Merry….Um, Happy Christmas...Oh, um, Happy Holidays! Being a teacher, it is a given that we will be respectful of all students’ religion, views, and even atheism. Being a Christian teacher, however, I do not receive the same respect from the students. How many times did I want to say, “Merry Christmas,” but had to say, “Happy Holidays.” I’ve gotten pretty good at saying, “Happy Holidays,” but what is this holiday really about? It is about celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ and his life. I’m not well-versed in what other religions believe, however, I do know that the calendar on my desk says, “Christmas Day.” Why is it that we are not able to wish other people “Merry Christmas,” whether or not they celebrate it? People have the options of:
- Ignoring the comment
- Saying, “Same to you.”
- Politely saying, “I do not celebrate Christmas, but I hope you have a good one.”
Why has Christmas become so taboo? Retailers are afraid to use “Christmas.” School systems are trying to be mindful of every culture, except Christians, so Christmas is out. I even just read an article about a woman in Florida who worked for a real-estate company and was claiming to be fired for answering the phone, “Merry Christmas.” Now, this woman was probably not a great example, because in the article, she said, "As a Christian, I don't recognize any other holidays," which makes Christians look intolerant. However, doesn’t she have the right to say, “Merry Christmas?” Although this woman also had the responsibility of following her bosses’ orders, why did costumers complain about the greeting? It seems as if people are just looking for a fight.
It seems as if everyone has forgotten the meaning of the season and it has become the lawsuit season. Christ came to this earth to model tolerance and love. However, around this time, people are intolerant and cannot love those who celebrate the holiday. So, this I ask you, can you be tolerant of the people who are always tolerant of your holidays?
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