It's Okay To Say "Happy Holidays!"

On Black Friday, I continued my yearly tradition of barricading myself in our house until mid-afternoon, when I'm relatively sure that the majority of fevered shoppers have long left.  As it happened, a couple of light bulbs needed replacing, so I took a quick drive down to the Home Depot.

As the cashier rang my purchase up we made small talk: she asked me if I'd gotten some good deals that morning.  I laughed and informed her how this was my first outing for the day.  As I paid for the light bulbs and got ready to leave, I wished her a very Happy Holiday.

Her response?  A big smile and "The same to you."

For the last couple of years, we've been bombarded by various groups going absolutely nutters around this time over the "War on Christmas."  Never mind the fact that a number of other holidays are celebrated during this season: Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice and/or Yule.  Or the fact that it was Conservatives -- in the form of 17th century New England Puritans -- that first attacked the holiday, banning its celebration for almost 200 years.  Or the fact that you don't have to look much further than a major retail chain store opening up on Thanksgiving night to pushing, screaming, pepper-spraying customers to see where the true "War on Christmas" probably resides.
 
Look, I'm not saying I don't understand: I get why someone might get upset if a town Christmas Tree gets renamed "Holiday Tree" (although technically the tradition of decorating a fir tree for the yule season pre-dated Christianity, but I digress).  And when Atheists erected giant billboards reading "Christmas is a Myth" last year, I got miffed.  Not that I'm a religious guy: I simply think that everyone has the right to believe -- or not believe -- what they want without having to shove it down everyone else's throats.

But getting upset because someone wishes you a "Happy Holidays?"  That's one I've never understood.

A few years ago I read a rather polarized comment on a message board.  To paraphrase, it went along the lines of, "I wish everyone a 'Merry Christmas.'  If they are Jewish they can just tell me that they celebrate Hanukkah and I'll know better for the next time."  I was blown away by this level of insensitivity.  I was tempted to ask the individual how he would feel if someone cheerfully wished him a "Happy Hanukkah" but I decided against it.  I suspected I already knew the answer.

I have a simple rule: If I know you deck the halls, I'll wish you a 'Merry Christmas.' If I know for a fact that you're a master at the Dreidel spin, I'll wish you a 'Happy Hanukkah.'  But if I'm just meeting you for the first time -- or I don't know what your religious beliefs are (if you even have any at all) -- I'm going to wish you "Happy Holidays."

It has nothing to do with political correctness.  On the contrary -- it's about respect.  And frankly, if you really believe that anyone who says "Happy Holidays" is insulting you or your beliefs -- then maybe you don't truly understand your beliefs in the first place.

So the next time someone wishes you "Happy Holidays," take it in stride.  In fact, why not say it yourself?   It's all-inclusive, respectful and more importantly, if it was good enough for Bing Crosby to sing, it can't be all that bad.

(What are your thoughts on "Happy Holidays?"  Share them below)