I’d like to propose that we Christians quit having hissy-fits when people say something other than “Merry Christmas.” I’m always sadly amused (if that makes sense) when I see on Facebook, in obnoxious all-capital letters, stuff like this: PUT CHRIST BACK IN CHRISTMAS!!!!! RESPECT OUR FAITH!!! JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON!!!!!
Good grief, can anyone really take Christ out of Christmas? Is Christian faith so shallow that all it takes to knock us on our butts is a greeting like “Happy Holidays”?
What insecurity! What immaturity! Who cares what other people say? If you’re rooted in Christ, a simple holiday wish isn’t going to be your undoing. If you can’t even take a generic greeting graciously, how on earth will you “bless those who curse you, do good to those who mistreat you”? A secure, quiet, assured spirit is the mark of Christ in you; that’s what love, peace, and joy are. If that isn’t there, Christ isn’t there.
I propose that we wish our non-Christian friends, neighbors, and even perfect strangers Merry Christmas and smile sincerely when they wish us Happy Holidays. In fact, I say we should say, “Thank you.”
What a concept.
December 23, 2011 at 3:30 AM
Wrong. The reason why It’s “Happy Holidays” instead of Merry Christmas these days is because a small but influential portion of the population threw hissy fits over “Merry Christmas.” Either way, you now have to deal with offending two different sides instead of one. People should just be grateful for the greeting; any greeting.
December 23, 2011 at 1:38 PM
Maybe we could start saying Merry Holidays, or as Tiny Tim says, Happy Christmas.
God bless us, every one!
December 23, 2011 at 3:34 AM
Love it, love it, love it
Christians are so defensive, this is a season to show the world the love of the Son of God…we need to make our faith worthy of respect before others can even fathom giving it respect.
December 23, 2011 at 1:41 PM
Well said. I don’t think anyone, including Christians–or even God Himself–gets respect by demanding it.
Merry Christmas!
December 23, 2011 at 7:29 AM
[...] Merry Christmas and, Yes, Happy Holidays (gasp!) (rghernandezpen.com) [...]
December 24, 2011 at 8:48 AM
[...] Merry Christmas and, Yes, Happy Holidays (gasp!) (rghernandezpen.com) [...]
January 14, 2012 at 8:32 PM
I don’t think that Christ himself would be offended by the “Happy Holidays” greeting; therefore, we shouldn’t be either. Christ’s huge message to mankind is that we are missing the true gospel of love. We concentrate on and feed our anger and hatred and call it “righteous.” If Christ lives in us, our Christianity is evidenced by what we ourselves do and say, not by our overreaction to what others do and say. A simple greeting is not the defining moment of one’s faith. Many people who say, “Merry Christmas,” display no evidence of being Christlike in the rest of their lives. Conversely, many people who say “Happy Holidays” are the closest followers of Christ’s gospel of love. Sometimes, I use the phrase “Happy Holidays” to include Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year for people I don’t see or talk to regularly or on Christmas itself. Christ came to dispel the pettiness, shallowness and emptiness of religious ritual and glib rhetoric that substituted for true faith. If someone says, “Happy Holidays” because Christ and Christmas offends them, we should pray for them, not be offended and angry with them. If someone tries to prevent me from saying, “Merry Christmas,” I would attempt to right the situation in certain cases, but it wouldn’t make or break my life. We don’t necessarily know, in most cases, why a person has chosen “Happy Holidays” rather than “Merry Christmas” but shouldn’t be bogged down by it in any case. We and others would be best served by eliminating offense and anger, cultivating Christ’s mercy and compassion, and not “majoring in the minors.”