Last night I went out with a friend and the place we had dinner was hosting a large group for their Holiday Celebration - which is how the employees of the company referred to it. Party goers came and went and I heard various greetings of the season. My friend and I struck up a conversation that centered around some of the phrases we've seen on Facebook. It made me think of some I've seen while galavanting around the web.
During the last month I've visited many blogs, websites and chat groups where I've seen greetings for the season expressed in many ways. If I've missed any, let me know - I'm really interested.
Happy Holidays! I think most people use this to encompass the holidays in general beginning in November and ending with New Years and it has become the 'politically correct' phrase to use.
Merry Christmas! Christmas is celebrated on December 25th and includes Christmas trees, colorful lights, Christmas presents, and other tokens of the Christmas celebration.
Happy Chanukah! (Hanukkah) Which is the Jewish celebration of the season and consists of Menorahs and Dreidels. I hope I'm right in stating this year it begins its celebration on December 11th at sundown and ends December 19th.
Happy Kwanzaa! The seven-day festival is celebrated December 26 – January 1st.
Our society, the places we live, have become very diverse so we hear many greetings, see many new ideas in the way of recipes, music, decorations and celebration stories.
Which ever you celebrate, whatever greeting you use - let those close to you know you wish them well.
I could have pulled information from the various sites I visited but that's not what's important, along with the fact that I don't consider myself knowledgeable enough about each simply because I read some information on a website.
The main thing is to recognize the differences in our world, be tolerant of others and allow each and every one to spread the joy of their celebration in their way.
How and when do you celebrate? Feel free to share a piece of it with me.
If you'd like to read some of what I've learned you can visit the following sites:
Christmas - http://www.history.com/content/christmas
Hanukkah - http://www.torah.org/learning/yomtov/chanukah/#
Remember: Growl and roar-it's okay to let the beast out.-© J. Hali Steele
8 comments:
J
I think Happy Holidays is the safest way to say...well happy holidays. It generally doesn't offend anyone and as you commented covers November to New Years.
Wishing you the warmest holiday. May Santa bring you everything on your wish list!
Lynn~
Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year. I always seem to say Happy Holiday's just because like you say it encompasses all the holidays.
Ash!
Don't forget the Wiccans - many of the tropes of the holidays like the yule log, bringing in pine boughs, and the rebirth of the Sun were based on their traditions.
So, say a Merry Yule to them.
Merry meet and merry part and merry meet again!
Happy Holidays kind of lets you say it without saying the wrong thing. Its kind of general. Like if someone says Merry Christmas, but the other person is Jewish, then they have to say 'i don't celebrate Christmas' and it's a whole thing. LOL. If you say Happy Holidays, it kind of lets you blanket the whole thing under one general statement...
Great blog!
Rebecca
Lynn, you have a great holiday, too! Enjoy this time with your son.
Ash, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Thanks for sharing that, Valerie! See, I did not know that, so, Merry Yule!
I've done that, Rebecca, and know what you mean. I've been saying Happy Holidays unless the person has already said Merry Christmas in their post! Happy Holidays to you and yours.
I don't do anything out to the ordinary. Tree, presents, Santa...but we do gather all together for dinner. All thirty of us crammed at my mother's little house trying not to step on one another. It's fun.
You know I remember those kinds of Christmases with my family. When my mom passed, so did they. We still gather but they are never what she made them. I feel blessed to have the memories.
Merry Christmas, Annie!
It depends on what kind of mood I'm in as to what I say :-)
For Christmas this year? Just me and my hubby. He specifically requested that we don't run around and visit. So, we'll have roasted chicken and a bottle of wine and probably watch movies all day :-)
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