Not Working Today --Merry Christmas

Good day everyone,

I am now off for the holidays, and while I will be taking care of a few odds and ends I will not be in the office the balance of the week.

I have received received several emails from acquaintances of how despite objections from a politically correct world the author would continue to wish a Merry Christmas and not be bullied into expressing those most feared of words..

Happy Holidays, the Jim Belushi of Christmas season greetings.

I suppose the only worse fate for such victims of bullying is being sold a Holiday Tree by the guy in the mall parking lot when the kids were so looking forward to a Christmas Tree.  For those unaware of the difference, the a Holiday Tree has uneven branches, never looks quite right no matter how it is rotated and the lights continue to burnout or simply refuse to light at all.

But is any of this actually true?  Never have I ever been told not to wish people a Merry Christmas, although at times I have certainly chosen not to.  I figure wishing someone that is Hindu a Merry Christmas is like sending him a gift bottle of steak sauce.  They may appreciate the effort, but in the end just end up with an unused bottle of steak sauce.

The challenge is to know who celebrates Christmas and who may celebrate Ramadan, Hanukkah, Yule, or Kwanzaa.  Who may be Hare Krishna, Hindu, Buddhist, Javeh's Witness or even Scientologist?  Wishing Merry Christmas to an Agnostic should be okay, since he doesn't know if you are right or not and a great way to screw with his head; and wishing Merry Christmas to an Atheist equally okay since she has no holidays of her own she may as well celebrate Christmas and get the day off.

So here we are, 3 days before Christmas and this really is the best time for me to offer a heart filled Merry Christmas! to those that celebrate.  Hanukkah ends on the 24th, so still time for me to offer a Hanukkah Sameach to my friends that hail from Gefilte corners.   Kwanzaa starts on the 26th, Joyous Kwanzaa -What's happening! to my friends of African heritage.  Happy Shalbe Yalda -celebrating light and goodness! to our Iranian friends.  Happy Pancha Ganapati!  to my Hindu friends.

Have I missed anyone? Is Malkh already over?  I think Yule still is to start, Happy Yule? or is it better to yell out,Yule Ho!  I just don't know, and then there is Soyal but do I even know any Hopi or Zuni?  I call myself a Utilitarian but that is more a pragmatist philosophy than a theocratic position, but am I a obligated to celebrate Chalica?

How about this, Happy Holidays everyone.  I hope that you all have a chance to share time with your family and friends, and that you have left over turkey so that you can enjoy a good sandwich.   Except you vegetarians of course.

Oh yes, and unless you observe a non-Gregorian calendar.. Have a Happy New Year!