I am really getting sick of hearing about this uproar about stores using” Happy Holidays," instead of Merry Christmas.
Its like, "are you serious?" Who cares either way?
First of all, I don't think the shopping aspect is exactly what the "Christmas" part of the season is supposed to be about, so who cares if secular, non religious businesses (like restaurants and shopping centers) decide to make every single person who walks in the door feel included and welcome? Not just the majority! What’s wrong with making sure that no feels excluded? (um, hello, Happy Holidays INCLUDES Christmas...) Why should anyone be expected to stereotype and assume you celebrate Christmas?
Besides, every major store I walk into is completely decked out for Christmas, including nativity stuff, and very rarely do you see even a fraction of all other winter holidays combined.
But most importantly, I think its pure hypocrisy for "Christians" to be out boycotting, picketing, or sending out rude or demanding letters. None of these actions bring about feelings of peace, love, generosity, joy, or goodwill that are supposed to be what the season is all about.
Instead, they promote anger and irritation...from store employees and management, to shoppers who have to walk by the picketers, to people at home checking their email and instead of getting kind Christmas wishes, they get angry letters urging you to join in their angry party.
Jesus was the last one to exclude anyone, as I understand it. So why do these people want businesses to do just that?
Jesus was born in lambing season, which was not the end of December. The early Christian church used the pagan holiday of Yule, or Winter solstice, as a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus to incorporate "old beliefs" with the new. As such it is really appropriate to say "Happy Holidays," acknowledging the need for holidays, gathering, community and love and light in the darkest, coldest nights of our year. That's why so many holidays are clustered around this time of year!
A celebration of Jesus's birthday maybe important to many people, but it is not the only thing this season is about, even for those who celebrate Christmas.
"What?" You say? Well, it is not!
This season is about love, and family. Light through the darkest nights. Hope and peace and kindness. Its about making children of all ages laugh and believe in magic, and learn about the joy of giving. It is about gathering with friends and family, and giving and receiving, gifts and time, and love.
Happy Holidays is the term used for the season, spanning Thanksgiving, to New Years. Jesus's birth, like the birth of any child, should be greeted with the best of humanities intentions, trying their best to welcome the new life into a world full of peace and love and compassion.
If you spend the season any other way, particularly in anger, then I'm afraid that you may be missing the whole point of the season.
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