HAPPY . . . Whatever

Big controversy about how to greet others during the Christmas season. Happy holidays, seasons greetings, and so on. The reason?

Some people are offended by being wished a "Merry Christmas."

Some atheists, some Jews, some Muslims, and some Christians who don't believe that Jesus was born on December 25th. Some non Christians who don't want their children to feel "left out," are also among this number. Anti-capitalist, Communist, anti-materialistic folks often join the offended. Schools, businesses, college campuses, town halls, courts, even in some churches can be heard complaints about how someone was greeted.

Just what does "Merry Christmas" mean? It is short for, "I wish you a Merry Christmas." In other words, during this particular part of the year, I wish you happiness." Not a cause to start either a religious or a non-religious war.

The proper response to a "Merry Christmas" is, for folks who prefer loving their fellow humans to hating them, is to say either "Thank you," or "Merry Christmas." That is also the appropriate response for those who are indifferent about others and who simply wish to cruise through life without complication. For those who hate Christmas, Christians, all religions, or who believe that all those who do not believe in their particular deity should be beheaded and their corpses urinated upon, the proper response to a "Merry Christmas" greeting is either "Thank you," "Humbug, but thank you," or mutter into your beard, go off into a lonely place, and trigger off your suicide vest.

Christmas is one of the few times during the year the human race gives itself permission to be happy by making others happy. Who cares what the occasion is? Don't want to participate? Fine. Just smile and move along, or look grim and move along. No reason in the world to spread your sterile gloom over the rest of us, and no, I am not a Christian. However, I do belong to the Cult of Santa Claus.

Interesting fact: The one place I have never heard a cross word in response to a Christmas greeting is in a Twelve Step meeting. Worst attitude cases in the world, many of whom have profound injuries caused by religionists, many of whom look upon the season with dread and profound loss. But they are in AA and NA to get clean, become human, and thereby become happy. Someone wishing happiness for you tends not to be taken as an offense.

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas, and the happiness is supposed to last until the New Year. That is my sincere wish for everyone. Come January 2nd, working our programs, we should be able to come up other reasons to be happy.

Special greetings to all this blog's Russian viewers. This month, for the very first time, the number of views from Americans was exceeded, and this by our Russian viewers.  с Новым годом.