The Holiday season is upon us once again. As usual, there are lots of arguments about whether you should say Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays or some other greeting.
Wishing someone happiness on a certain holiday celebration is not like wishing someone good morning. It is a greeting that should be tailored to the person that it is being said to. Think about it: if you are in a mall and you see someone wearing a Santa hat with armloads of brightly wrapped gifts, what holiday do you think they are celebrating? My guess is Christmas, so why would I tell that person Happy Holidays?
I think “Happy Holidays” should be reserved for someone who you have no clue how or what they celebrate and have no personal relationship with.
I grew up in a Christian home and I continue to practice Christianity, but the most thoughtful gift I ever received came from someone who did not celebrate Christmas. I received a gift from a person from India who was a practicing Hindu, he was in this country on a work visa. He went home to India at the beginning of December for a few weeks and when he came back he brought me a Christmas gift.
I was blown away that someone who doesn’t even celebrate Christmas brought me, someone of another faith and race a gift to help me celebrate. I asked him why and he said that he knows I celebrate Christmas and he wanted my celebration to be special. He went on to say that wishing you Merry Christmas does not affect my faith and it shows respect to yours.
To say that I was blown away and just a little bit convicted is an understatement. His comments began a conversation between us about his faith and mine. It was an incredible conversation we left with a better understanding of each others cultures and the gift I received, a little elephant statue with all the jewels now resides in a place of honor in my china cabinet.
We all are different and we worship differently and celebrate the season differently. His well wishes made me think. I will not ever apologize or lessen my celebration of Jesus birth but it will only make my celebration that much brighter if I wish someone a Happy Hanukah or Happy Festival of Guadalupe or whatever holiday they celebrate.
What a spectacular holiday party it would be with every celebration represented. Find out about your fellow students and coworkers make someone’s holiday brighter by wishing them a happy (fill in the blank from the list below).
Most winter holidays no matter the country or religion celebrate peace and goodwill to others. Let’s spread that goodwill and peace to all we come across.
The list below is just a few of the holidays that are celebrated around the world in December. If you know someone celebrates one of these holidays, why not wish them a happy holiday they celebrate?
Christmas is the Christian holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus on December 25th.
There are commercial versions of Christmas that eliminate the religious aspect and make it more about Santa and presents.
Saint Nicholas Day is a Christian Celebration-It is a European holiday celebrated on Dec. 6th in Western Christian countries and Dec 19th in eastern Christian countries. It is the feast day of Saint Nicholas and he brings toys and candy to children and puts them in their shoe. In Germany and Poland boys will dress as Bishops and beg for money to give to the poor. The celebration concludes by going to Mass.
Festival of our lady of Guadalupe, which is a Mexican holiday, is observed on December 15th celebrating when the Virgin Mary appeared to Juan Diego with signs of miracles.
Saint Lucia Day is a Swedish holiday on December 13th. It is the winter solstice and is considered the shortest day of the year so her feast day has become the festival of lights. Woman dress in white dresses with red sashes and wear wreathes on their heads with candles.
Hanukkah is the Jewish festival of lights it is an eight-day celebration celebrating the rededication of the Holy temple at the time of the Maccabean revolt. The festival is celebrated by lighting the Menorah Boxing Day, a Canadian/English/Irish is celebrated the day after Christmas it is where the servants and tradesmen would receive Christmas boxes from their superiors today it is a bank holiday.
Kwanza is a week-long celebration of African heritage celebrated all over the world.
These are just a few of the holidays that are celebrated during the month of December. Take the time to learn about other celebrations and enjoy some of the traditions and food it will only enhance your own traditional celebration
