As we enter the 2015 holiday season, news and social media have been bombarded with commentary on the political correctness associated with this time of year. The culprit sparking this discussion: the holiday coffee cups introduced by Starbucks. The new design, which no longer features reindeer and Christmas trees, sparked debate across America about how far we would go as a society to protect the sanctity of the holiday season. We have been plagued by rhetoric from politicians, pundits and cultural celebrities from left, right and everywhere in between.
As the son of mixed-religion parents, and one who celebrates both Hanukkah and Christmas, there are some things that I just have to get off of my chest. I, frankly, do not care what symbols you put on my coffee cup, what you say to me as I leave a Target, or the decorations that you put in your storefront window. I will not yell “BAHUMBUG” to those that wish me a Merry Christmas, nor will I scoff at anyone who wishes me a Happy Hanukkah. And for those of you who do find this religious rhetoric offensive, or have qualms with Starbucks’ representation of what a holiday coffee should look like, please feel free to speak your mind and voice your opinion. We live in a beautiful country that allows us to do so. But I also urge those of you who are having trouble letting this debate go, to take a step back and think about why this plagues you like it does.
If someone says “Merry Christmas” to me as I leave a store, why would I be upset? Because someone is wishing me prosperity during this time of year? So, they call this time of year Christmas. Does that change the sentiment? Have we become so blinded by the need for controversy that we can’t even accept genuine compliments anymore? There is nothing wrong with challenging Americans to be more open-minded and accepting of all cultures. But, by that same token, accepting Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, or Happy Hanukkah as sincerity displays the utmost open-mindedness and appreciation for all. Someone is wishing you well in his or her chosen and practiced world. Be thankful.
As a society, we have completely politicized and trivialized the true meaning of the holidays, and it comes from all sides. Whether it be Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza or a little of all three, the holidays are a time that celebrates the antithesis of what these debates stand for. So, rather than argue, let’s try something new this holiday season. Let’s return to the root of what it means to be Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, whatever. Fill those politically incorrect cups of coffee with spare change to give to charity. Stop debating over the right way to wish someone a happy holiday, and wish it upon him or her however you see fit. Accept these wishes for what they are, not what you want them to be.
This season is not a battle of symbolism, prejudice or discrimination- it is a time to unite our communities, not antagonize them. So, I genuinely would like to wish all of my readers a Merry Christmas and a Happy Hanukkah, Kwanza, or anything else you choose to celebrate. And if you don’t like it, then to you I say, “Ba-Chum-Bug.”
