Taking Christ Out of Christmas

Well, it's that time of year again, the time when a certain segment of the Christian community gets their collective panties in a wad over people who say "Happy Holidays."

I've written about this before.  Last year, in fact.

I think the best line from that particular post was this: "This tired old discussion pops up every single year like an old fart wafting up from a basement couch."

Indeed.

Here's a post I read on Facebook about a week ago. I'm repeating it verbatim:

I DO NOT CARE IF THIS DOES OFFEND SOMEONE…THIS IS WHAT I BELIEVE…I AM SICK AND TIRED OF EVERY YEAR WHEN CHRISTMAS COMES AROUND; THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO TAKE CHRIST OUT OF CHRISTMAS BECAUSE IT MIGHT OFFEND SOMEONE…WELL, HOW ABOUT ALL OF THE CHRISTIANS?...WHAT ABOUT OFFENDING US BECAUSE YOU ARE TAKING OUR CHRIST OUT OF CHRISTMAS?...CHRIST IS CHRISTMAS!...IF YOU AREN'T CELEBRATING CHRIST THEN WHY ARE YOU CELEBRATING?...CHRISTMAS IS ABOUT THE BIRTH OF OUR SAVIOR!...CHRISTMAS IS ONE OF A FEW HOLIDAYS LEFT THAT CELEBRATE "MY" CHRIST!...LEAVE "MY" HOLIDAY ALONE!...AND TELL EVERYONE MERRY CHRISTMAS, NOT HAPPY HOLIDAYS!...RE-POST IF YOU’RE NOT ASHAMED

Yes, it offends me, and I don't care if you don't care.

"Happy Holidays" is not taking "Christ out of Christmas." "Happy Holidays" is not some new euphemism invented in an atheist's basement in San Francisco intended for disbursement among American citizens for the purpose of relieving Baby Jesus of his Christmas duties.

"Happy Holidays," in fact, has been around for decades, since long before the Political Correctness movement began. It's a phrase that simply acknowledges that from the end of November through early January, there are at least 3 major American holidays, as well as several smaller, culturally-centered holidays. As such, this is a certifiable "holiday season," and has been throughout world cultures for eons. Thus, "Happy Holidays" is just a simple way of lumping them all together and acknowledging that we are in the season of celebrating.

Kindly unwind your panties, O Outraged Evangelical Goofball.

The only people taking Christ out of Christmas are those people who teach their kids about Santa Claus and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, spend hundreds and even thousands of dollars on Christmas gifts, fill stockings full of treats on Christmas morning, and sing Jingle Bells while dancing 'round the Christmas tree. And considering that everyone does that, perhaps you, O Goofy Evangelical, should turn that finger around and point it at your own chest. Either that, or become a Jehovah's Witness or join some other fundamentalist Christian sect that doesn't celebrate holidays. Otherwise, kindly shut your trap.

Oh, and Happy Holidays!