Be Merry, Dammit!

Can you believe adults behave this way, in this day and age?
Why must we say "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas"?
Why is it now a "holiday tree" and not a "Christmas tree"?
So what about Christian connotations about certain holidays, in particular, Christmas?

Grow the hell up, people!

Adults, by their definition, should be able to tolerate different ideas and inconveniences. Christmas certainly isn't an inconvenience for those who would like to have a day off from work.

Christmas is a specific holiday, not a generic one. If you remember my previous post on Christmas, Christmas has its own origins, history and customs. Could you imagine the reaction if one were to ask that Chu-Sok (a thanksgiving festival in Korea) be blended with American Thanksgiving in order to mollify those who might feel left out? Or if Diwali (the Indian festival of lights) was banned because some may not like the glare of lights? If these ideas are absurd, then so is the gradual- and blatant- eradication of Christmas.

If the majority of people happen to celebrate a certain holiday, then so be it. I am currently in South Korea where holidays like Chu-Sok and Seonal (the lunar new year) are the major celebrations, not Halloween, Christmas or Easter. Though the latter are celebrated in some measure, they are not observed by everyone. Instead, one sees the flourish of hanboks and huge brown pears. I am priveliged to see this side of a culture, something I might not be able to see at any time. If one is able to see and experience other cultures, or even indulge in their own, be grateful for it. It is better to live life than have no opinion or feeling at all.

Furthermore, in countries that claim cultural pluralism (I'm looking right at you, Canada and the US), I'm not seeing what the problem is. Is there a ban on Diwali or Ramadan and not Christmas? No, there isn't. There is room and freedom to observe whatever holidays one wishes to observe or not observe. Where is the threat? Where is the lack of movement or freedom of belief? Remember- midnight Mass was cancelled in Iraq last year for fear of terrorist attacks. Even mosques are bombed by the very people who profess the faith of those they wilfully kill. There is NO freedom in North Korea or its puppet-master, China. Feel restricted now? Didn't think so.

In short, just grow up everyone. Live and let live. Celebrate Christmas or don't. Just don't ruin it for those who do.