I was shopping in well known Dallas department store yesterday when it dawned on me how scared people seem to be to Merry Christmas. A sales associate was very helpful to me and I thanked her for all her assistance and ended the conversation with have a Merry Christmas. She kind of looked surprised and said thank you, you too.
Was her surprise because most people are just too busy shopping or short on time to extend the wish or have we just become too politically correct? Or have people just become rude? I’m not sure. Merry Christmas is something I grew up saying to people and it comes naturally to me at this time of year. Should I now be afraid to say Merry Christmas because I might offend someone? Happy Holidays has never seemed right to me personally…and I don’t mean that in an offensive way. I do realize that there are many different religious celebrations at this time of year, but I’m a person that is filled with the Christmas spirit. If I tell you Merry Christmas it’s merely a reflection of my beliefs and the good wishes I want to bestow on the recipient to be healthy and happy…and absolutely not a slight towards that person or their beliefs. Honestly, I wouldn’t be offended if someone wished me a Happy Hanukkah or Habari gani for Kwanzaa. Those are terms of well wishes from other cultures and not meant to be rude or disrespectful by the person issuing the greeting.
And really, think about it…in our quest to become a more tolerant accepting nation, why should we worry about or get in an uproar over someone bestow a well wish upon us…not matter what form it comes in? Doesn’t it make us all a more blended world to just say thank you and smile.
Merry Christmas,
Marlee