What Holiday Is This Again?

I don't know about you, but I have grown extremely weary of the political correctness that has been forced upon Christmas.

For a few years now, more and more companies are turning to, "Happy Holidays" and, "Season's Greetings" so as not to offend anyone who may not celebrate Christmas.

Let me just say a few things about that. Ya'll know I have opinions.

On the surface, Christmas is a national holiday. No different than Independence Day or Memorial Day. I don't know of anybody who is afraid to celebrate those holidays for fear of offending anyone. And at the very least, everyone enjoys the day off work.

On a deeper level, Christmas is a culturally traditional holiday. Our nation has been celebrating Christmas for oh, I don't know, a long time. It's what we do. It's a time of giving, a time of rejoicing, and a time of celebrating with family and friends. I mean, how many other holidays have their very own ugly sweaters?

And on the most intimate level, Christmas is about the birth of Christ. For years, everyone's known that's what Christians believe even if they don't choose to believe it themselves or celebrate it.

But the birth of Christ is not pushed on people nearly as much as Santa. And I don't hear anyone bellowing about how Santa is impeding upon their right to not believe in fat men in red suits.

Besides the people who think Fat Santa is a bad example and started a push a few years ago to get Skinny Santas in place all over the nation. Um, that was really successful, huh?

It seems we're more willing to stand up for the tradition of Fat Santa than anything else.

Personally, I enjoy someone wishing me a Merry Christmas. It makes me happy. It gives me the warm fuzzies. And if someone were to wish me a Happy Hannukah or whatever it is they choose to celebrate this time of the year, I would be just as happy.

And you know what? I'd probably wish them one back.

Because it's not about me.

Sure, I'm a Christmas girl thru and thru. I believe that Christmas is about the birth of Christ. Period. And I wish that everyone else felt that way. The reality is that they don't.

And the beautiful thing about our country is that everyone is free to believe what they choose, even if it is diametrically opposed to the majority and the traditions of our nation.

However...

(That's a fancy way of saying, "BUT...")

...that does not give the vocal minority the right to bash Christmas or try to pretend that it is "less than" because they choose not to believe in/celebrate it.

Demanding that atheistic signs be placed right beside a Nativity is downright petty and childish. I wonder if those same people demanded that everyone return the Christmas gifts purchased for them? Or if they wrote "Return to Sender" on the Christmas cards they received from friends and family?

And stealing the atheist's sign is just as bad. But then for someone to quote one of the 10 Commandments as an addendum to the atheist sign is too far.

So you don't believe in God and think the Bible is a farce...until it serves your purpose.

I am tired of the "squeaky wheel" getting so much attention and doing their best to take the focus off of not only the true reason for the holiday, but the tradition that our country has celebrated unapologetically since 1870.

Until now, anyway.

When we were on our way home from Dallas on Christmas morning, Husband and I noticed something. All the stores - from foodservice to retail - were closed. The only places we saw open were gas stations.

The very same stores that instruct their employees to say, "Happy Holidays" were not shy about observing the Christmas holiday in so much as it meant closing their doors for a day off. They are also not quiet about the loss of retail sales our down economic times have brought them during this Christmas shopping season.

In other words, the very people who are bemoaning Christmas in the name of political correctness are also willing to embrace it for what it can do for them and their bottom line.

So I came up with a solution. I believe that if your company prefers to use, "Happy Holidays," you should be open on Christmas. If you'd like to say, "Merry Christmas," by all means, close your doors on Christmas and enjoy the holiday with your family.

And if you don't want to celebrate Christmas, don't. Celebrate whatever it is you want. But don't ruin Christmas for the rest of us in some narcicistic plot to make everything about you.

And that's all I have to say about that.