‘Tis the season! Oh wait…which season? Christmas season? The holiday season? Many of you probably answered the question in your head, and it probably would have sounded pretty snarky had you said it out loud.
We live in an age where people get bent out of shape easily over the most minuscule of “issues” and are given an easy platform in social media to profess so. For many years the debate has been ongoing; Merry Christmas, or Happy Holidays?
I could easily go into detail about who prefers what, blah blah, yadda yadda, who cares, but I won’t because we already know and there’s tons of blogs out there defending each side and that’s not what this post is about. This post is for all those who so aggressively defend “Merry Christmas.” No, actually I take that back. This post is for all of those who so aggressively act out against “Happy Holidays,” specifically the God fearing Christians and the ‘Keep CHRIST in Christmas’ poster board folks.
Let’s see…I could either give you a history lesson or I could get straight to the point. Alright, straight to the point. Take a look at the word ‘holiday.’ See the root of the word? Holiday is an Old English term meaning “Holy Day” used in reference to special days of faith.
“But Phillip, the word has been modernized now and no longer refers to only religious days.” Yes, I agree, just like Christmas has been modernized and no longer represents the birth of Christ in many secular eyes, but rather only a time of family gathering and gift exchanging. But Christians you still hold onto that meaning of Christmas right? Yes, you do, and you should of course. Regardless of modernization Christians can still hold onto those values and meanings. Scripture has already warned us the world will change and not always look favorably upon Christ followers.
It’s easy to get caught up in semantics, and easy to hide behind the internet and make snarky comments about how the next time somebody at the store says happy holidays to you, “oh sister you better believe I’m going to tell them merry Christmas.” Just stop. Show a little maturity , and show the light of Christ.
Proverbs 21:23, He who guards his mouth and his tongue, Guards his soul from troubles.
Ephesians 4:29, Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
These are the Holy days that God has blessed us with. Let’s not get wrapped up in semantics and silly arguments about what the sign in the mall says, or what the local news station posted on their Facebook. The next time somebody says “happy holidays” to you, embrace it, be thankful, smile, and say, “Thanks. You too.”
Phillip Pennington 