Yes, I’m Saying Happy Holidays
Happy Holidays!
Warmth, light, comfort
laughter, love and joy
to you and yours
to all of us
May your spirits be energized, brightened, and filled with caring for others.
An important note on the so-called “war on Christmas”:
Should there be some reminder that Christmas is a celebration of the birth of the Prince of Peace? How does turning Christmas into a time of strife set a Christian example?
My greeting to you includes the holidays that I personally celebrate, and also it extends to include the holiday or holidays that you celebrate. (Jehovah’s Witnesses are the only ones I know who have reason to flinch at a simple season’s greeting).
We celebrate different things, we celebrate the traditions and beliefs of our families, of our communities, of our nations, and so on. Some are more traditional, some are more constructive and playful. If you think about all the people you know, you will quickly realize that there are some people to whom you can (maybe even should) say “Merry Christmas.” That’s fine, that’s great – but would you hate-mongers just give it a rest? It’s the holidays! Where’s all that comfort and joy?
The spirit of the season is not about competition or hate. If you can’t be spiritually aware, at least be civil.
Be gracious, be kind. Beware those who speak to the darkness within you.
Replace hate and fear and war – with love and courage and peace.
10 thoughts on “Yes, I’m Saying Happy Holidays”
BRAVO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and Happy Holidays to you! I also say “Happy Holidays”, to someone who I do not know what (if any) religion they are,practice, etc. To those I know are catholics, I say “Merry Christmas” to those I know who are jewish, I say “Happy Hanukkah”. With all the crap going on in the world, how can two simple words, meant to imply love, peace and happy times, start “a war”? It makes me sick. This holiday season, my family is reflecting on love, family and how close we came to not being a complete one this year. Gifts will be as they should be, based on love and the feeling someone could use it or need it. Our true gift is life. More people need to feel that, to remember that.
Thank you and to you too! And thank you for expressing your first amendment rights too!! 🙂 I use Happy Holidays plenty, especially in email — not because I am waging a war on Christmas, but that I am lazy. Happy Holidays is much quicker to type that Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. But there is also other holidays as well, that I don’t celebrate, and therefore don’t always think to include. But of course when the day comes, I use Merry Christmas. Everyone should simply use the phrases the want, instead of listening to a few right wing looney toons (O’Reilly) who are creating problems out of nothing. 🙂
Lois
mAYBE ITS BECAUSE cHRISTMAS IS PAGAN jESUS bIRTHDAY WAS IN oCTOBER hE DIED IN APRL WHEN HE WAS 33.5 YRS SO 6 MONTHS FROM APRIL GIVES YOU HIS BIRTHDAY WHICH IS OCTOBER NOT DECEMBER! duh! for a god that exacts exclusive devotion as staded in deuteronomy why would you celebrate something that links with a roman celebration of a new year(dec)to THEIR gods of a new sun if you are offfering ‘pure’ worship to god how many pagn holidays do you celebrate that originate with other gods like valentines etc zn expect that that is offering pure worship ie worship to Jehovah and not origionating from other gods and practices hat are not even mentioned in the bible?? Get a lif and read your bible, worship is what God expcts of you not what suites you or gets you the most presents!UH!
Hi Mary, Hi Lois!
And look! A JW that has misunderstood the argument of the post!
Hi Diamond! Yes, of course the holiday of Christmas is rather recent, and it is interlaced with the results of the history of missionary activities. You are correct in the general argument that contemporary customs include assimilated and transformed bits from other traditions. That’s simple History of Religions 101. Since you don’t have any holiday tradition at all, though, perhaps you might be misunderstanding the nature of thing.
I think that most people who celebrate Christmas have some idea that crass materialism isn’t what it’s all about, and different people are more or less religiously motivated by the holiday. Still, there are reasons to remember peace, love, and caring – at least once a year. It is not a bad thing to build up the hearth, gather friends and family, and light the place up. You’ve illustrated the basic point here – even without celebrating Christmas (or much of anything else). Nice job.
Your arguments are more than familiar to me, so I’ll let others comment if they feel like it (but where is the standard, “Celebrate not my birth, but my death” argument?). It seems like the training is slipping.
I remember explaining every year why I didn’t celebrate Christmas, and I honestly don’t remember myself or other JWs being so nasty about it as it seems they/you have now become.
Why would anyone look to your example for how God’s people ought to behave?
Are strategies such as telling people to “get a lif” part of the new Watchtower Bible and Tract Society theocratic schooling method?
Is humbling yourself before the elders such a strain that you all need to take it out on your family, friends and even strangers? Is that one of the reasons why there are such a statistically improbable number of JWs in the news (the bad news – pedophiles, murderers, abusers…)?
May you have a great Christmas!! Have got my email??
Happy Holidays to You, Too… Gorgeous!
Yes Rosei – got it! Thanks, and have lots of fun on yr first married Christmas! It only happens once – make it special.
Ahhh, Mr. H.K. – remember when first you found me? You’re more beautiful to me every day. Hugs.
Happy Holidays to you as well.
And may the God of your choosing bless you until happiness and health bubbles forth uncontrollably.
XT
…beware those who speak to the darkness within you…amen!
Happy Holiday of your choice.
I don’t understand all the anger either and I have no problem with answering Merry Christmas if someone says it first.
These days though I try to remember Happy Holidays.