The holidays have become a bit of a linguistic battleground where political correctness meets nostalgia in a battle that does neither of them much good.
In late December, by far the biggest game in town is Christmas. Hanukkah, a minor Jewish holiday that sometimes (like this year) overlaps the Christmas season, and now Kwanzaa, a more mysterious holiday to me in that I never knew anyone to celebrate it, occur at the same general time of year. Since not everyone observes Christmas, the notion came about that people who do observe Christmas ought not to wish people who might not observe Christmas a Merry Christmas.
A few years back, some people in jobs that interfaced with the public were told by their superiors not to wish people a merry Christmas for fear that it might offend some. It is no secret that Christmas occurs on December 25. Nor are the many cultural, social, and religious traditions associated with Christmas a secret. If you live in the USA or Europe, you know a bit about Christmas whether or not you are a Christian. Besides, many non-Christians celebrate Christmas, at least in some form. Nevertheless, there was a recent time when “Happy Holidays” supplanted “Merry Christmas.”
So why did this make so many people uneasy? I think any time communication veers off toward the unnatural, it makes folks uneasy. People were meaning one thing but saying another. Many of us meant, “Merry Christmas,” but what came out of our mouths was, “Happy Holidays!” It wasn’t wrong, exactly, it was just not right.
“Merry Christmas” is now gaining some ground. The same folks who feared that “Merry Christmas” might offend some have since learned that avoiding saying the word Christmas has offended many others.
Which brings us to the point. What do you say? And is it okay to say what you don’t mean? If I email a European friend on the Fourth of July, is it proper to mention the Fourth of July? Absolutely. Is it proper to wish him a “Happy Fourth of July!” I don’t see why not. If it’s a happy day for me, why wouldn’t I want to wish good greetings to others?
Which leaves us with the real issue. What do you say at this time of year?
First of all, you can say, “Season’s Greetings.” There is an apostrophe in that phrase. Grammatically, it’s an objective genetive (the greetings of the season rather than the greetings owned by the season). The idea here is that you plug in your holiday of choice, probably in your mind. “Happy Holidays” is another wimpy way out in that you just wish people a happy holiday. Even atheists observe New Year’s Day so the greeting fits anyone of any persuasion.
But shouldn’t you actually say what you mean? If you observe Christmas in one form or another, you are likely to want to wish other people a merry Christmas because Christmas is a happy time of year. When I say, “Merry Christmas” what I am saying is that “I observe Christmas and I wish you a happy time at this time of year.”
Besides that, I like to think that Americans are a rugged people, able to withstand all manner of crisis and conflict and hardship. Americans carved out this country, pioneered the West, built the magnificent cities of the East, and generally dominate popular culture. We put the first man on the Moon, have some of the most advanced medical technology anywhere, and we send aid to disaster areas all over the earth. We’re smart, strong, and tough.
That’s why I think it’s so weird that a mere expression like “Merry Christmas” has turned so many of us to thin-skinned little petunias who are practically passing out at the horrible affront that might occur when somebody thinks we might perhaps observe Christmas.
We survived September 11, 2001, and we can survive the knowledge that not everybody celebrates the same holidays but that doesn’t mean people don’t wish to share their well wishes, even if those well wishes are associated with their particular holiday that isn’t necessarily ours. Christmas is a great holiday, in that it celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World. You may believe that, you may be on the fence about it, or you may reject it. But it’s still Christmas and for Christians it’s a happy time. I hope some of that happiness rubs off on you, whether or not you embrace the religion behind it.
Merry Christmas, y’all. Happy Hanukkah.
