Happy Holidays

Yes, you read that right. I said “Happy Holidays,” instead of “Merry Christmas.”

So. Are you offended? Do I seem like I’m trying to steal Christmas from you?

Do you know what offends me? When people become outraged that some people – me included – have a tendency to wish a stranger Happy Holidays rather than Merry Christmas. You know why I’d rather wish someone Happy Holidays?

Because there are a lot of holidays in December, y’all.

There’s Christmas. There’s Hanukkah. There’s Kwanzaa. There’s Muharram. There’s New Year.

Just because I don’t celebrate all of those holidays doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t hope that those who do celebrate them are doing so joyously.
And while we’re on the subject, can we talk about the holiday party? “But it should be a Christmas party,” people complain. “Not calling it a Christmas party is WRONG.”

You know what’s more wrong?

Having a party that excludes people.

You know why they don’t have Christmas parties in schools? Because not every kid in the classroom is Christian. Because it wouldn’t be very much fun to be a kid of a different faith who couldn’t attend the classroom Christmas party because your family doesn’t celebrate Christmas. Because it’s not nice to make people – big or little – feel like they don’t belong and aren’t included.

Look, for the record? I was raised Christian. And because of that, it’s important to me to reach out to ALL people, not just people who believe the same way I do. I celebrate Christmas. If you wish me a Merry Christmas, I’ll wish you one right back – and I do hope you have a wonderful
Christmas, and that your holiday season is filled with joy.

But if I don’t know you, I’m not making assumptions about your beliefs, because I don’t want you to make assumptions about mine. So much of what is wrong with society right now is, I think, our willingness to make and act on our assumptions about one another – we let our stereotypes inform our actions and thoughts.

I don’t want to act out of a place of assumption. I want to act out of a place of understanding, and with that comes the realization that I don’t know everything about everyone I meet or see. Because of that?

I say Happy Holidays.

And I wish you, dear reader, the happiest holidays yet.