So it's December 25th once more. I'd like to extend a hearty Merry Christmas to my loyal readers out there (and to the first-timers, too, I suppose). Of course, I'm socially enlightened, so don't take that as a specifically Christian greeting; I fully understand that there are people of many faiths and non-faiths out there, but there's no reason any of them shouldn't be having a merry day, too.
See, here's what: I would say Happy Holidays, but we'd all know that was kind of a big fat lie. Hanukkah is long over, the solstice was last weekend, and Kwanzaa...well, okay, so I don't know when Kwanzaa is. I admit it. I'm not as culturally savvy as I should be. So when I say Happy Holidays, I guess I really mean Merry Christmas, but I'm not trying to be insensitive when I say it.
After all, my mother is Jewish, so I'm completely in tune with needing to understand other cultures and to share the love and acceptance that the holidays (all of them) are supposed to be about. I won't lie; I enjoy Christmas a lot. We celebrate Hanukkah too, but Christmas was always my favorite. The reason is not because it was Christian (my parents, though from different backgrounds, both have atheism in common), but because there was always so much ado about it. The sounds, the smells, the familial closeness, and yes, the presents...all of it is so much fun.
And it's not that Hanukkah can't be fun, because I've certainly gotten my share of great Hanukkah presents (plus there's the chocolate), but Hanukkah isn't even that important a holiday. If I had to pick one Jewish holiday to stick with, it would be Passover.
But all that's neither here nor there. The point I'm trying to make is that I'd like to wish all y'all a Merry Christmas, but I don't want to offend any non-Christians out there. We've hit a peculiar point in the evolution of society, I think, as far as this stuff is concerned. A few years ago, being Politically Correct was all the rage, but now it's looked upon with scorn. I'm not sure why that is. I still try to embrace it, because I think it's the shortest distance between Us and Them (by which I mean, those you identify yourself with, and those whom you have yet to understand completely). I don't truck with people who don't truck with PC. And let me tell you why.
You don't want to be PC? Fine. You don't have to come to my house. If you're going to call me a Jew-Lover (as did my freshman year roommate), I don't really need you in my life. Likewise if you, like my high school friend Scary Religious Girl, scoff at Political Correctness because you think it's a term used by commies and homos to hide from righteous persecution, you can also kiss my PC ass. If you're going to demand respect for your religion, try showing respect for others who don't think the same way as you.
Of course, I could go off on a 30-page diatribe about Scary Religious Girl (and perhaps someday I will), but that's not what this entry is about. This entry is about the fact that I have love for all y'all out there whom I count as my friends, and I'd like you all to have a great day, regardless of your religious beliefs. I hope you're all happy and warm and full of good food. Tell your family you love them, and be thankful for all you've got.
Merry Day, everyone!