The Holiday Greeting Paradox
or, smile and say thank you
A couple of thoughts on the inevitable crisis of the season. The same overly self referenced things we hear about every year around the holidays.
That of course being, what is the best response to someone wishing us well? For example, how should we respond to the classless heathen that dare say “Happy Holiday” instead of “Merry Christmas”? Or the uptight Christian prude who dare offer someone she doesn’t know a sincere “Merry Christmas”. May I suggest we all regain some perspective. Yes, all of us, myself included.
Let me say at the outset; I am not Christian. I celebrate the holiday season that is commonly refereed to as Christmas in the spirit and good cheer that is normally thought synonymous with that particular holiday. However, I do realize that I live in a large city with many people from varied cultures, backgrounds, faith, and/or lack of faith.
Thus, I believe it is vital that when we celebrate a holiday that applies to the current dominant culture, we always be conscious of those who do not subscribe to what is being celebrated. If one side has to inevitably give a little, I think it needs to be the majority. In other words, we need to err on the side of those at greatest risk of exclusion.
A few fundamental underpinnings on this issue for me are:
- I don’t think public or governmental business space should display religious imagery of any kind.
- I don’t think there should be prayer in public schools.
- I don’t think that public buildings where justice is carried out should display religious imagery or scripture.
- No matter how much we do, I think we could always do more to recognize minority cultures, faiths, and those of no faith in North American society.
- I think sometimes we can take things to appallingly selfish degrees, and that is when we need to get the fuck over ourselves and stop pouting like petulant three year old children.
For example:
If someone I don’t know wishes me Merry Christmas and I perceive their greeting to be sincere, I will respond under the assumption that the greeting was just that, an offering of good wishes. I will probably smile and wish them Merry Christmas as well. Without having to go into lengthy and involved proclamations of how I do not celebrate Christian-centric traditions etc. It was a casual offering made in good faith and I will say thank you. If I can’t do that, I need to stop acting like a three year old. Enough said.
Having said that …
If I don’t know you, I will wish you Happy Holidays, as I would rather offer a general greeting instead of unfairly attributing a faith-based belief system onto you, one which I have no reasonable expectation to assume you are a part of.
However, if you are a member of said group and you ascribe to faith-centric beliefs, please recognize my greeting as respecting your power of individual agency, and do not be forever mortally wounded that I did not reference your belief in a virgin birth.
In other words, if I know you are Christian, or whatever specific faith you happen to be, I will be more than happy to offer you the greeting that applies, and I will humbly accept yours in kind. If I don’t know you, or I am unsure as to your beliefs, you’re getting Happy Holidays.
Please have the good sense, tact, and manners to accept either with ease. I can assure you I will.
