I wish I could take credit for my column title, but the truth is it comes from a Christmas ornament someone gave me. It has those words prettily painted on a gold and red globe. I’m quite fond of it as it says a lot in just a few words about the on-going controversy over that (supposedly) politically incorrect salutation “Merry Christmas.”
Some say there is a war on Christmas. I keep hearing that from certain commentators, especially those at Fox News. I’m not sure I agree, but I do have some opinions on the Christmas greeting thing.
In a store during December, it’s OK for a clerk to say “happy holidays” to me. I acknowledge Christmas is a holiday along with Hanukkah, Kwanza, and Boxing Day, etc., so the “holiday” word, whose derivation is from Old English (“haligdaeg” = “halig” holy + “daeg” day) actually says it’s a “holy day,” to whatever FAITH it applies.
Or lack thereof.
But when that exhausted store clerk, who’s probably stood on her feet for hours wishes me “happy holiday,” I’ll return the greeting — as is appropriate to me — with, “And a very Merry Christmas to you.” I’ll take note of the name tag and include her name in my greeting.
Said without sarcasm or criticism, I’m just enjoying my “holy day” month in the only way that is true to my nature and culture. No offense intended.
I’d like to be able to wish people a Merry Christmas this December without worrying if they’ll be upset about it. I’d also like to have non-Christian folks wish me Happy Hanukkah or Happy Diwali, both of which also celebrate a season of light and brotherly love. It would make me feel included in their joy of celebration, even if their faith is not the same as mine.
The unhappy alternative is to keep one’s mouth shut during December and wait until the 31st, so a greeting of “Happy New Year” won’t bother anybody since it’s a day which touches all people and cultures.
But, please, if you see me out and about, don’t wish me “season’s greetings,” or send me a card with a red-ribboned kitten on the front and inscribed “enjoy your holiday.” I try to be diverse in my thinking, but those sentiments are just too much of a cop-out.
Such pedestrian treatments of Christmas just take the sparkle out of December’s festivities for me.
Every few Decembers, the Pew Research Center conducts a survey of Americans to determine their preferences among “Merry Christmas,” “Happy Holidays,” “Season’s Greetings,” or other terms which are strictly non-religious.
In 2012, a random selection of participants was asked to choose between “Merry Christmas,” and several non-religious phrases. A second group of the same number was asked to select from all phrases as well as the option, “It doesn’t matter.”
In group one, 57 percent picked “Merry Christmas” and 27 percent preferred less religious terms. The remaining 16 percent volunteered it didn’t matter to them even though that option wasn’t offered.
In the second group, 42 percent preferred “Merry Christmas,” 12 percent wanted non-religious greetings, and the remainder didn’t have a preference.
The research findings also concluded that Republicans strongly prefer the religious Christmas greeting. When the “doesn’t matter” choice is included, 63 percent of Republicans still chose “Merry Christmas,” while 5 percent liked “Season’s Greetings” or “Happy Holidays” and 32 percent went for the “doesn’t matter” option.
Among Democrats, 28 percent like “Merry Christmas,” 17 percent selected non-religious terms, and 55 percent didn’t care either way.
The Pew Research Center has been doing this survey since 2005 and reports very little change to American attitudes on this issue in nearly 10 years.
Whether one is Republican or Democrat, believer or atheist, Christmas deserves its special days in December. It’s not an offensive or a divisive word.
It just is.
It took Ebenezer Scrooge one very harrowing night to appreciate the beauty of the word CHRISTMAS. But after his ordeal, he promised, “I will honor Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons they teach.”
Let us not shut out the uniqueness of Christmas by calling it by any other name.