The Grinch who stole the Holidays: PCness in December

It’s that time of the year: the time from Thanksgiving until new year’s. You know, the Holidays. Oh, uh, (tugs at collar, wipes brow with cocktail napkin) I mean the Christmas season…right.

Is anyone as sick of this as I am? I mean crap people, if we are going to argue about something, can’t it be something of substance? A cure for cancer? A way to end world hunger? Our favorite kind of chewing gum?

Doesn’t this come up again and again every year? And don’t we always move further away from reaching a common consensus? No matter what you call this part of the year, I am sure you agree that you do not want it overshadowed by the bickering of people who are inflexible and absolute that it always be called by one name and never by another.

Both Christmas wishers and Holidarians (to coin an awkward and ridiculous term) are wrong to launch a full-blown media war over this controversy. Petitions, lawsuits, and boycotts should be enacted on things that matter, not petty battles over what Wal-Mart calls their merchandise. Civic action is a finite resource, and it is disheartening to see it wasted on something so incredibly silly.

Whether you call it the Holiday spirit or the Christmas spirit, all this bad blood ruins it. This really does not have to be as complicated and divisive as we have made it to be.

My mom works as a bank teller. She has conversations with hundreds of people every day, and thoroughly loves developing relationships with her customers. Every December, she wishes people a Merry Christmas, and a lot of people wish her this in return. If they wish her Happy Holidays, she reciprocates, and says Happy Holidays to them. If they say Happy Chanukah, she says Happy Chanukah. Seasons Greetings—Seasons Greetings, Happy Kwanza—Happy Kwanza, Ramadan Wishes—Ramadan Wishes.

If someone came into Ipswich Co-op Bank and wished my mother a “good buy-one get- one free Lysol window spray day,” she would, without a doubt, wish one back to them too, and with all the sincerity in the world.

When someone wishes you a merry Christmas, whether you are a Christian makes no difference. In fact, a Muslim customer recently wished my mom a Merry Christmas as a gesture of personal respect and kindness. My mom was very touched. When someone wishes something unto you, they are opening up their heart, not trying to impose their religion.

That’s all “Merry Christmas” and any other greeting means. It doesn’t mean, “accept Jesus as your savior” or “all other religions are bunk.” Wishing someone a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy Chanukah, or any other thing is an expression of love and goodwill. It works as a more personal and heartfelt “have a good one.” It is not an attempted conversion, not a display of power, not an evangelistic statement.

Ben Stein, a Jewish man, wrote a great editorial on this subject last December, and said “it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don’t feel discriminated against. That's what they are: Christmas trees. It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, ‘Merry Christmas’ to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year.”

Over 95% of the United States population celebrates Christmas, and in our culture, Christmas is not a primarily religious holiday (only 80% of Americans are Christians; the math does not add up). When people think of Christmas, they primarily think of presents, friends and family, and Santa, not Jesus. As a Christian, I find this troubling, but I am not dismayed by it. I can still observe my religion when people wish me happy holidays, but I do not want to be told I do not have the option of giving people my blessing how I choose. Later in his editorial, Stein said “I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution, and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.”

All I want is to be able to wish people well and to mark observance of one of the most important days of my year. Is that too much to ask? So when you see me over the next few weeks, let me know what what you celebrate—Christmas, Holidays, Hanukah…or whatever else. I will be glad to wish it to you, provided that you let me do the same.

Read the entirety of Ben Stein’s editorial here: snopes.com/politics/soapbox/benstein2.asp

Read Lou Dobbs’ recent commentary on this subject here:
cnn.com/2006/US/12/12/Dobbs.Dec13/index.html