Happy Holidays?

Hello Friends,

It's been a while. Life has been interesting lately but more about that later (...and for those of you who know me, give me a call...I got lots to tell you). It's that time of the year - the "holiday" season. One of my friends recently joined a group on Facebook called "I say Merry Christmas" - a group for those people who don't use the politically correct term, "Happy Holidays." It's the time of "Holiday Celebrations" at work; there's "Holiday" decoration everywhere; and stores are gearing up for the "Holiday" season.

So "Happy Holidays" is the politically correct term, right? But is that really inclusive? Yes, we're now including the Jewish religion and a few others who have minor holidays around this time and have minor holidays that have been made way more important than they originally were just so that these religions also have something to celebrate during this season. But we're still not including everyone. What about those who don't have any "holidays" to celebrate at this particular time? Atheists, for example.

I'm not sure that being "politically correct" is always the best way to go. We say "happy holidays" but we all know that people mean "Merry Christmas." We put up "holiday" decorations but we all know the red and green and the lights - it's all Christmas stuff. Wouldn't it be better - or at least more honest - to simple say "Merry Christmas" and admit that the majority of the US population (and especially the ones in charge) are Christians?

Back at home, we celebrated Christmas. There was no political correctness. Even some public schools would have a church service before Christmas break - which is called Christmas break and not winter break. The students who weren't Christian didn't have to attend the service. May they have felt left out, even discriminated against? Possibly. But would calling it "holiday-this" and "holiday-that" really change that? Wouldn't some people still be left out? But we feel better because we were "politically correct," right?

Sometimes I think it'd be better if we gave up all this political correctness and just admitted that people aren't treated equally here, that certain religions are more dominant than others, and that it matters who you are, what you look like and where you come from.