I've been hearing the whole Happy Holidays/Merry Christmas debate for a while I guess, peaking up again as get near to the - well December. I try hard to avoid any thought or discussion about religion - but I had a brief conversation today with a dear friend of mine who happens to be Jewish.

She was laughing at me because of my rant about my P.O. not having any Hannukah stamps for her "Holiday card" and told me about an email she got - with someone ranting about keeping Christ in Christmas and all the reasons its not PC to wish someone Happy Holidays.

She took a deep breath and said to me - I didnt have the heart to tell this person that I was one of those "Happy Holiday people".

Now, me personally, I don't say "Bless you" when someone sneezes...But would anyone find it annoying to say ...bless us all?

If you are about to spin out on ice and shout "OH GAWD" - would you really only accept help from YOUR God - or would you take a helping hand from someone elses - if it meant saving an injury or expensive car repair?

After all the unsolicited opinions cast upon me via email - This morning, I have finally taken the position - What's wrong with being "All Inclusive".

And please don't give me the "Commercialism of religion" scanario because I will hit you with the amount of non taxable real estate the Catholic Church owns (and makes significant profit on). Commercialism is no stranger to most religions. If stores do it, their just following the established norm.

Please people - Life is too short to squabble about such things.
Have a happy everything, all the time.

PS - and if you don't agree with me - that's fine...but please be careful about sending a "Christmas" card to a Jew - at Christmastime - (with no Hannukah stamp). At that point it's not just Poliltically incorrect - it's hipocritical!

REG

Regfaith wrote:

"Life is too short to squabble about such things.
Have a happy everything, all the time."

"Life is too short to squabble about such things.
Have a happy everything, all the time."


I believe that what Reg wrote is so true that it needed to repeated at least 2 more times. Some times we tend to not pay serious attention to things because they seem TOO simple.....simple things are always the truest.....

The last few years, I've been very careful to get holiday cards that just say that...a "celebrate the holidays, whatever one you like" card...one I can sent to everyone and not offend anyone. I'd rather include everyone than exclude anyone, or not take into account everyone's beliefs. "Happy Holidays" is pretty generic.

And in case of something serious happening...I'll take help from any supreme being that happens along and be grateful for it. I still don't know who it was that told me we were going to be struck by lightning but we were going to be okay, (a second or two before it happened) in 2000 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It toasted the car, but we were fine. I'm thankful that SOMEONE was looking out for us...who it was probably doesn't matter.

Miracles such as you just described are what connect us to whatever it is that is greater than ourselves. Some might say,"It happened that way because the tires grounded you from the electricity", or other such intellectual rational, but like you said, who or what or how are unimportant and irrelevent threads of thought. We are not in control of our lives, no matter how hard we try to be.....just ask victims of tornados or ice storms or lightning strikes. Keeping a happy and positive attitude and just a little bit of faith in something more powerful than ourselves doesn't make the bad stuff go away and leave us alone, but it does determine and help immensely the manner with which we face the realities of our lives. Acknowledgement of our powerlessness is where our true power comes from.....and allows us to more fully appreciate the wonder and awe of miracles.....

One of the upsides of being a procrastinator, which I am in certain areas of life, is that I generally don't send out cards till the new year, by which point all the holydays have passed and season's greetings become even more appropriate.

I tell everyone Happy Christmas and a wonderful season. It has nothing to with my religion. I go to a Christian church with my mom. I don't believe a lot of what they say. To me, it just doesn't add up. I have no problem with people who chose to believe any of it. My dad is Buddhist and he celebrates Christmas and tells people merry Christmas. To me, saying Merry Christmas is more about wishing people well than it is saying I believe in God and if you don't I exclude you. I tell people that because I love Christmas, I even love how commercial it has become. I never mean offense by it.

I was standing there next to a tray of macadamia nut cookies yesterday and man they looked good so I said to my Jehova's Witness Friend there, "is it ok if I take one of them cookies?" and she got all pissy and said "now you know I don't celebrate them pagan holidays, why would you ask me about them cookies?" I was like hands up waving whoa "I just want a cookie, I don't want to debate whether or not Jesus liked his egg nog or not!"

it gets confusin'!

Well, ya know for me, it's always Happy Cheesecake, and Merry Latkes!!

I thought that was universal!

Yeah, I have a friend whose a Jehovah's Witness & they believe some pretty weird stuff. That's also why she's in her late 40's & still unmarried. They think all men are up to no good...

Now I feel guilty I gave a small gift to my Buddhist friend that said Marry Christmas on it ... but they have a beautiful huge Christmas tree up, baked Christmas cookies, and will probably sing some Christmas carols tonight and open presents tomorrow!

If a person doesn't celebrate pagan holidays, why are they standing next to a plate of macadamia nut cookies anyway?

It's okay. My dad is Buddhist and he celebrates Christmas. We always exchange gifts and everything.

sometimes confusion expressed is an appropriate response to an appropriate suggestion...allowing a response!

I usually say "Happy Holidays" or "Season's Greetin's" or "Happy Yuletide/Solstice". There's enough holidays this time of year for every body to share. If any one gets miffed because I don't say "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Hanukkah" or whatever then I figure it's them who has the issue. And the ones who get all worked up and send you emails about it being a Christmas tree and not a Hanukkah or Kwanzaa tree, well .... to quote the Bonzo Dog Band, "...stuff it up your jumper...vo-vo-odie-oh!" I'll accept almost anything said to me if it's given in the spirit(s) of the season.