It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like.... ???

(It's CHRISTMAS, stupid!)

December 18, 2009
Lorie Kramer

I don't get it. Why is this nation freaking out over the use of the word "Christmas" in "holiday" related language? People use "Merry Christmas" to recognize the important and popular holiday all over the world, and have for centuries. But, lately, America is freaking out!! It makes no sense to me, whatsoever. Even Macy's removed Christmas from it's gift guide and asks its customer to believe. Huh? Believe in what, Santa Claus...Black Friday?

Apparently there are people out there who get "offended" when someone wishes them a Merry Christmas when they are not Christian. Huh? You're trying to tell me that there are people out there who are offended when someone else wants to bestow good wishes of the season upon them? Huh?

If someone wishes me a Happy Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, even though I don't pay any attention to those holidays, I certainly don't get offended. We could all use as many wishes of wellness that we can stand, I would think. Who cares where they come from? I'm not afraid of, nor offended by, someone else's holidays and traditions. If I get an invitation to a party of some sort, I go and enjoy the company and festivities. I am not afraid of holidays.

I'm not afraid of the giant inflatable dreidel set up in a front yard down the street, either.

I heard a woman on an AM talk radio show call in today and complain how she was informed by her superiors at her place of employment that she could only use the term "holidays" when relating communication associated with Christmas. It had become policy that the individual holidays like Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice, Saint Nicholas Day, Boxing Day, etc. were not to be specifically mentioned, so as not to offend anyone. (There's that word again.) Of course, everyone could talk all they want about the most important holiday of the entire season, Black Friday.

This whole thing is getting to be ridiculous. Take school districts for example, in general, they are afraid to call it "Christmas Vacation" or "Christmas Break" anymore. That time off of school is so families can travel and gather for Christmas. So, it was called that. Duh. This hasn't stopped Christmas, its still there. Now it seems many people have turned fearful and caved to the PC police. Don't believe me? Let's look.

My youngest is in high school in Houston, TX this year and today is his last day of finals, then he will be off for H.I.S.D.'s "Winter Holiday" to travel to see family at Christmas. Whodathunkit? Let's look at what some others are calling their Christmas Vacation:

Houston Independent School District - Winter Holiday
Chicago Public Schools - Winter Vacation
District of Columbia Public Schools - Break (Christmas Day is listed as a Holiday, probably for teacher pay purposes)
San Francisco Unified School District - Winter Break
Anchorage School District - Winter Break (Now this one I can understand)
Miami Dade County Public Schools - Winter Recess
Boston Public Schools - Winter Recess
The New York City Department of Education - Winter Recess (I guess that's what replaced regular recess, I remember recess)
Detroit Public Schools - No School (poor Detroit, times are so hard there right now, they can't even afford a name for it)

But wait...can it be? YES!! One brave school district still tells it like it is! Hats off to the Huntsville Independent School District for apparently being TRULY independent and calling it ...hold on to your jingle bells...Christmas Break!!!!!!! Look, here's proof from their very own school calendar!

Way to go Huntsville, TX!

And this from the school district which is right by one of the biggest prison complexes in the state, neigh, the country. Go figure. But what the heck, I'm saying, Go Huntsville!

And, of course, there is the big scary use of the actual word "gay" in the lyrics of the long time holiday favorite - "Deck the Halls." The meaning of the word is "happy." For some reason, a small portion of the population seems to have commandeered the word and it now only means homosexual. The word is being changed in school pagents because of that. That is absolutely ridiculous, as well.

Why is Merry Christmas such a scary thing? Why is Christmas such a scary thing? (Not including the commercial part of it, that's pretty darn scary)

Take Jehovah's Witnesses for example. They don't believe in ANY holidays, but do you see a bunch of Jehovah's Witnesses freaking out all over the place at the mention of Christmas or lack of mention of other holidays? Nope. They're not offended, they just don't pay it any attention and go on and do their own thing. Who are these wimps that get offended so easily, anyway, and why are we putting up with such weak bullshit?

