Considering the variety of religious faiths that observe sacred winter holidays, I view a cordial “Season”s greetings” or a vigorous “Happy holidays!” as ideal modes for spreading cheer among people I don”t know.
A variety of holidays fall each year between mid-November and the end of January: Eid, Hanukkah, Winter Solstice and the Christmas holiday. Except for Christmas, which always falls on Dec. 25 each year, the timing of these holidays depends upon various calendars so that when I arrange them in order according to chronology, some shuffling is always involved when updating last year”s copy.
I go to this effort to compile the winter holidays in order to spotlight the diverse faiths to which people ascribe.
Given the diversity that exists in our society, each person I meet can ascribe to any faith or to none at all with perfect freedom to do so. I feel very fortunate to live in a society that doesn”t impose a single creed and doesn”t single out any one faith as the “official” religion. Saying “Happy holidays” is like saying “Happy (holiday of your choice).”
It is true that by virtue of numbers, Christmas observances are more prevalent in our community than those of any other faith. An increasing number will appear in print each week as churches submit press releases to the Spirituality page.
The momentum of Christmas is also assisted by the secular aspect of the holiday as people shop for gifts. Santa Claus makes numerous appearances at various December carnivals. Imagine being the secretary who has to juggle Santa”s appearances!
So much good cheer is infectious and a group of us at work have decided that each Friday between now and Christmas will be “Santa hat Friday.”
And then there”s the seemingly endless opportunities to sing holiday songs. This, to me, is a gift in itself because during the rest of the year, I run the risk of my material triggering my listeners” thresholds of intolerance.
“Cat! I”m a kitty-cat! And I meow, meow, meow and I meow, meow, meow.”
My selections tend toward repetitive.
At Christmas time, I take the position that my listeners” reactions to my singing will serve as a sort of grinch-o-meter. With how much patience will you listen to an onslaught of holiday songs? How readily will you chime in with another song if the current selection is wearing out its welcome?
But in spite of the prevalence enjoyed by the Christmas holiday, it is not the only one that takes place during the winter season. It”s not even the only tradition that gives me singing material as anyone will attest who”s enjoyed my arrangement of “The Dreidel Song.”
It would be presumptuous of me to assign a religious tradition to people whom I don”t know.
So to those among you whom I know who honor a winter holiday, have a blessed Eid, a happy Hanukkah, sacred Solstice or Merry Christmas. And to those of you who are in the majority, that is, people whom I don”t know, have a very happy holidays.
Cynthia Parkhill is the focus pages editor for the Record-Bee and editor of the Clear Lake Observer-American. She can be contacted at ObserverAmerican@gmail.com or 263-5636 ext. 39.
