December 26; Merry Christmas! 🎄✨
Ho-ho-ho and festive holiday vibes... this was my week 🎅🏼🥂
Merry Christmas, friends!
My own Sunday e-mail to you is one of the last places where I can write a full-hearted “Merry Christmas” these days, without choosing for the more generic “Happy Holidays”, which if you ask me, is just as festive in the end.
I actually wonder if there is anyone in the world who could really get offended, when being wished a Merry Christmas. First off, there is nothing offensive in being wished well related to a holiday. If I’m with my Muslim friends during Eid, and someone walked up and wished them (and me, not knowing I’m not Muslim) Eid Mubarak, I wouldn’t know why in the world that should offend me. Same for Hanukkah, or Diwali, or any other holiday that stems from religion. If anything, it’s a bonus you get by being exposed to another culture, and no one means ill when wishing you well, in whatever language or culture.
Second, our modern Christmas has evolved far from its religious origins, and has become a global celebration of love, family, and light. If you look closely, a lot of the attributes we associate with Christmas today are originally from other, non-Christian holidays, like North-European Yule, ancient-Slavic Koleda, and Jewish Hanukkah.
The beautiful thing about Christmas is that anyone can celebrate it. If you put up a Christmas tree at home, you’re celebrating Christmas. If you went for mulled wine with friends or family to the Christmas Market, you’re celebrating Christmas. And if you huddle in front of the TV, to watch Home Alone 2 for the 29th time, like I did today, guess what, it’s Christmas 100%.
My Latin teacher at high school, the late Mr Oudman, said once to us in class that the trick with Christmas is to feel it not only when it’s Christmas on December 25-26, but on every day of the year. Which I believe was his excuse to wear a Christmas tie to school one day in April:) The lesson however is very valid for all of us, whether we put on Christmas sweaters outside the holiday season or not.
So I’m wishing you a very Merry Christmas, and a wonderful and warm time with family, loved ones, friends, or just yourself, this holiday time. May we feel the spirit every day, Christmas or not!
Thanks for checking in today and talk to you next Sunday! 😇
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