I suppose I have been offending people for years because my birthday is Dec. 26th and I refer to it as "Loriemas". My dear, departed friend Chuck Shramek's birthday was Dec. 27th. So, when he was still alive, we would celebrate Christmas, Loriemas, then Chuckmas. It worked for us. 3 day party. Anyone who is offended can get over it and doesn't have to join the parties. This IS still America, I think.

Then there's the problem of the dreaded Nativity Scene. I also don't see the problem here.
Except maybe with the one below, but that's just tacky.

Apparently people are getting offended all over the place about Nativity Scenes. In Pennsylvania people had their 50+ year old community Nativity Scene banned from their public square. A scene such as that is a major part of the story behind Christmas. DUH!

When I was growing up there were Nativity Scenes all over the place. Groups would gather and dress up and re-create LIVE Nativity Scenes, with animals and hay, and lights, and all the fixin's. My family had a wonderful Italian ceramic Nativity set that had beautiful hand painted sculptured figures which were enjoyed year after year. No one complained about Nativity Scenes. If there had been infomercials one probably could have gotten a handy dandy pocket Nativity Scene. I had intense exposure to Nativity Scenes growing up and seem to have survived.

So what's the big deal? If you don't believe in the story, so what? Ignore it. Let other people have their fun and go about your own business. How hard is that?

Besides, most people I know get Christmas day off with pay. Those that do work the day get time and a half, or double time. I don't hear clamoring to stop or change that.

The whole thing has me scratching my head. When did everyone get so stupid? Tolerance is something that America is supposed to be about. What difference does it make if someone believes and celebrates holidays, or not, in ways different from someone else? As long as there is no human sacrifice associated with the traditions, who cares?

I'm over it. I'm standing up to say I am OFFENDED, too.

I'm offended that I am not considered capable of celebrating whatever holiday I want, and respecting other people's right to do the same, without causing a bad situation that actually, truly hurts some one. I do not believe that because one chooses to celebrate their faith and tradition in outward signs, with others who believe the same; that their doing so is a recruitment effort or intrudes upon what, or in whom, I choose to believe. No Nativity Scene is going to make me believe in Jesus and the Virgin Birth (shrug). That is something much bigger than some statues and a manger in some public square can have influence upon. That is something that is inside of each of us alone, independently.

As long as the same opportunity for expression is allowed for my beliefs, if any, as there is for others, I'm good. I don't really care how someone else honors their traditions in their space with their friends and family.

I am offended by the intolerance of individuals for the beliefs and traditions of others regarding the holidays. I'll say Merry Christmas and that's just the way it is. Anyone who is offended by that has way more serious problems than being afraid of Seasons Greetings.

Sooo...to all of you I will gayly wish a Merry Christmas, and Happy Loriemas!
So there, nyah!

Update 12.21.09

I've received email from some great people, a Satanist, and ye olde "I deserve to be free from having "religion" shoved in my face" crowd. Oh, and the "it's a myth" crowd, which is beside the point. Faith is a whole other webpage.

To the "free me" crowd I only have one thing to say...football. Yes, football. If football isn't a religion in the United States, I don't know what is. They have their gods and saints and their cathedrals and churches. Chants, robes, colors, flags, songs, traditions. Attendance is even higher. The electronic pulpit gets heard MUCH more frequently than in any "recognized" church. And let's not get started on the $$. You tell me football is not a religion... right. It's everywhere, for a LOT longer "season" than Christmas, et all.

Sooo... What if I can't stand football? It's in my face all the time during the "season". On TV, on the billboards, in the eateries, in the store merchandise. In my face. What if I want freedom from football? I'm SOL don't you think? Yep. Because there's a bunch more people that are into it. So, I can get all freaked out about it, or I can ignore it as best I can. I can make the best of it by doing what I'm interested in and care about, instead. I can change the channel.

So just think about it. Have a Merry Whatever, ya know?

I suppose for the record I must state that this is being written by a happy straight person who is not associated with any formal "religion",
but does have a background as having been raised a Roman Catholic, and lived to tell about it.

Lorie Kramer - Houston, TX
seektress@seektress.info

When is it going to be ENOUGH, America?