do you hear what i hear

it's that time of year... the time when we're pounded over the head with the christmas-holiday dichotomy. because nothing says "joy" like a heated argument. but, c'mon... of all the false dichotomies in the world, you had to walk into mine, amiright? i mean, christmas IS a holiday.

okay, okay. i get "IT". i get that "happy holidays" is designed to intentionally hide the fact that the holiday in question is christmas, and the motivation to hide christmas is to cover up the christ part which is of course the attraction of christmas and simultaneously the repulsion, the part that triggers intense cognitive dissonance. i mean, jesus didn't really go around preaching "buy your kids lots of toys and whatnot!".

so.

1. antagonistically pushing a my-way-or-the-highway philosophy over something as trivial as nomenclature is sort of the opposite of peace, love, and joy.

2. other religions' high holy days fall at various times during the year. if you were to say "happy holiday" to a jew during yom kippur or to a muslim during ramadan or to a druid during alban elfed -- what you're most likely to get in return is sincere appreciation of your recognition of their holiday. so, ye followers of christmas, when you are presented with "happy holiday", why not simply say... thanks.

3. back in the day, the native folk were bringing a tree into the cave in midwinter to celebrate the waxing daylight, to honour this proof that the universe had not abandoned them to the lengthening night. early christians, in turn, co-opted that event to use as the celebration of jesus's birth. (you didn't think he was actually born in midwinter, did you?) so now the pagans want their holiday back. how about, let them have it? instead of focusing on how many ways you can feel persecuted, try focusing on how you can feel joy.

4. christians are all the time bemoaning the commercialization of christmas, yet there they are, trying to christmasize the commercial. if you don't like the retailers telling you "happy holiday", how about you don't participate in holiday shopping? however, on the other hand, if you do choose to venture into their world and partake of their culture, being as you are on their turf, how about you refrain from telling them how to behave? just because you're all conflicted about burying the meaning of christmas (the meaning YOU understand) under your overindulgent spending, don't take it out on folks who don't have your context.


in conclusion, may your days be merry... and bright.