and center.

Meanwhile, Perdue’s press office sent out a news release announcing the lighting of the “Holiday” tree, which was, 30 minutes later, followed by a correction calling it a “Christmas tree.”

“We had a politically correct brain-freeze on that issue,” said his spokesman. He’s right.

Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger had the best card idea. He not only sent a holiday card to all 5,200 of the state’s National Guard members serving overseas, he also included a 200-minute phone card for each soldier.

And no tax money was used – all paid for by donations he raised from private citizens and corporations.

Bravo, governor. Bravo.