I’m seeing a lot of sentiment from folks online for keeping Christ in Christmas, and some who are outright offended at the “holiday” greetings that are sometimes used instead of Merry Christmas.
I am not one of those people.
I’m not offended by someone wishing me “happy holidays” or “season’s greetings”. I’m not offended because I don’t believe the sentiment steals anything from Christmas, rather, I believe it enhances it, since it is inclusive of several memorial and feast days in the time span from December 1 through January 5 this year.
December 1 kick-started the “holidays” with the first Sunday of Advent, reminding us, that Jesus wants to be born in us anew, again, and we wait anxiously for His arrival, both in our hearts and for the day when He returns to the earth to take His children home. While we wait, we are reminded of the prophecies foretelling the details of his birth, and prepare our hearts for Him to be born in us again. We are mindful of our sinfulness, our need for a Savior, the blessed example of the one woman whose “yes” to God continues to inspire us, and the example of Jesus Himself, who being God, stepped down in humility and became man, for mankind.
In fact, truth be told, every Sunday is a holy day in which Jesus comes to us, is born in us, gives His body for us, and is raised and raises us to new life again. With that in mind, wishing me “Happy Holidays” is a perpetual blessing as I see it, that lasts through the winter holidays all year long.
Blessed Advent!
Merry Christmas!
Happy New Year!
Happy Holidays, everyone!
New Things 
I am not offended by Happy Holidays; however, I believe that it is being used by many to be “politically correct”. I guess I am just a half-empty sort of person but I prefer to have my holidays spelled out with Merry Christmas. I can see your point, but with Christ Jesus being removed from so many places and spaces these days, I will fight for the right to retain his name in our beautiful Christmas season. I hope this finds you and yours well and happy. Merry Christmas to all!
Merry Christmas, Cindy!!! You may be right, re: PC greetings. I think more often than not, it’s not even a conscious thought…kind of like how some people say “How are you?” and walk by without stopping to hear the answer. Not everyone who asks wants to know, but I give them the benefit of the doubt when asked, because I am one who does not ask that question unless I really want to know…and I can’t be the only one. I look at Holiday greetings the same way, and use it as a way to remind myself of all the blessings in the coming days.
As for their attempts to remove Him from His own birthday party…the joke’s on them. He hasn’t gone anywhere.
Blessings,
Lyn
Nice post, especially the third paragraph . . . but I respectfully disagree with the rest, and this is why:
I like to spell out the holiday. I do mind generic wishes, although I accept the goodwill that is usually behind them. Goodwill is there, along with timidity and fear of offending, watering down the holiday joy. People are so cowed that they are even afraid of wishing somebody a Happy THanksgiving. Only Halloween is acceptable to say these days.
I work with a lot of atheists. A LOT of atheists, and they are activist. I have heard them actively thinking of ways to dissassociate religion and the mention of it from every facet of life, including the holidays. The War on Religion is real. They even bemoan and try to think of ways to stop food kitchens at churches, and organizations like St. Vincent dePaul, in favor of having secular groups or the government be responsible for all of that charity stuff. This isn’t something that I am inferring from bits of conversation that I overhear–this is blatant, direct, and extensive talk. They would rather have the homeless be hungry and cold than have churches provide solace. They wonder how they can galvanize each other to put up some money and take the job away from Christians.
To say Merry CHRISTmas is to fight back, and I think we should do it. And I appreciate getting an occasional Happy Hanukkah or Happy Kwanzaa in there, too, when appropriate. If that’s the holiday you mean, then say it!
Merry Christmas, Kat! Thanks for the thoughtful perspective, it makes me think hard about my post, and re-evaluate some of what I wrote (and didn’t write) and how I feel about Holiday greetings. When extending Christmas greetings, my greeting of choice is “Merry Christmas” because to me, that’s what it’s all about…however, I was talking about not taking offense when accepting a “Holiday” greeting…I choose not to take up that offense, and look at it as a reminder to me of the perpetual blessings for the Holy days ahead.
The enemy does come to steal, kill and destroy, and it’s true we are in a battle, but the battle is not with flesh and blood…it’s not with words, it’s not even ours, it belongs to the Lord, who has already claimed the victory.
Like I said above…all those evil plans to steal, kill, and destroy…to remove the baby from his own birthday party…the jokes on them…He hasn’t gone anywhere.
I can certainly understand why folks choose to say Happy Holidays and be generic. It is hard to wish someone joy, warmly from the heart, and get a hostile silent stare in return. We don’t always want to fight . . . and I am not exactly “offended” by “safe” greetings, I understand what is behind them. But as often as one can summon up the energy and will: proclaim Him!
I love your last paragraph. It’s great!
Merry Christmas!
I liked this post. We do live in a PC world, but this is not an issue I fight very much. I tend to always say ‘Merry Christmas’ because that is what the holiday is all about for me; but a sincere ‘happy holidays’ from a person on the street is much nicer than a cold, blank stare, so I’m good with it.
Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Welcome to New Things and thanks fir the kind words! Make yourself at home…I’m off to check out your place. Merry Christmas ti you and yours and many blessings in 2014
goodness…I really need to resist the urge to answer on my cell phone’s browser, the autocorrect makes me sound like a backwoods’ hick, lol. What I meant, was thank you FOR the kind words…Merry Christmas TO you and yours, lol.
Lyn