‘Merry Christmas’ whether you like it or not!

It's that time of year when people want to spread good cheer. The way I do it is to say "Merry Christmas" unless of course I know that you celebrate a different holiday in which case I will wish you whatever that is but "Merry Christmas" is my default.

I find "Merry Christmas" so much more intimate than the generic "Happy Holidays" which basically says "I don't really know what you celebrate but whatever it is, enjoy it." At least when I say "Merry Christmas" one knows where we're at.

I celebrate Christmas in all its glory, especially now that I have children. When I say "Merry Christmas" in my head I'm actually seeing the warm house in the snow with the stockings hanging by the chimney (even though we don't do that). I can smell the warm apple cider and the food cooking on the stove in the kitchen. I can see the tree flooded with presents and by saying those two words, I'm giving that all to you. What do you see when you say "Happy Holidays"?

We did this topic on the radio and I had a Jewish woman call me all offended. Who gets offended at Christmas? Another guy called me an anti-semite. Seriously? I'm an anti-semite because I say "Merry Christmas"? Welcome to 2017. How about whatever you celebrate, I still wish you a Merry Christmas?

I remember when my family moved to Marlboro and we were one of the few families that celebrated Christmas. Each Christmas Eve, the house would be flooded with our Jewish neighbors, some with trees in their houses as well as menorahs. We would all exchange presents and have a great time. I guess things were simpler then. It's a shame that they're not that way now. Either way, I hope you enjoy whatever it is that you celebrate but from myself and my family from the bottom of my heart "Merry Christmas."

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