Wednesday, December 07, 2005

Happy Holidays!

[rant]

I've been getting emails urging me to boycott Target and Home Depot and every other store that has defiled this season by not recognizing Christ as the reason for it. It seems that these businesses are wishing everyone "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas". Apparently, as a Christian, I'm supposed to be all bent out of shape about it.

But hold on to yourself: I'm not.

In fact, two years ago, my Christmas card didn't even mention Christmas. It said, "May this holiday season be filled with your favorite things."

I'm not offended by the new "trendy" greeting "Merry ChristmaHannuKwanzakuh". I do think it's silly. The first time I actually heard it was out of my SIL's mouth at Thanksgiving, and I thought, "Wow. I can't believe you just made your tongue SAY that. It's a mouthful!" I think whoever came up with it was trying to be cute - and failed. Happy Holidays works just fine for me.

I'm not offended that the Politically Correct have "taken Christ out of Christmas". My faith is MY faith, and however much I wish it were the world's faith, it's not. And I respect that. Christmas is still Christmas to me, no matter how Target advertises or what the White House says. My faith is strong. It can't be swayed by CNN or even the AFA.

I have a Christmas tree in my house, and Christmas lights hanging outside, and I send Christmas cards, even to my best friend, who is an atheist. She doesn't celebrate Christmas, but I don't exclude her from the good wishes that I send out. She knows the spirit in which I'm sending the card and doesn't take offense.

I wear my faith loudly. Everyone who knows anything about me knows that I'm a devout Christian. And those who know me REALLY well know that I pray for the world to know the same Christ that I know and serve. Sherilyn knows that I pray for her. She thinks it's silly and a waste of time, but she knows that I don't.

I do believe that Jesus is the reason for the season (although that cutesy ryhme-y phrase has always annoyed me), but I don't reserve December as the only time I fall to my knees in worship. I celebrate his birth, his life and his death all year long. I don't have to see "Merry Christmas" plastered all over everything to remember why I celebrate.

And I'm cognizant of the fact that everyone around me DOESN'T celebrate for the reason I do. I don't cram my faith down peoples' throats. I think that's a pretty good way to turn them off, actually. So why would I want to insist that the whole world recognize Christmas in the same way that I do? This world is diverse. This city is diverse. My BLOCK is diverse. I'm not offended by "Happy Holidays".

Stop telling me I should be.

[/rant]

eta:
Mike Straka says it better than I did...

7 comments:

Sherilyn said...

heh

and a Merry Christmas to you, LOL!

I'm actually offering to host dinner Christmas day at our house this year. (who, me?) More to get together with family than for any other reason...well, it IS time to break in the dining room set and enjoy our newly re-decorted house. We'll see if SIL will deign to spend Christmas afternoon here in the non-Christian home.

Love you, and no, I don't think it's silly for YOU to pray...I think it is silly for ME to pray. Weird, I know. But I know you heartily believe it does some good, so it isn't silly at all. Just means you care about me.

We need to schedule time to get together and exchange gifts...but first I need to get well so I can go buy yours. :D

Nancy D. said...

We need shirts.

"Thinking Christian" is a good one. Maybe "I love Christ with my heart AND my head".

Happy Kwaanza!

Anonymous said...

Love your thinking Stace!!! I couldn't agree more. I had taught my boys to say "Happy Holidays" about 2 weeks before Thanksgiving and BEFORE I started reading how PC incorrect it was. I felt sort of like you. . . good grief! So they still run around saying "Happy Holidays" which I love because it reminds me of the 2 cute little kids in Bing Crosby's "Holiday Inn" movie. So Pfthththt. . on anybody who doesn't like it. They're heart is right. . and so is ours!

Denise

Anonymous said...

Oh no!!! Can I correct the grammar error?! I KNOW that "they're" is not the appropriate use in that sentence "Their heart is right". The phone rang and I just kept typing!! Sorry!!! Those errors drive me nuts!

Denise

Anonymous said...

Elaine Poplin is my best friend from Huntsville (that's how I found your blog) and I've been reading your Blog for a long while (thanks for always making me laugh and think)...I LOVE this post, and your way of thinking. I was just told to Boycot Pepsi for a similar reason. (I am a Coke person, but anyway...) All I have to say is Amen, and Happy Holidays!

Martha in CA said...

I say "Have a nice holiday" but I only say it when it relates to one of 'my' holidays Sorry, not up on Chaunakah or Kwanzaa dates, and I'm not gonna be any time soon. I don't mean that in a bad way! I mean, if someone wished me a Happy Kwanzaa, I'm likely to smile and say "thank you! Same to you!" Because of my skin color, that isn't likely to happen to me, but my point is (if I have one) it's just a greeting! Just like I've been known to answer when a dear friend says "Hey, HO" or "yo, Beeyawwtch". Just greetings. They don't offend me, and they don't define me!

Now. About that Target ad...people actually READ that crap? Hmpf. Who knew. I just look at the pictures.

So, those that don't celebrate Christmas...they still take the day off from work, right? I know, not the same thing but if you work for the NYC School District, you get Jewish holiday's off. What? You're not Jewish? Hmmm...but you still take the day off (course the schools are closed...)

Happy friggin' holidays! All of 'em...Thanksgiving, Chaunakah, Christmas, Kwaanzaa, New Year's...whatever one(s) you want! I just wish them 'happy'.

Sherilyn said...

Martha, my DH has no problem with working Christmas. And he will go in if he needs to catch up on stuff and we are around, but there usually isn't any point since noone else is there. He doesn't take Jewish holidays off, although he could if he needed or wanted to (if he were more religious, certainly Orthodox, he would have to). Jews take Christian national holidays off because there isn't much of a choice. Most American Jews do not take Jewish holidays off, but Orthodox Jews need to. I think they have at least changed it so that most Jews can take their high holy holidays off without losing vacation time. That's a great thing.

What do Jewish people do on Christmas? They go to the movies, just about the only thing OPEN. :D