Merry Christmas vs. Happy Holidays

This time of year brings the constant barrage of angry Christians every time they run across a Happy Holiday expression. In the current days of Facebook preaching, it typically takes the form of something to the effect of, “I don’t care who I piss off, I am tired of people taking the Christ out of Christmas.”

I am one of those people who will say Happy Holidays and I can tell you emphatically, that I am not trying to take the Christ out of Christmas. I have many friends and family that are devout Christians and I respect their celebration of their savior this time of year and will warmly greet them with Merry Christmas as an acknowledgement of their faith and my respect for it.

Where I use Happy Holidays is in an environment where I know there are people of other faiths or if I am not sure of their faith, I will greet folks this time of year with a Happy Holidays.  You see Christianity isn’t the only faith in the world and there are other people of other faiths that have different traditions. Heck even people who are traditionally lumped in together with Christians with the term Judeo-Christians, Jews, don’t celebrate Christmas. And that doesn’t even address the Muslims, Buddhists and Hindu’s of the world. As a real world, everyday example in my department at work, all four of the religions mentioned above are represented on our team. To treat them all as if they are all celebrating Christmas just doesn’t wash for me.

I have no issue with people or businesses that wish to acknowledge that there are other religions besides Christianity celebrating this time of year by the use of Happy Holidays. You do know that Hanukkah for example is celebrated in December right? Not to mention the secular New Years celebration.

So Christians, I am not trying to take the Christ out of your Christmas. Keep him there, but get past the idea that you are the only faith recognized and respect the people who have a different path to connect with their spirituality. Someone who thinks differently than you should not be a threat, they should be embraced.

My Two Cents

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~ by b44hanson on December 15, 2011.