There is a group out there determined to ruin Christmas for everyone. The saddest thing is that, in their warped perception of the world, they believe they鈥檙e saving it.
They react with apoplectic rage every time someone says 鈥渉olidays.鈥� They get enraged if something doesn鈥檛 have Christmas written on it. They take the 鈥榩eace and good will towards men鈥� part of the holiday and turn it into 鈥榓nger and hatred to anyone who isn鈥檛 celebrating exactly the same way as you are.鈥� And, frankly, they鈥檙e killing Christmas for me.
I used to love Christmas. I like the bright light in the midst of the darkest December. I like the decorations, I find the music hit and miss but some of it鈥檚 pretty great. I like the idea of spreading cheer to others through giving. I like that it鈥檚 a holiday that鈥檚 supposed to be centered around selflessness.
But now, every Christmas, I know I鈥檓 going to encounter some anger beast selfishly shouting that they are angry that someone referred to holidays as a general concept, and that kills it for me.
To me, the entire thing is missing the point. If you鈥檙e Christian, the point is Jesus, who was famously all about being kind to others 鈥� something that the people who have taken it upon themselves to defend Christmas鈥� honour are聽 not being. The guy behind the concept of turning the other cheek is probably less than impressed by people on the attack about his holiday.
Of course, there are plenty of people who are not Christian, and while they may celebrate Christmas as a secular holiday they won鈥檛 be doing so as a religious one. Given the deepest winter, lots of religions have their own celebrations spread through the same season, and even those with no religion at all might celebrate the idea of stapling a bunch of lights to your house in the midst of the darkest day of the year, so they should be included too. 鈥淗appy holidays鈥� is a totally acceptable way to include them.
Frankly, it鈥檚 hard for me to celebrate Christmas because I don鈥檛 want to celebrate the same holiday as these rage beasts who can鈥檛 tolerate the idea that someone celebrates a different holiday from them. I can鈥檛 find the same joy in the season because it鈥檚 hard to feel happy when you know somewhere, someone is going to flip their lid because a company tried to market 鈥淗oliday Nogg.鈥�
The only way to save Christmas is to recognize the ideals behind it. Stop with the anger and the hate. Instead, embrace the selfless ideal behind the holiday. It鈥檚 more about giving to others, helping people and being kind. All things you can鈥檛 do if you鈥檙e blowing your top because someone celebrated wrong. It鈥檚 about bringing a light of hope and positivity to the deepest, darkest winter. There鈥檚 nothing hopeful about misdirected rage.
In short, if someone makes you mad because they said 鈥渉appy holidays,鈥� an otherwise well-meaning and positive message, take a look at yourself and consider what your priorities are, and what you are actually celebrating. And then donate something to a local charity as an apology to the rest of us.
I want the Christmas season to make me feel better about my fellow man, not worse. The people who view themselves as warriors defending Christmas are killing the holiday for me because they make me feel worse about the people around me.
