My dear aunt shared this photo on Facebook recently. When I saw it, I cringed. It wasn’t the first time I had seen it. I saw it around the holiday season (oops….am I supposed to say Christmas season?) last year too. I had hoped the last time would have been the last time but alas… it wasn’t. At first glance, one might say, what’s the problem with it? It’s nice. It just means that a Christian wants to say ‘Merry Christmas’ rather than ‘Happy Holidays.’ In fact, I am pretty certain that is what my aunt was thinking as she is hands down one of the most open and liberal- minded …..that I know. She is all about freedom of expression and I love her all the more for that.
That said I think this photo (and others like it) actually do far more for perpetuating hatred and separatism rather than celebrating diversity and camaraderie. Firstly, it starts off by saying that it is NOT ‘Happy Holiday’ and goes straight on by telling the viewer what it actually IS -the only thing it IS - ‘Merry Christmas’. Such a stance is synonymous to saying that only Christmas counts. Forget about the fact that (dare I say it?) the season also includes another religious holiday that is also widely celebrated throughout the States, Hanukah. Also, it forgets the fact that for the vast majority of Americans, vacations/holidays are taken by many in order to not only celebrate whatever they want to celebrate during the holiday season, but to also take advantage of the fact that Christmas is a national holiday in the States. For many, adding some personal vacation time between Christmas and New Year’s makes a lot of sense. However, simply because there is a national holiday built around Christmas does not make it better or more valid than any other religious or civil holiday. In other words, Christmas does not own the December’s holiday season.
Personally I use both Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas. I have always celebrated Christmas so I like to say Merry Christmas. It feels like home. However I often feel more comfortable saying Happy Holidays as I find it much more inclusive as I make my way through the world on a day-to-day basis during the season. Maybe the term is not as comfy and warm as Merry Christmas is to me personally, but the neutrality of the term is often more appropriate amongst a diverse group of people. The notion that one is, in some way, denying their beliefs by choosing Happy Holidays over Merry Christmas is ludicrous. I think I will post this one to Facebook….
It’s Merry Christmas. (for some)
It’s Happy Hanukah. (for some)
BUT
It’s HAPPY Holidays to all!!!!
SHARE IF YOU WANT TO…
That said I think this photo (and others like it) actually do far more for perpetuating hatred and separatism rather than celebrating diversity and camaraderie. Firstly, it starts off by saying that it is NOT ‘Happy Holiday’ and goes straight on by telling the viewer what it actually IS -the only thing it IS - ‘Merry Christmas’. Such a stance is synonymous to saying that only Christmas counts. Forget about the fact that (dare I say it?) the season also includes another religious holiday that is also widely celebrated throughout the States, Hanukah. Also, it forgets the fact that for the vast majority of Americans, vacations/holidays are taken by many in order to not only celebrate whatever they want to celebrate during the holiday season, but to also take advantage of the fact that Christmas is a national holiday in the States. For many, adding some personal vacation time between Christmas and New Year’s makes a lot of sense. However, simply because there is a national holiday built around Christmas does not make it better or more valid than any other religious or civil holiday. In other words, Christmas does not own the December’s holiday season.
Personally I use both Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas. I have always celebrated Christmas so I like to say Merry Christmas. It feels like home. However I often feel more comfortable saying Happy Holidays as I find it much more inclusive as I make my way through the world on a day-to-day basis during the season. Maybe the term is not as comfy and warm as Merry Christmas is to me personally, but the neutrality of the term is often more appropriate amongst a diverse group of people. The notion that one is, in some way, denying their beliefs by choosing Happy Holidays over Merry Christmas is ludicrous. I think I will post this one to Facebook….
It’s Merry Christmas. (for some)
It’s Happy Hanukah. (for some)
BUT
It’s HAPPY Holidays to all!!!!
SHARE IF YOU WANT TO…