So, last night, some friends were giving me some good-natured ribbing about some Christmas cards that I gave out, that said “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas.”
And then, this morning, a friend had posted a link on my FB wall to this article. So, I’ve been thinking – last night & this morning – about it, and a few thoughts come into my head.
- I don’t care much for the politics of it. To me, “Happy Holidays” simply means, Christmas, New Year’s and Hannakuh too. I’m just not going to get all offended when someone is trying to pass on cheer – in whatever language they choose.
- I don’t think getting stores to say “Merry Christmas” means anything for the growth of the kingdom of God. The efforts of organizations like Stand for Christmas just seem silly to me.
- I resonate deeply Rick McKinley (and I love his church’s name!) and The Advent Conspiracy.
- I’m wondering this morning, in light of 1 Corinthians 9:21-23, if someone should start a “Christians who say ‘Happy Holidays’” campaign?
Obviously, I’m feeling a little snarky & ornery this morning.
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Let me take it a step further….the whole “Happy Holidays” vs. “Merry Christmas” thing is not only misdirected, but it actually functions to ensure that Christ is NOT the star of Christmas. By leaving unbridled consumerism unchecked and defining “keeping Christ in Christmas” around a retail greeting, it allows Christians to continue business as usually while suffering under the delusion that they are keeping Christ in Christmas. The very thing some well meaning Christians are against, the end up supporting. If you are going to do the American Christmas thing, cool…just don’t pretend it has anything to do with Jesus. If you want to go Jesus direction, the Advent Conspiracy has some good ideas, but really keeping Jesus in Christmas means following Jesus 24/7 365 days a year.
Right on Michael and Charlie!
When people demand that we say “Merry Christmas” this time of year they are revealing their own intolerant nature and prejudices, and in doing so they demonstrate how very “un-Christian” it is to act this way.
Nearly every major culture now and historically celebrates some sort of winter holiday. To get offended because someone doesn’t say a greeting exactly to your personal holiday specifications is ridiculous, petty, and childish. After all, when was the last time someone freaked out on you for failing to wish them a “Happy Diwali” (Indian winter festival of lights related to the Ramayan), or a “Happy Yuletide” (secular winter festival), “Happy Kwanza” (an African tradional Winter soltice celebration), etc. etc.
It’s so ironic that people get bent regarding the whole “Merry Christmas” and “Keep Christ in Christmas” issues, acting like they’re beliefs and personal family traditions are the center of the universe. If they would do a cursory 10 minutes of research into the history of Winter soltice traditions, they find out that many of their traditions are borrowed from pagan festivals that have been around for ages. Research the origins of any tradition which you hold sacred and you are bound to find very interesting results.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_winter_festivals
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas
To illustrate the ‘self-centered’ Christian view that some people have, I’ll give you an example from my own recent experience. A Hindu Indian worker was being asked to work over the corporate holiday shutdown to make up time in a schedule. The manager said, “you’re from India, you don’t celebrate Christmas, so it’s not really a big deal for you to work over the holidays, right?” So, to some folks, unless you celebrate Christmas your beliefs and “weird” holidays don’t matter. Simply rude in my book.
“Happy Holidays” or “Seasons Greetings” seems like pretty good ways to wish people winter cheer without making poor, embarrassingly rude assumptions about their beliefs.
That being said, Glad Tidings! May the Yule Goat bless you this season with wood for your fire and food for your belly!