Happy Holidays or Not


Happy Holidays, and YES, I am declaring war on Merry Christmas. There are over 20 holidays between November and January.  Why must we insist that only Christmas be Merry? Is there a reason that all other Holidays are not joyful? Is the world really the problem or is it the loving “let the children come to me”, Christians that are the problem?   For the love of Christ, can we just respect each other? 

If you were living in a strange land with different traditions, you would want respect for your beliefs.  A country built on religious freedom should embrace this.  America is rated 10th among the most culturally diverse countries in the world.   India is first followed by Canada.  African and Pacific Island countries fill out the top ten.

This is supposed to be a season of peace and happiness.  The entire point of the season is to celebrate.  Join family, friends, and neighbors, in cheerful observance of a year well lived.  As some moved toward a more inclusive accepting society others find reasons to argue.  Reasons to make themselves better at the expense of others.  Instead of embracing our minor differences, small minds focus on reasons to hate.  How can this be part of your religion?  Why would you want it to be?

In the timeline of history, Christmas is barely a blip.  Christmas i.e., the birth of Jesus is celebrated in December and not March because of all the other holidays being celebrated throughout the world during this time.  Religions and cultures around the world chose this time of year to be joyful.  The winter soloist has been a holiday for as long as historians can find.  Christians wanted to have a reason to through a party too.  So, they moved the birth of Christ from March to December.  They called it Christmas. And now it is the rest of the world infringing on their beliefs?

The holidays are stressful.  Parties, decorating, out-of-town guests, or traveling all add up.  Not to mention all the year-end work goals to finish.  If it was truly about a religious holiday, then there might be an argument to be made.  But it is not.  There is nothing religious about Santa.  Or the hundreds of thousands spent on the perfect gifts no one wants.  This time of year tops the list of the most suicides.  The most stress, the most eating, the most of everything.  It stopped being about a baby long before it became about Happy Holidays vs. Merry Christmas.

Of all the times of year to embrace our many cultures, and traditions, the end-of-the-year celebrations should bring us together.  There will always be time for fighting when the eating is done.

A little history:

In the 18th and 19th centuries, Merry meant you were drunk. Happy meant you were content.  One could be “happy” in quiet contentment.  If one was “Merry” as in making merry, then one was dancing, eating, and drinking a lot.  To that end, I say, “Have a Merry Holiday season, and a Happy Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Boxing Day…… and all the rest”

 

https://www.thetoptens.com/nations/multicultural-countries/

https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/using-merry-christmas-or-happy-holidays-no-longer-about-putting-ncna1106181

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