Tuesday, November 30, 2004
Christmas, Christmas, Christmas
Now that Thanksgiving is over, even though it's still November, it's officially Christmastime, the proverbial "most wonderful time of the year." And since this year I'm in the habit of spreading my opinions all over the web on this here blog, and in an effort to make this season more enjoyable by getting everyone to agree with me, I'd like to mention one of my biggest Christmas pet peeves.
December 25 is a holiday called "Christmas." The word "Christmas" refers to the origin of the holiday, namely the birth of Jesus Christ. The word "holiday" is a generic term that means a day of special celebration--it's a category that includes Christmas, New Year's Day, Independence Day, Halloween, and (here in Massachusetts) Bunker Hill Day.
It annoys me to no end when people refer to Christmas as "Holiday."
I guess they're just trying to be politically correct. Because not everyone believes in Jesus Christ, not everyone celebrates Christmas. But political correctness is usually calling something by a less offensive name ("vertically challenged" rather than "stubby," or "Native American" instead of "savage"). I just don't see what's offensive about the word "Christmas." Sure, not everyone celebrates Christmas, but that doesn't mean they're offended by the word. I'm not offended by the words "Yom Kippur," "Ramadan," or "Kwanzaa," although I don't celebrate any of those holidays (also, "Bunker Hill Day"). I have yet to meet a person who has expressed offense at the fact that I use the word "Christmas"--let alone the fact that I celebrate Christmas.
It's a Christmas tree, not a holiday tree. We go Christmas shopping, not holiday shopping. We get into the Christmas spirit, not the holiday spirit.
"The Holidays" is a broader term that I always understood to include Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's. As in, "I gained 15 pounds over the holidays." That's fine, because you're referring to more than one holiday. But referring to one specific holiday as "Holiday" is silly. We don't refer to St. Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, or All Hallows Eve as "Holiday," despite their religious origins.
You can wish me "Happy Holidays" if you're including New Year's in your salutation. But don't wish me a singular "Happy Holiday." If you do, I will look you dead in the eye and with all the feeling of my heart, I will wish you a "Merry Christmas."
December 25 is a holiday called "Christmas." The word "Christmas" refers to the origin of the holiday, namely the birth of Jesus Christ. The word "holiday" is a generic term that means a day of special celebration--it's a category that includes Christmas, New Year's Day, Independence Day, Halloween, and (here in Massachusetts) Bunker Hill Day.
It annoys me to no end when people refer to Christmas as "Holiday."
I guess they're just trying to be politically correct. Because not everyone believes in Jesus Christ, not everyone celebrates Christmas. But political correctness is usually calling something by a less offensive name ("vertically challenged" rather than "stubby," or "Native American" instead of "savage"). I just don't see what's offensive about the word "Christmas." Sure, not everyone celebrates Christmas, but that doesn't mean they're offended by the word. I'm not offended by the words "Yom Kippur," "Ramadan," or "Kwanzaa," although I don't celebrate any of those holidays (also, "Bunker Hill Day"). I have yet to meet a person who has expressed offense at the fact that I use the word "Christmas"--let alone the fact that I celebrate Christmas.
It's a Christmas tree, not a holiday tree. We go Christmas shopping, not holiday shopping. We get into the Christmas spirit, not the holiday spirit.
"The Holidays" is a broader term that I always understood to include Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's. As in, "I gained 15 pounds over the holidays." That's fine, because you're referring to more than one holiday. But referring to one specific holiday as "Holiday" is silly. We don't refer to St. Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, or All Hallows Eve as "Holiday," despite their religious origins.
You can wish me "Happy Holidays" if you're including New Year's in your salutation. But don't wish me a singular "Happy Holiday." If you do, I will look you dead in the eye and with all the feeling of my heart, I will wish you a "Merry Christmas."
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