Happy Holidays!

Yeah, I said it. The dreaded "generic" holiday greeting. Lately I have been inundated with propaganda pushing "the true meaning of Christmas" and the "reason for the season" and a lot of other nonsense. This, combined with other Judeo-Christian morality being legislated down my throat is starting to become annoying.

Now, don't get me wrong, I love Jesus as much as the next girl. I have not one but three adorable little nativity scenes among my Christmas decor. I go to church on Christmas Eve and my absolute favorite Christmas song is "Oh Holy Night." After church, I wish everyone a "merry Christmas", because it is a religious celebration.

However, as much as some people may regret it, Christmas is also a holiday. The secular portion of this, my favorite holiday by the way, cannot be so easily amputated. My angel asked me what Christmas trees had to do with the baby Jesus, and, having decided long ago to give her (relatively) honest answers to honest questions, I replied "nothing at all." See, the tree, and the wreaths, candles, lights, holly, mistletoe, Santa, reindeer, bells, and all that Christmas-y stuff has nothing to do with baby Jesus. Or, more accurately, baby Jesus has little to do with those celebrations.

Whoa, whoa, whoa...put down your pitchforks and let me explain! All the "secular" elements of Christmas find their roots in the pagan celebrations of Winter Solstice. Basically, anyone who lives in a northern climate can appreciate the importance of a little merry making during a long, cold winter. When Christianity came to these regions, the people were reluctant to give up their beloved winter celebration. So in a brilliant stroke of PR genius, the church said, "you can keep your celebration. But it will be a Christian celebration from now on." By choosing the birth of Christ, (which the Bible doesn't actually give a "date" for...in fact, it was after the lambs so it would probably be more accurately placed in Feb or March) it could be a happy celebration for everyone! And that I think is the true spirit of Christmas. Inclusion. To understand that our message is more likely to be heard if it comes from a place of caring and understanding, and that sanctimonious, "I know better than you" preaching would have had the opposite effect.

I think it is also important to note here that only about 20% of the world celebrates Christmas at all. We often forget in our little vanilla town that Christianity is not everyone's cup of tea. My daughter's school has a Christmas play every year, and usually with a surprisingly overt Christian theme. I'm not sure how they are getting away with it, other than our town is overwhelmingly Christian and it never occurred to anyone to mind. But it is a public school, and I would feel terrible for any poor little Jewish kids that might move to town.

I don't think it's hypocritical to step out of church with that warm, happy feeling on Christmas Eve and immediately wonder what Santa is up to. I also feel that it is a nice thing to acknowledge that some people don't do things the way my family does, and that their way isn't "wrong". Just different. Afterall, this is the season for peace and goodwill, and not just toward those who think the same way we do.

So, Happy Holidays! And here's hoping for Peace on Earth!