As a child who grew up Jewish in a predominantly Catholic neighborhood, we shared many of our holiday traditions with one another. The families on ‘the block’ knew we were Jewish, we knew they were Catholic, and for the most part I believe we respected, understood, and celebrated our holiday times together. Even so, as a youngster I do remember taking a defensive stance when people would say “Merry Christmas” to me or people in my family because I found it rudely presumptuous to simply assume that everyone believed as you did.
Now that I am an adult, secure in myself, my morals, ethics, and my atheist views, I no longer feel defensive around Christmas time when people extend wishes to me for a “Merry Christmas”. I have never been a militant atheist anyway, and a wish for a “Merry Christmas” is just that…a thoughtful expression for good will that is seasonally appropriate. It is a very different animal than proselytizing. No one can look at you and know that you are a believer vs a non-believer. We live in a country where most of its citizens happen to be those who are believers that celebrate Christmas. If you say “Merry Christmas” to a stranger, you’re going to be right the vast majority of the time.
There are plenty of militant believers out there who are going to go around saying “Merry Christmas” to people simply hoping to get an argumentative response from a non-believer so they can invoke a fight and preach their cause. There are also plenty of non-believers out there who will wait for that “Merry Christmas” so they can call out the ignorance of believers. You know what? Let ‘em find each other. Let them duke it out and put sour note in the one time of the year when people are genuinely happy, friendlier, and kinder to one another.
I say all that to say this…when someone says “Merry Christmas” to me, I say “Merry Christmas to you as well.” When my husband and I wake up on Christmas morning, we will say “Merry Christmas” to one another and I’ll kiss him on the nose. As Christmas day goes on, I will probably send 20 texts to friends and loved ones that say “Merry Christmas and love to you all!” It’s the right thing to do and the right time of year to do so. To spite a well-wish from anyone serves no purpose.
Merry Christmas!
Now that I am an adult, secure in myself, my morals, ethics, and my atheist views, I no longer feel defensive around Christmas time when people extend wishes to me for a “Merry Christmas”. I have never been a militant atheist anyway, and a wish for a “Merry Christmas” is just that…a thoughtful expression for good will that is seasonally appropriate. It is a very different animal than proselytizing. No one can look at you and know that you are a believer vs a non-believer. We live in a country where most of its citizens happen to be those who are believers that celebrate Christmas. If you say “Merry Christmas” to a stranger, you’re going to be right the vast majority of the time.
There are plenty of militant believers out there who are going to go around saying “Merry Christmas” to people simply hoping to get an argumentative response from a non-believer so they can invoke a fight and preach their cause. There are also plenty of non-believers out there who will wait for that “Merry Christmas” so they can call out the ignorance of believers. You know what? Let ‘em find each other. Let them duke it out and put sour note in the one time of the year when people are genuinely happy, friendlier, and kinder to one another.
I say all that to say this…when someone says “Merry Christmas” to me, I say “Merry Christmas to you as well.” When my husband and I wake up on Christmas morning, we will say “Merry Christmas” to one another and I’ll kiss him on the nose. As Christmas day goes on, I will probably send 20 texts to friends and loved ones that say “Merry Christmas and love to you all!” It’s the right thing to do and the right time of year to do so. To spite a well-wish from anyone serves no purpose.
Merry Christmas!
