Recently a national news network kicked up the debate about saying ‘happy holidays’ vs. saying Merry xmas. This latest conversation was originally rooted in a false controversy about Starbucks supposed war on xmas, since proven to be false. While the latest rant started out with Starbucks, it flowered into a general disappointment in those who ‘narrow’ their holiday praise to ‘happy holidays’ but here’s the thing: I always say happy holidays. I don’t do it to attack Christmas, but to be reflective of the wealth of people I know who aren’t necessarily Christian.
I grew up in NYC. Half my friends were Jewish. I remember being a kid and thinking, ‘why do they get gifts everyday, and those gifts seem to improve over the course of the Jewish holiday, and I gotta settle for a couple on one day long after these kids are having fun with their toys. I grew out of that… sorta… but growing up with Hanukkah and later Kwanza, I came to understand that I needed to say something that represented all people. It didn’t mean that xmas meant anything less–the same way that calling it xmas doesn’t make it any less of a holiday. Happy Holidays is an inclusionary simplification that allows someone to praise a holiday without walking down the list of many.
Now this false anger about how Christians are under attack is merely a media and political ploy to jack up fears. It is working, of course, or the Starbucks hoax wouldn’t have ever worked. Moreover, I wonder why those of a Christmas/Christian mind would even get so angry. The date does not actually celebrate the birth of Christ and is actually a Pagan holiday drawn into the fold as a way to attract more followers.
So, happy holidays, people. Don’t get mad at my inclusiveness…
Some Thoughts:
- Perhaps a bit heavy on the snark at the end there…