Here we go again ...
Didn't I post on this like, a year ago?
Once again the Christians are complaining about the use of "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas," and some retailers have caved. No more "Happy Holidays"; their employees will wish everyone Merry Christmas whether they're Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, Wiccan, atheist, whatever.
Most of my non-Christian peeps, including myself, have no problem with Merry Christmas, mmkay? As someone who doesn't believe that God was necessarily Jesus' biological babydaddy, I still admire the man for the message he preached,and I have no problem celebrating his birthday. I hate the commercialism of Christmas and have distanced myself from it. I don't buy gifts for all and sundry, although I do participate in Secret Santa at work and bring gifts to whomever I'm spending the 25th with. But I still love the holiday and ALL its traditions -- the music, the rituals (many of which have PAGAN roots) and most of all, the camaraderie.
Know what? I grew up in a time and place where political correctness and inclusiveness weren't an issue. Almost everyone I knew growing up was Catholic or Protestant. Until college I knew maybe four Jews, and wasn't close to them.
Back then I heard "Happy Holidays" ALL THE TIME. Know what it meant? MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR. Not "Happy whatever you celebrate because I don't want to risk offending you if you don't do Christmas." For Christians there are two holidays happening -- Christmas and New Year's. That's what "Happy Holidays" and "Season's Greetings" conveyed back in that less-confrontational era.
So I ask those Christians who are offended by "Happy Holidays": Why not just take the greeting in that spirit instead of getting all bent out of shape that we are "ignoring" your religious holiday? We're wishing you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year. The former a religious holiday (that many people celebrate as a secular one), the latter strictly secular.
BTW, to the right-wingnuts who wonder if you should wish Black people "happy Kwanzaa" instead of "merry Christmas," Kwanzaa is a CULTURAL celebration, not a religious holiday. It's a supplement, not a substitute, for Christmas or Hanukkah or Solstice or whatever. I have no statistics but I strongly suspect that given the prominent role the church plays in the Black community, most African-Americans who celebrate Kwanzaa also celebrate Christmas.
And to those believers who get annoyed that Christmas has become secularized, how many of you are getting into scuffles at the store over the last PS3 or Elmo? If you sincerely believe that Christmas is first and foremost a celebration of the birth of the Son of God, why are you buying into the mind-set that it's about STUFF? Go to church, sing carols, gather the family around, break bread, exchange simple gifts, help the less fortunate. Give the Santa booty a pass.
Just my $.02. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Kwazy Kwanzaa, Super Solstice, Cool Yule, Righteous Ramadan, Fabulous Festivus and hey, it's winter and we need an excuse to party. So happy WHATEVER!
Once again the Christians are complaining about the use of "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas," and some retailers have caved. No more "Happy Holidays"; their employees will wish everyone Merry Christmas whether they're Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, Wiccan, atheist, whatever.
Most of my non-Christian peeps, including myself, have no problem with Merry Christmas, mmkay? As someone who doesn't believe that God was necessarily Jesus' biological babydaddy, I still admire the man for the message he preached,and I have no problem celebrating his birthday. I hate the commercialism of Christmas and have distanced myself from it. I don't buy gifts for all and sundry, although I do participate in Secret Santa at work and bring gifts to whomever I'm spending the 25th with. But I still love the holiday and ALL its traditions -- the music, the rituals (many of which have PAGAN roots) and most of all, the camaraderie.
Know what? I grew up in a time and place where political correctness and inclusiveness weren't an issue. Almost everyone I knew growing up was Catholic or Protestant. Until college I knew maybe four Jews, and wasn't close to them.
Back then I heard "Happy Holidays" ALL THE TIME. Know what it meant? MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY NEW YEAR. Not "Happy whatever you celebrate because I don't want to risk offending you if you don't do Christmas." For Christians there are two holidays happening -- Christmas and New Year's. That's what "Happy Holidays" and "Season's Greetings" conveyed back in that less-confrontational era.
So I ask those Christians who are offended by "Happy Holidays": Why not just take the greeting in that spirit instead of getting all bent out of shape that we are "ignoring" your religious holiday? We're wishing you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year. The former a religious holiday (that many people celebrate as a secular one), the latter strictly secular.
BTW, to the right-wingnuts who wonder if you should wish Black people "happy Kwanzaa" instead of "merry Christmas," Kwanzaa is a CULTURAL celebration, not a religious holiday. It's a supplement, not a substitute, for Christmas or Hanukkah or Solstice or whatever. I have no statistics but I strongly suspect that given the prominent role the church plays in the Black community, most African-Americans who celebrate Kwanzaa also celebrate Christmas.
And to those believers who get annoyed that Christmas has become secularized, how many of you are getting into scuffles at the store over the last PS3 or Elmo? If you sincerely believe that Christmas is first and foremost a celebration of the birth of the Son of God, why are you buying into the mind-set that it's about STUFF? Go to church, sing carols, gather the family around, break bread, exchange simple gifts, help the less fortunate. Give the Santa booty a pass.
Just my $.02. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Kwazy Kwanzaa, Super Solstice, Cool Yule, Righteous Ramadan, Fabulous Festivus and hey, it's winter and we need an excuse to party. So happy WHATEVER!
posted by niicelaady @ 8:31 PM
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