it's okay to say "Merry Christmas"

Yesterday on MSNBC.com, there was an article talking about shoppers who were offended when people said "Merry Christmas" to them while they shopped for The Holidays.

The article then went on to ask people to vote about whether or not people should say "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays".

Um, excuse me?

Last time I checked, December 25th, CHRISTMAS DAY, is a national holiday. It is NOT referred to as The Holidays. While yes, Kwanzaa, Hannukah, Diwali, and occasionally Eid (the end of Ramadan) occur in December, the reason people are Christmas shopping is not for those holidays. The reason people talk about Santa Claus is not because he helps to celebrate Africa or the fact that a jar of oil lasted long enough to save people's lives. We don't hang stockings above the chimney to celebrate the Festival of Lights. Merry Christmas does not mean an end to a month of fasting.

I'm so sick and tired of people stealing this holiday away from its original meaning. Like it or not, this is a Christian holiday. About the birth of Jesus. The extreme commercialism that has gripped this holy day in our calendar, which in turn shoves red & green decorations down the world's throat for 2 months, is destroying the meaning of our holiday.

I don't care if you aren't Christian. I don't care if you don't believe that Jesus was born and died the way I believe he did. I don't care if the story of the Three Wise Men or a star that led people to find a newborn baby makes you roll your eyes.

But who in the HELL do you think you are to go shopping for this holiday and complain when people wish you a Merry Christmas???

I can't even imagine this happening to another religious group. People would riot. Yet if we complain about the secularization of one of the holiest days in the Christian calendar, we are pushing our religion on you.

How about you taking our religion away from us?

I'm all for tolerance and acceptance. As a teacher, I've made a point of learning about the different cultures here in Canada and can discuss any of the major religious holidays with anybody. It's important to recognize that there are other groups out there who are celebrating things like Diwali and Hanukkah, while others prepare to attend Midnight Mass or open presents Christmas morning.

I have no problem with non-Christian holidays or people who don't celebrate Christmas. It's your religious right.

Where is my right? Why do I have to bow down to people who choose to sing about Santa coming down a chimney, but refuse to accept the actual meaning behind Christmas. Why do they get to complain about us when we have no choice but to accept millions of people celebrating our holiday while scoffing the beliefs behind it?

I knew somebody back in university who complained about how "those Christian people shove their beliefs and holidays in everybody's face". He thought Christmas and Easter were over-done, and couldn't understand why so many people celebrated them. "First it's Santa, then the Easter Bunny - give me a break!"

Who made the choice to show Santa Claus in a commercial? Who decided the Easter Bunny was a great symbol for Easter? You can be sure Christians weren't the driving force behind this.

Just imagine the conversation:

"Oh, hey. You know I was thinking about Easter. It's so solemn and serious. We need something to make people smile. Like a mascot, maybe?"

"Right. I've got it! How about a bunny rabbit?!"

And so it was decided that the symbol of a holiday that honours Jesus dying on the cross and then rising from the dead is a big bunny rabbit who bring eggs and chocolate treats to all of the children. Yep, I'm sure that was the intent all along.

If you celebrate Christmas but aren't a Christian, this is not necessarily a swipe at you. My problem is with people who have stolen this holiday from the people who have been honouring its meaning for centuries. And then assigned a meaning of their own to it. Then turned around and insulted those of us who still believe that the reason for its importance is a miracle birth.

"I'm not Christian, so I don't believe in all of that Jesus stuff. But Christmas is my favourite holiday of the year. Presents, songs, great dinners with family - it's wonderful!"

Yes, there are fantastic things attached to celebrating on December 25th. We all have the right to enjoy family and gifts. But please, I beg you to remember that even as you sing "Santa Claus is Coming to Town", some of us are singing "O, Holy Night".

Because for many of us, it IS.