Waging War on Christmas

A few days ago, Michael posted an amusing email regarding holiday greetings. Yes, the piece made me chuckle. Still, there's a serious matter at the heart of the jocularity: the war on Christmas! You know the war, the one where anyone who asks for a bit of multiplicity and inclusiveness (translation: anyone who suggests there are holiday celebrations other than Christmas that are just as deserving of public attention or, worse yet, anyone who doesn't observe a holiday this time of year) around the holidays is attempting to wipe out Christian traditions. How dare you ask for a Menorah in an airport! What do you mean you want us to take down the nativity at City Hall? Why do you hate America? Yeesh.

In past years, I've been on the front lines of the war on Christmas. I didn't protest the display of the nativity on public grounds (although I should state emphatically that religious iconography does not have any place on any public grounds), but I did let people know that not everyone in this country is Christian. When someone belted out a cheery "Merry Christmas," I replied with a scroogerific "I'm not Christian." That stopped 'em cold.

This year, seeing that I'm at a school of the Church, I've been firing less confrontational salvos. Still committed to doing my part in the War on Christmas, I accept the hearty "Merry Christmas" and offer an enthusiastic "Happy Yule!" or "Merry Solstice" in reply. As Yule has become synonymous with Christmas in many circles, most people probably don't realize the subversive nature of my response. If they took a few minutes to sit down and talk to me about holiday plans, they'd learn that I really do celebrate Yule.

Tonight (December 21), at 6:22 Central Standard Time, we celebrate the Winter Solstice. We hail the return of the sun, the balance of dark & light, and nature's magickal progression through the seasons. We celebrate the first day of Winter, the return of hope, and the promise of vernal rebirth. Reflect on the past year, acknowledge the present, and look toward the future. Give thanks for lessons learned and those yet to be learned. Give what you can share to others, whatever that might be.

So mote it be.