Holidays

To All My Liberal, Democrat Friends:

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all. I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2013, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country nor the only America in the Western Hemisphere. Also, this wish is made without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishee.

 

To My Conservative, Republican Friends:

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

4 responses to “Holidays

  1. Please accept a slightly belated Merry Christmas from this liberal Jew. And a Happy New Year as well.

    Are all your “conservative, republican friends” practicing Christians? If they weren’t, would you still give them all the same greeting?

    • Please accept a slightly belated Merry Christmas from this liberal Jew. And a Happy New Year as well.

      Blessed holidays friend.

      Are all your “conservative, republican friends” practicing Christians?

      Not all, no.

      If they weren’t, would you still give them all the same greeting?

      It’s a strange one.

      On one hand, when I offer “Merry Christmas” wishes to the store clerk or the random UPS guy, I’m offering them a greeting that kinda says Nameste. That is, “this is a Holy season for me, and in that spirit I am offering you a well wishing coming from my belief.”

      When I offer the same wishes to someone I know I tend to style it so that it fits both of our faiths. So, the Hindu co-worker gets a “Blessed Holiday”. He smiles and offers a blessing back knowing that I offer such wishes only during my holy season and not his. Further, I know he appreciates the fact that I am aware of his faith and that I offer those holiday wishes in a manner that allows him to share in the act.

      • So it sounds like, all kidding aside, you do tailor your holiday greetings a bit, depending on your audience.

        I don’t mind getting the occasional “Merry Christmas” greeting, but I do think it shouldn’t be that big of a deal to target the greeting to people who are actually celebrating.

        If the Vikings were to win the Super Bowl this year, i’d expect to you to be rejoicing, but I would think you wouldn’t go around congratulating non-Vikings fans on their victory.

        • So it sounds like, all kidding aside, you do tailor your holiday greetings a bit, depending on your audience.

          All kidding aside, I do.

          However, I don’t mind my Muslim friends greeting me with their holy wishes.

          I don’t mind getting the occasional “Merry Christmas” greeting, but I do think it shouldn’t be that big of a deal to target the greeting to people who are actually celebrating.

          Right. So when I am the grocery and the clerk offers me a “Happy Holidays” I don’t really mind. Because I tend to think they are doing so out of deference to those of different faiths, not due to some effort to “Keep Christ out of Christmas”.

          If the Vikings were to win the Super Bowl this year, i’d expect to you to be rejoicing, but I would think you wouldn’t go around congratulating non-Vikings fans on their victory.

          You misunderstand my level of Viking frustration……

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