I have been pondering this post for the last week or so and have decided to write something. Tis the season. I used to work with these two women who loved the holidays. They both felt the holiday season started Nov 1st and ran until Jan 2nd. Two months. Wow. I on the other hand have not really ever enjoyed this time of year. Mainly because of growing up with divorced parents. I am not saying I had a bad childhood because I didn’t, but the holiday time of year brought on a lot of stress and there was always someone who was disappointed. I am lucky now to have someone in my life that understands this, but it doesn’t take away her excitement for this holidays. Over the past three years I have started to enjoy them more and more. Also helps that I am 41, I am a year past being a man, and I don’t feel like I am obligated like I did in the past. Bygones.
Now to the real root of this post. This is the part that some people are going to have issues with. Live in Seattle gave me a different perspective on the words used during this time of year. You don’t hear Merry Christmas much in Seattle, some, but not much. There isn’t an overly huge non Christian population in Seattle, but it is a fairly large city. Oh and it helps that it is a liberal city. Anyhow I enjoyed the respect that it shows. People didn’t assume that everyone was Christian and respected that you might be Jewish, or something else. Now that we are living in Colorado I hear Merry Christmas all of the time again. There are times that I want to say “I am Jewish” just to see if they even get that. I know the response I will get to this, oh they need to be tolerant or something like that. Why can’t you be tolerant of them? Why can’t we just both respect each view and support that? Is it because Christians believe Jews and others are wrong? And maybe they people Christians are wrong? Seems odd during this time of year that spouts about love and peace. I guess understanding is left out during this time of year. Would it kill people to just simply say, “Happy holidays”.
There is another thing that has crossed my mind on this topic. I am not a full fledged Christian, and to be honest most of my family isn’t. This holiday is supposed to be a celebration of the birth of Christ, right? So should we feel odd about celebrating it, even though we are not really supporters? I understand this holiday has become more about family and spending time together but it hasn’t always felt right this season for some reason. Maybe because I think more now about things than I used to. Maybe I over think. This all was on my mind the other day when I was driving to the store. My family puts a lot into this holiday. Figuring out when we can all get together. Who is buying stuff for who. It made me question how close we really are. We need a holiday, one that don’t fully believe in or maybe support, to have a reason to get together and just be together. Why do we need a holiday to do that. Shouldn’t we just be able to schedule that anytime? Are we really busier the rest of the year? Would it kill us to figure out something where we all get together once a month? I am sure we are not the only family like this. Yes I understand life is busy, but is life so busy that we can’t set time aside for family? From what I keep hearing in our world nothing is more important than family. If that is true, then why does it feel like my only gets together like 4 times a year and we all live within an hour of each other. I guess we are just messed up, but once again I don’t feel like we are alone in this area. I am not sure where I am going with this. I guess I am just ranting.
Life is odd. We spend more time at work and with people that we might not even like, than with our loved ones. I understand we have to work and you can’t select who you work with, but we can make more of an effort to spend time with the people we enjoy, right? I am just as guilty of this, but I am not sure why. I guess my life is just busy.
Merry Christmas….. see the humor in that?
madcow700 
I feel you on this one. I know its popular to blame social media but I have to think is a factor into this. You become close to people and family that you wouldn’t normally interact with but somehow they’re socially close (text, facebook, email) away. Hit and run communication.
My family would do major holidays at my grandmother’s house and my gig was to come in the back door saying hi and making the rounds until I hit the front door. I’d then roll out and drive off. Big enough house and enough people there where that would at least seem like I was there for an hour. Family Holiday Visit check!
I appreciate the comment regarding if non-Christians should or should not celebrate the birth of Christ. When you look at it that way, it changes the meaning for sure. Very thoughtful and though-provoking post.