Once again, we are in the Christmas season, and once again certain groups are ranting about the "War on Christmas" and attacking phrases like "happy holidays" and "season's greetings" as being anti-Christian. Personally, there is nothing wrong with either of those phrases, even if you are an evangelical Christian, as long as they are being used in an inclusionary instead of an exclusionary manner. The crucial problem is the subtlety of that distinction.
Having watched a lot of PBS kids programming lately (thank you, little monster), it is amazing the lengths certain shows go to avoid saying Christmas or Merry Christmas, when it is clear the episode is supposed to a Christmas episode. For some shows they make it work, when there is no reason the characters should be celebrating Christmas like on Dinosaur Train or Nature Cat, however, for others like Thomas and Friends, the bending-over-backward to avoid saying Christmas gets quite painful and breaks the world. I now understand what the evangelicals complain about, even if I think they exaggerate the problem and apply it to areas where it isn't a problem.
I personally prefer using "happy holidays" or "season's greetings" on my Christmas cards and in general, because I am trying to wish people a Merry Christmas AND a Happy New Year in the same breath. For part of my family, I am also adding Happy Hannukah. There is nothing wrong with the phrase when used in this manner and I wish people would see that instead of issuing a blanket statement that using "happy holidays" is PC BS. It isn't and should be used in an inclusionary manner. At the same time, if what you are doing is a Christmas party or a Christmas episode, just come out and say it, particularly if that is what the characters would be doing. Otherwise it can get quite annoying.
No comments:
Post a Comment