Art by Joseph McDaniel
Now that Halloween is behind us, we’re drawing near to the time of the year when it seems an incessant parade of holidays occur one after another- Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, etc.
Some of these may not be celebrated by all, or even their existence be universally known, but still they mean something to the particular group they originate from. That’s why people have begun to take issue with uttering “Merry Christmas.”
It’s supposedly exclusionary to the other groups who don’t celebrate it. “Happy Holidays” has become a more universal expression of good tidings at this time of year. Naturally, these more “politically correct” sensibilities pertaining to every group have made certain people angry.
There may be no problem with being inclusive, but there is also see no reason to get infuriated when someone wishes one a Merry Christmas. The larger problem at hand with Christmas is how every year the season keeps expanding. Thanks to it being so well known and profitable, all the conglomerates jump on the bandwagon to squeeze every cent they can out of the holiday, turning it into a corporate shell. And they keep trying to push it earlier and earlier.
Halloween is serving like the wall in “Game of Thrones.” If it wasn’t for Halloween being at least moderately profitable, Christmas would invade even earlier and possibly into September. Even so, we are beginning to see Christmas decorations put up in October, like a few white walkers getting out.
Those who personally love Christmas, should love it in its own particular season, not when it invades beyond its reach and becomes completely insufferable, maybe wait until after Thanksgiving for Scrooge to happily turn into Buddy the Elf.
It’s not really a religious problem. Of the many great things that the sitcom “Community” did, its Christmas episodes made the observation that Christmas has become more about how one spends the time with friends and family and trying to improve oneself than forcing a religion down other people’s throats. Everyone has different viewpoints; everyone has different backgrounds. The important thing to achieve above everything else is balance.