We say Merry Christmas!

I ran across a post, this evening, by Kim from What’s the Smell/Accidental Mommies called Happy Holidays or Merry Christmas, and it has me thinking!

Now, before you go hatin’.. make sure you read this post in its entirety!  Heaven forbid I offend you.

You see, we live in a country where we have freedom of religion.  Freedom of religion does not only cover Christianity, therefore, society forces us to believe that we must include everyone and leave Christ out of our month long “greetings”.  If I want to tell someone to have a Happy Thanksgiving, that’s exactly what I’m going to say.  If I want someone to have a Fabulous Christmas, that’s exactly what I’m going to say.  If I want someone to have a Happy New Year, that’s what I’m going to say.

I about cracked up when I heard the Ellen DeGeneres “holiday” theory (I wish I could find the video!). According to her, we’d all start at the beginning of the year and and tell everyone “Happy Holidays” and cover everything from New Year’s to Christmas!  Because, really, isn’t that the true spirit behind what “Happy Holidays” means?!

Other Words for Holiday:

anniversary, break, celebration, day of rest,feast, festival, festivity, fete, few days off, fiesta, gala, gone fishing, holy day, jubilee, layoff, leave, liberty, long weekend, recess, red-letter day, saint’s day, vacation

Would I be offended if someone walked up to me and said “Happy Kwanzaa“?  Nope!  You know why?  Because they are standing behind what they celebrate, and if I can say Christmas, they can definitely say Kwanzaa.  If someone sends me a card that says “Happy Winter Solstice“, do you think I’ll disregard it?  Not at all!  They’re not hiding behind the fear of offending anyone.  What about “Happy Yule” or “Happy Hanukkah“?  It’s the same for both of those as well.

We live in this country for many reasons.  Some of those reasons just happen to be freedom of speech and freedom of religion.  What exactly are freedoms if society tries to mask or control them all in the name of offense?

If you want to say Happy Holidays, because it’s just what you do, that’s awesome!  I totally respect that, and it’s your absolute right to say it if you wish!  However, if you’re saying it because you either fear someone will be offended, or it’s what society has groomed you to say, just remember, that’s not freedom.

As for me and my house, we will say Merry Christmas.

YOU’RE JUST GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT!

Stand up for yourself, this year, and own up to the specific holidays you celebrate and and in which you believe.  Who cares if someone is offended by it!? I think we have a lot more to think about, this time of year, than the random 1 or 2 people we MAY come in contact in the span of an entire month who may be offended that we offer them a simple, hearty felt, “Merry Christmas!”

Thanks, Kim, for firing up my inner – Toby Keith.