Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Harry Kwannukkmas!

It's that time of year again! Time for snow (if you don't live in Texas), evergreen trees, Bing Crosby songs and crowded malls filled with lovely decorations and not so lovely people. That wonderful time of year when all men are wished goodwill and peace on earth and reminded to be politically correct.



Seriously. I don't mean to be cynical, but this whole arguement bothers the crud out of me. I really don't understand why it is so offensive to hear the words, "Merry Christmas!" I understand that not everyone celebrates Christmas as I do, and I respect your choice to celebrate as you see fit. Have fun, make merry, be happy and filled with hope and goodwill. What I don't understand is why it became so offensive for someone to wish you well in their own manner. It is estimated that 89% of Americans celebrate Christmas, 5% of Americans celebrate Hanukkah and 2% celebrate Kwanzaa. I am not trying to disregard the smaller percentage that don't celebrate Christmas, but how am I supposed to know that you celebrate Hanukkah or Kwanzaa or something else besides Christmas?



So why do you take my smiling, "Merry Christmas!" as an insult? I'm wishing you well and a happy holiday season. I'm not shoving my customs down your throat. If it really bothers you, stop me and tell me that you celebrate another holiday and I will probably put my hand on your shoulder, my other hand on my heart and say, "Then I hope you have a wonderful insert holiday here!"



And to all of you Christmas celebrators, stop being angry that people have started saying, "Happy holidays"! It totally defeats the purpose of the reason you celebrate! For you, this is Christmas, the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, the Messiah and Savior of the world. But you don't shove your Christianity down other people's throats during the rest of the year do you? You try to show them your faith gently and with love. So why is Christmastime any different? Please stop making this wonderful time of year a source of contention and just accept the "Happy holidays!" that the clerk has offered you, and if you feel so moved, you could say, "Yes it is a happy holiday, because of the love of God."

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