Happy Holidays: No big deal
Look, I get it. I get that some people insist on saying Merry Christmas to everybody, almost in an in-your-face way. I even get that some folks feel pressure NOT to say it and that’s annoying too. After all, it is a major Christian holiday—although not as important as Easter even if it is more commercial, profit driven and viable in the social marketplace. The point is what if you choose not to say MC and instead use HH? Shouldn’t that be okay too? From where I sit, as an actively practicing Christian, I do not say Merry Christmas carte blanche out of respect for my non-Christian friends and family. (I choose to be Christian, but I also respect your right to choose your own path to God—or not.) In other words, I use those two words selectively—not out of fear that I am not being politically correct. Heck, it has become politically incorrect to use Happy Holidays these days—as if you have somehow compromised your beliefs for the latest fashion statement. To me, it’s like wishing you Happy Anniversary when it’s your birthday. If you are not Christian, the words are imprecise, and for someone who fancies herself a wordsmith (always looking for the perfect word in any situation) that won’t do. So, if you get a card for me, it will say something generic, like HH, with a personal addition of Merry Christmas only if it’s appropriate. Oh never mind, there’s no time left anyway: I’m going to send a Happy New Year card in January. Shalom…Namaste…whatever.