Happy Holidays (Oh No She Didn't!)

You know how you can tell it's time for Christmas?
No, not lighted trees?
No, not the smell of gingerbread?
Nope, not even the cards that have started arriving in the mail.

It's the "Merry Christmas vs. Happy Holidays" debates that screams it's that time of the year.

I've never understood the drama between the two. I'm a Christian. Love me some God. But if someone said "Happy Holidays" to me as I left a store, i wouldn't be offended and yell, "Heathen, how dare you take Christ out of Christmas." Wanna know a secret? I've actually opted for Happy Holidays cards over Merry Christmas ones. No, i wasn't trying to enrage Rush Limbaugh, i just preferred the Happy Holidays design.

Did the folks who i sent it too get enraged? I doubt it. and seriously, have you ever actually met anyone who refers to their Christmas Tree as a "holiday tree", "holiday stick" or "holiday bush?" I didn't think so. Heck, most folk i know just call it "the tree." They say: "putting up the tree." "Just got up the tree." "gotta take the tree down." Where's the outrage at this!

I worked retail for 5 looooonnnngggg years. And never once was i told that i couldn't say Merry Christmas. Heck, as long as i got my quota of Target credit card apps they could care less what i was saying. For all they know i was wishing folks a Merry Hitler day. Honey Badger don't care, and either did Target.

I find it comical that folks think not saying Merry Christmas is ruining the holiday. I find it comical that folks think non-Christians shouldn't put a tree, or exchange gifts. I don't have the Holy Book memorized, but i don't recall in verses talking about Jesus and Paul heading out on black friday, macing some lady for a Tickle Me Elmo and then rushing home to wrap all their loot and put it under the tree.

Actually, the Jesus i know and love is less concerned about whether folks are saying "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays" and more concerned with how we are treating each other.

Of course this battle will return next year, and the year after, and the year after. There will continue to be 1,000 Facebook posts talking about how i have a CHRISTmas tree and CHRISTmas gifts, yada yada. And that's ok. Because it gives me something to blog about...and something for God to laugh at. Because honestly, if those of us who believe in Christ truly think he's stressing over how cashiers are bidding us farewell during the winter months, we need to hit the Book again.