Happy Christmukkah, Merry Yuleanzza, and Good Thanksolstice – and all that jazz!
I ran across a post, this evening, by Kim from What’s the Smell/Accidental Mommies called Happy Holidays or Merry Christmas, and it has me thinking!
Now, before you go hatin’.. make sure you read this post in its entirety! Heaven forbid I offend you.
You see, we live in a country where we have freedom of religion. Freedom of religion does not only cover Christianity, therefore, society forces us to believe that we must include everyone and leave Christ out of our month long “greetings”. If I want to tell someone to have a Happy Thanksgiving, that’s exactly what I’m going to say. If I want someone to have a Fabulous Christmas, that’s exactly what I’m going to say. If I want someone to have a Happy New Year, that’s what I’m going to say.
I about cracked up when I heard the Ellen DeGeneres “holiday” theory (I wish I could find the video!). According to her, we’d all start at the beginning of the year and and tell everyone “Happy Holidays” and cover everything from New Year’s to Christmas! Because, really, isn’t that the true spirit behind what “Happy Holidays” means?!
Other Words for Holiday:
anniversary, break, celebration, day of rest,feast, festival, festivity, fete, few days off, fiesta, gala, gone fishing, holy day, jubilee, layoff, leave, liberty, long weekend, recess, red-letter day, saint’s day, vacation
Would I be offended if someone walked up to me and said “Happy Kwanzaa“? Nope! You know why? Because they are standing behind what they celebrate, and if I can say Christmas, they can definitely say Kwanzaa. If someone sends me a card that says “Happy Winter Solstice“, do you think I’ll disregard it? Not at all! They’re not hiding behind the fear of offending anyone. What about “Happy Yule” or “Happy Hanukkah“? It’s the same for both of those as well.
We live in this country for many reasons. Some of those reasons just happen to be freedom of speech and freedom of religion. What exactly are freedoms if society tries to mask or control them all in the name of offense?
If you want to say Happy Holidays, because it’s just what you do, that’s awesome! I totally respect that, and it’s your absolute right to say it if you wish! However, if you’re saying it because you either fear someone will be offended, or it’s what society has groomed you to say, just remember, that’s not freedom.
As for me and my house, we will say Merry Christmas.
YOU’RE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT!
Stand up for yourself, this year, and own up to the specific holidays you celebrate and and in which you believe. Who cares if someone is offended by it!? I think we have a lot more to think about, this time of year, than the random 1 or 2 people we MAY come in contact in the span of an entire month who may be offended that we offer them a simple, hearty felt, “Merry Christmas!”
Thanks, Kim, for firing up my inner – Toby Keith.
Lisa,
I TOTALLY love this post! I feel exactly the same way you do. I was a guide/security for a friend at a Holiday Home Tour and I said “Merry Christmas” to all of the people when they were there because I was in the home of a woman who celebrates Christmas – she had 3 Christmas trees in her house, it was quite obvious. There was one woman there that told me she was Jewish when she came in the room I was in because she was asking me questions, so I told her “Happy Hanakkah.”
There is nobody that is going to change what I say or do in my home and my country because that is why I live here for my freedom. My son has fought so that I can have that freedom…
Lisa, I wish you Andy and the kids a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS and a happy, healthy new year.
You are right… and he has fought so that, unknowingly, I can have that freedom as well! <3
Merry Christmas to you and Mr. Bill and family too, love!!
God love her!
(since we’re channeling Toby Keith)
Bwahahaha!
I love me some Toby Keith!
Merry Christmas Lisa!!!!!!!!
MERRY CHRISTmas!
You know, after my interview today, I had to fill out a form for a background check and turn it back into the receptionist…and I was leaving, I told her, “Merry Christmas!” As I said it, she told me, “Happy Holidays!” I would imagine she said it because that’s the unwritten rule. The politically correct world is hard to navigate.
I just wish people would realize that saying “Merry Christmas” is always in good spirit and with good intentions. I wouldn’t get offended if someone told me “Happy Hannukah” or Kwanzaa or anything else!
We just had this discussion the other day (my dad and I that is) about how instead of critizing each other and our belief’s that we too feel that our freedoms should respect our manger scenes in business windows or yards or saying Merry Christmas or whatever. The carnival we have every Halloween at school should be called what it is – a Halloween carnival (not the Fall Carnival we now call it). If you don’t want to celebrate, don’t. But respect those of us that do instead of turning to this politically correct crap that means the minorities can display and be proud of their celebrations but the majority must instead hide their celebrations and not offend anyone. *sigh* I wish more people were like you and would just stand up for their beliefs. Merry Christmas!