Happy HolidayS - ALL of them

We're well into the Christmas season. Last weekend was the local Christmas parade and a work Christmas party. I got the Christmas cards last week and will send those soon. Today the whole family went to see The Nutcracker. We got all dressed up and REALLY enjoyed the production. Tomorrow after church we'll take the kids to buy gifts for kids whose parents are in prison. (A project through church.) Then we'll go to a Christmas party for the kids, with cookie decorating and a visit from Santa.

So as you can tell, I'm into enjoying the season. We've only recently begun attending church - I was a raised a "cultural Christian" and we went to church on Easter and Christmas at best. But I was always taught to respect every religion - that each religion is just a different pathway to reach the same place. So I'm disgusted with the Jerry Fallwell attitude that Christmas is "under attack" when someone says "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas." How egotistical is it to insist that Christmas is the only holiday being celebrated at this time of year?? Hanukkah is usually celebrated in December and, depending on their lunar calendars, Ramadan and Tet may also fall in December. In addition, the African American celebration of Kwanzaa begins on December 26. And, truly, to my mind, "The Holidays" also means Thanksgiving and New Year. So along with being inclusive of and respectful toward the celebrations of many religions, and even those with NO religion, "Happy Holidays" includes other special days.

I recently participated in an online poll which told the story of a town somewhere where the city erected a tree in a public place and there was a controversy over whether the thing should be called a "Christmas" tree or a "Holiday" tree. Man, the comments were extremely vitriolic and divisive! I was astounded at the number of comments written along the lines of: "This is America which was founded by Christians, so if you don't like it, go back to wherever you came from!" HELLO!!! This country was, indeed, founded BY Christians, HOWEVER, it was not founded AS a Christian nation. It was founded on the basis of RELIGIOUS FREEDOM. The Pilgrims came here to escape the religious persecution they were experiencing in England. And, guess what? Most of the people celebrating other holidays are AMERICAN CITIZENS - they are entitled to worship as they please and NOT have THEIR government erect symbols of ANY religion. City, state and local governments should NOT be involved in celebrating any religious holiday. For that matter, I believe they should not be saying an "invocation" or prayer before a school board meeting (done here in this area) or any meeting of a public entity.

So, HAPPY HOLIDAYS to you!! And, whatever you celebrate, may it be filled with joy!