This is my favorite time of year. Despite the nipping coldness that grabs any visible skin, there is more happiness in the air.
Maybe it is because students only have to go to class for less than half the month of December or the lights strung along strip malls add a bit of cheer to otherwise mundane days. Christmas songs are blared through all public spaces, and there is all-around better food as people gather together to celebrate family.
To me, this is Christmas.
It is a time to make memories that will be remembered for decades and also the opportunity to keep old traditions alive. There is a decorated Christmas tree in my house and a heap of presents thanks to Black Friday sales. With only 26 days left until Christmas, Santa is making his final naughty and nice tallies.
If we were to pass each another on the street, I would happily wish you a “Merry Christmas.”
However, in a world that is constantly changing, it may no longer be politically correct to say.
If I knew your religion celebrated a different holiday, I would say “Happy Hanukkah,” “Happy Kwanzaa” and so forth.
But I won’t wish you a “Happy Holidays.”
Each religious celebration is unique, and each deserves the common courtesy of calling it by name.
Why be scared of offending others?
Simply wish them a “Happy whatever-you-celebrate,” and let them respond with their own holiday of choice. By doing this, we share a piece of ourselves with others, and they offer back the same.
It’s incredible to think people are constantly so concerned about their personal appearance. For some, cars, clothes, homes and every detail of their lives need to be perfectly in line and then displayed on Facebook for all to see. But when it comes to religious holidays, people are perfectly content being clumped all together and sent a single “Season’s Greetings.”
People want to be treated as individuals and be able to practice their rights. But then, why is it OK for others to get upset when they do this?
It comes down to respect.
But the retail market, which claims to be getting even more personal with its customers, may not recognize the specific holidays people celebrate. Few stores and companies take the time to acknowledge the separate holidays that, together, make up the season they so fondly advertise.
Not all stores take part in this nonsense. Target has an entire Christmas section proudly displayed in each store, and on macys.com, shoppers can purchase a “Jesus is the Reason” sign.
Christmas is not about being politically correct. It is a religious celebration of the birth of Jesus and has evolved into a season-long celebration focused on spreading peace and joy. But modern-day Americans have stripped it of this meaning. Presents and celebrations are all part of the Christmas season but are not the main focus as society makes it seem.
Without Christ, there is no “Christ”mas.
Elves, reindeer and Frosty all have their place throughout the madness. But society needs to recognize the holidays’ deeper meanings that people have shied away from.
According to Urban Dictionary, the word combining Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa doesn’t leave anyone feeling left out. Now there’s never a need for “Happy Holidays.”
May I be the first to wish you a very merry “Christmahanakwanzika.”
Abby Wolz is a health sciences freshman at UF. Her column appears on Thursdays. You can contact her via opinions@alligator.org.
