Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas, Y’all
Let me get this straight. The politically correct among us wish to fuse Christmas with Chanukah and Kwanzaa? Except for the time of year in which they occur and the fact that each holiday represents a celebration of three cultures represented in our society, do they have anything else in common? Because of my religion I’m well versed that Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ in a manger. I’m equally ignorant about the origins of Chanukah and Kwanzaa but the dictionary indicates that the former is a festival to celebrate the victory over Syria by the Jewish people and a rededication of the temple in Jerusalem. The latter means first in Swahili and runs from December 26th through January 1st and is a cultural harvest celebration. I see no harm in wishing my African American sisters and brothers a Happy Kwanzaa and my Jewish brothers and sisters Happy Chanukah. I see no harm in their wishing me a Merry Christmas or as the English say, Happy Christmas. If I know them I know if they do or do not celebrate those holidays and appropriately give my wishes. So what is the great hoopla about? Perhaps it is only the merchants who find it cheaper to just say Happy Holidays…and that’s OK by me. I doubt if they have enough crossovers to pay for a big advertising campaign for each of the three…and that’s OK by me.
Would we really care if they commercialized Christmas less? I can’t speak for the others’ holidays but please, Mr/Ms. Merchants, don’t waste your money on advertising trying to make another dime from Christmas on my account. So let’s keep this hoopla in perspective. Wish your friends whatever is appropriate and don’t let the commercials stir up animosity between us at a time of the year when we, each group for their own reason(s), should be in a happy mood. How did we manage to get in a squabble over happy.
Now, beyond that silliness let me ask the politically correct to join me in another cause. Brace yourselves. If I understand this fusing of holidays may I suggest we begin on January 19th. We could lead the state and the nation for a change instead of being followers. If we had the daring and the foresight that is, and if our hearts were as pure as many profess theirs to be. Instead of celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday we could change it from Happy Holiday to Happy Southern Leaders Day. Since Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert E. Lee were both southerners and have the same birthday why not fuse them? …And that’s OK by me. What happened? Where did everyone else go? That would be a sign that we really understand where America needs to be headed. That’s my kind of America. What’s your kind?