What is all the kerfuffle about saying, Merry Christmas?

Why on earth are the misdirected and oh-so-over-zealous PC police interested in sucking the last bit of meaning out of the Christmas tradition?

Here’s the deal. We don’t say, Happy Seasonal Holiday Referencing Love and Hearts…Nope. We say, Happy Valentine’s Day. Do any of us really remember who Valentine was or what’s up with the hearts and flowers and chocolates? Not really.

Do we still participate? Yup. Does it matter what our religious or cultural background is? Not in the least.

A few years ago, while traveling in India, we lucked upon the Holi season; a great holiday where powdered colours are thrown on cows, dogs, kids and adults to help wish them a happy and colourful life (this is my paraphrased understanding) We went around throwing colour and wishing everyone Holi Mubarak.

Did we feel that we shouldn’t because, a) we weren’t Hindus or b) were we made to feel they didn’t want us to participate for the same reason?

No and No.

Which brings me to the upcoming Happy Holidays/Season’s Greetings event. You can wish me Happy Anything, but please try to get a little more specific.

Happy Holidays could refer to St. Patrick’s Day; another holiday whose origins seem murky and nebulous to me but it doesn’t stop most of us from drinking green beer, watching a big parade and wearing clover leafs. Does anyone not celebrate because they’re not Irish enough? On St. Paddy’s Day, I’m as Irish as the best of them.

But back to Christmas. I recognize this tradition is a bit of head-scratcher as well, what with Santa coming down the chimney to deliver Baby Jesus while Rudolph lights up that evening star to direct the men on camels to that last vacancy in the desert stable near the North Pole.

Yes, it needs a little sorting out. But there are people out there who want to make it even more generic.

Christmas has the following: A Christmas tree (NOT a holiday tree and yes, the origins come from some pagan Druid custom…all the better), we have twinkly lights, Mary, Joseph, Jesus, Santa, reindeer, chocolate, oranges, pine cones, ivy, turkey, family, friends, egg nog, kids, mass, plays, pageants, stockings, trains, snow and toys.

I just saw a display with Santa perched next to the baby Jesus and wondered how parents begin to explain it all. But explain it we do, and that is our job; to tell stories and keep traditions alive while allowing them room to evolve and grow.

We do not, however, have to white wash the whole thing into No-Name brand nothingness.

When you see me, I won’t care if you’re Christian, Jewish, agnostic or Sufi, I will wish you a sincere Merry Christmas and if you want to wish me Happy Hanukkah or Happy Diwali…please do.

I respect and am grateful for the chance to participate in any traditions that have meaning for you and I wish to extend the same generosity to you.

The message of Christmas is to love and extend goodwill to all. It’s a pretty cool tradition.