Reading over on Sticks of Fire a moment ago I was struck that, clearly, there've been issues this year with people saying Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas.
Until just now, I was blissfully unaware of this debate. Some people say Merry Christmas. Some say Happy Holidays. I heard both at work today. I said both at work today. I didn't think about it one way or the other. I'm saddened knowing that there are people out there with so much time on their hands and so little knowledge of the world's larger problems that they think this is a significant matter. Boycott stores that tell their employees to wish you "Happy Holidays?" I'd rather boycott a store where the employees don't say anything at all.
What's so wrong with Happy Holidays? I celebrate the New Year, that's a holiday. And it comes only a week after Christmas. And with Thanksgiving less than a month before Christmas, it's really not a stretch for this to be the Holiday season. It doesn't have to be the Christmas season. Christmas is part of the season. If you wish me Merry Christmas, are you saying you hope I have a lousy new year?
People care so much about such stupid things these days. Everyone's stress meter seems to be pegged at all times; it's like if you aren't worried about enough meaningless things, you'll cease to have any meaning in your own life. No one can be happy that they have enough to eat, a place to sleep that's dry and warm, a steady job, money to go out and join the frenzy of Christmas (Holiday?) shoppers and buy things for your friends and family that they don't really need. No, we can't just be happy. We have to be upset about something; if we aren't we must be callous and shallow. But our true nature is better shown by the things we choose to care about than by the fact that we care in the first place.
Christmas is a holiday. I hope you have a happy one.
3 comments:
The whole thing sounds like certain people are trying to make an issue where there isn't one.
Besides, I thought it used to be a problem that stores used "Christmas" too much and were over-commercializing Jesus or something like that.
I agree with you, smitty. i'll be honest...it bothers me a little bit, but not enough to loose sleep. As a christian, I have many more important things to worry about than whether people are shouting 'merry christmas' or 'happy holidays'...like their eternal destiny. thanks for posting on my blog.
So I heard something on the Colbert Report last night that I thought was quite appropriate - "In this season of celebration, it's good to point out what Jesus really cares about - symantics." It was a replay of a show from last week, but still great.
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