t’s that time of the year again. Families across the nation are gearing up for the biggest holiday season of the year, as trees are going up, gifts are bought, and anticipation for spending time with family and friends grows. There’s no way to avoid it; it’s Christmastime.
On June 28th, 1870, President Ulysses S. Grant signed a bill making Christmas a federal holiday, along with The Fourth of July and New Year’s Day. Yet in recent times, a growing movement has sought to secularize Christmas, even to the point of not calling it by its name in efforts to reduce exclusivity.
Some groups, such as the American Civil Liberties Union, argue that having Christmas as a federal holiday violates the 1st amendment of the U.S. constitution, as Christmas is a federal holiday hinders against the idea of separation of Church and State. But is this really so?
According to the nonpartisan Pew Research Center, about 92 percent of Americans celebrate Christmas each year, even though about 70 percent of America identifies as Christian. For what may seem like forever to many, Christmas has been something that is great and celebrated by all, even those who may disagree with the religion behind it, as it is good and inviting towards all.
Many tend to forget that popular Christmas songs such as “White Christmas,” “The Christmas Song,” “Rocking Around the Christmas Tree,” and countless others were written by Jewish Americans. Apparently, Christmas was pretty inclusive towards many in this community, as well as the other 22 percent of Americans who are not Christian and still celebrate Christmas.
Despite Christmas being the most significant holiday during December in the United States and even the West as a whole, the Left makes it their effort each year to reduce the cultural use of saying “Christmas.” Instead, they advocate for saying the less divisive, politically-correct “Holidays,” to avoid any potential offense-taking.
The “War on Christmas” phenomenon has been seen in many different parts of our culture, as schools change “Christmas Breaks” to “Winter Breaks,” companies change “Christmas Parties” to “Holiday Parties,” and television programs change “Christmas Specials” to “Holiday Specials.”
It doesn’t end there. Wherever I seem to go, whether it be at a college campus, restaurant, or the mall, the general consensus among employees has been to say happy holidays. Why? Because to the Left, Christmas’ Christian affiliation is offensive and exclusive. Yet it is truly anything but.
By saying Merry Christmas, I am wishing all a season of love and peace, no matter their religion, color or creed. By saying Merry Christmas, I am inviting all to celebrate the spirit of giving and hope inspired by the birth of Christ.
The secular left wants to eliminate Christmas in their effort to create a secular society. Let me be clear, a secular government is what we must have because it protects our religious freedoms. On the other hand, a secular society that fails to recognize the religious, particularly Judeo-Christian, values, that have been engrained in America since her founding is dangerous.
The basic moral frameworks provided by religion allow everyone to live peacefully and happily. To say the people of America are secular is objectively false. According to Pew, over 70 percent of Americans identify as Christian, with an additional 6 percent identifying as Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, and Buddhist.
By saying “Merry Christmas,” I don’t fail to recognize other major holiday traditions of Americans. I always wish my Jewish peers a Happy Hanukkah during December and a Happy Ramadan to my Muslim colleagues in the Spring.
However, the fact that no other major holiday consistently overlaps the day of Christmas makes the phrase “Happy Holidays” nullified. The only holiday that happens on December 25th is Christmas, despite whatever Snapchat, Twitter, Starbucks and the Obama’s “Happy Holidays” card say.
Christmas is and will always be a special Holiday as it celebrates the birth of Christ Jesus. This is a fact and anyone who says different is wrong. However, by me wishing someone a Merry Christmas, I am by no means forcing them to celebrate his birth, even though I’d like them too.
I am rather trying to extend the happiness that has filled the hearts of many, including myself, during this special season. This shouldn’t be viewed as offensive or divisive, but rather welcoming and Christianity’s efforts at healing our World’s divide.
I, along with my family, friends, and the America I know will always wish others a Merry Christmas. There’s no stopping it.
Merry Christmas, Snowflakes!
