Happy Holidays! (Or, Happy Christmas?)

I hear people getting REALLY bent out of shape over “Happy Holidays.” Someone here recently bought a present and when the clerk wished him “Happy Holidays,” he returned it on the spot.

Listen: I am a Roman Catholic and I say, “Happy Holidays.” If you are a Christian, then I will say, “Merry Christmas,” either alone or with the foregoing. If Jewish, then “Have a Happy Hanukkah.” For the Latinos, who are celebrating Our Lady of Guadalupe with parades in the streets, I wish them a happy feast day.

There are many holidays; Christmas, which is actually way behind Easter in its churchly importance, is but one of many. It was barely celebrated until fairly recently.

Kwanzaa, a seven-day period of reflection and renewal observed by some in the African-American community, ends with the New Year. It is not a holiday, but a time to renew certain principles of life. I say, “If you celebrate Kwanzaa, may it be fruitful.” All of us could benefit from its seven principles.

Hanukkah is also a fairly recent development; like Cinco de Mayo, a minor event which has been pushed up the ladder to become a major celebration. The former, perhaps because of Christmas; the latter due mostly to Corona beer and a few other products.

So, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Holidays and Good Kwanzaa.