Christmas is in a bit of a quandary. The word itself is heavily laden. Its literal meaning is quite staggering when you think about it. Put a "Merry" in front and you’re saying something serious. But how many of us are saying something we don’t really mean?
Granted, there is some of the real meaning of Christmas present during the holiday season. Those who don’t celebrate the holiday but are bombarded or enchanted by the surrounding and inescapable festivities can certainly attest to that. There’s also plenty of the secularism and commercialism that has come to incorrectly symbolize the meaning of Christmas to so many. Indeed, all the hype about Santa Claus and Frosty the Snowman can be offensive to many Christians, and distracting to plenty more. After all, what major religion has an important holiday so diluted and distorted by the power of mass culture?
Christmas is a Christian holiday. It is a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, whom Christians believe to be the Messiah. It’s not as big a holiday in the Christian faith as Easter (which has also become quite secular), but it is important to Christians. It is not about gift-giving or that warm, fuzzy feeling in our hearts. Viewed in a religious sense, Christmas is not whatever we want it to be.
Because it has such a powerful religious meaning, it’s important to respect that many others aren’t going to share the same beliefs about Christmas. Recent news stories of King County employees being asked to wish co-workers "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas" highlight the fact that some people are offended by the religious sentiment, indeed the entire holiday.
We should respect every religion’s right to celebrate its holidays for what they really mean, not for what we want them to mean. We must also respect peoples’ rights to not celebrate our religious holidays. Forcing people to participate in religious holiday programs, work parties and other events does nothing to promote peace on earth and goodwill to all.
It is very clear we’re not all going to agree on the topic of religion, although most of us, of all backgrounds, seem to agree on the value of religion and faith. While holding to different particulars, we must — and can — live, work and play together. Learning about our co-workers and neighbors would do much to promote friendship and education, while removing anger and confusion.
Christmas is a serious holiday for Christians and should be respected as such by non-Christians. Likewise, Christians must realize that many others aren’t going to share their beliefs about Christ, but may appreciate aspects of the Christmas celebrations. Wishing someone a "Happy Holiday" isn’t a slap in the face of Christianity. Just the opposite. "Merry Christmas" should be said with sincerity. Otherwise, "Happy Holidays" really does serve rather well, even if it’s understandably easy to lampoon its political correctness.
For all of us, it should be a time to appreciate the beliefs and the powerful traditions that have created the individuals and communities around us. We may celebrate in ways that differ slightly or significantly. But we can wish one another cheer in a spirit of appreciation for the continuing power of faiths and events that have been celebrated for hundreds and even thousands of years.
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