Having been raised celebrating Christmas, being around family friends who celebrate, and in my school years always had Christmas plays with even religious songs, it's just a natural thing to me to say "Merry Christmas." :/Of course there are many different beliefs and celebrations, but I tend to think this Merry Christmas/Happy Holiday thing is totally blown out of porportion. I always wish people a Merry Christmas and am sure I always will. To my knowledge, I haven't insulted or hurt anyone' feelings. If I knew beforehand someone didn't celebrate Christmas of course I wouldn't extend that greeting. I think generally the majority of people are much less sensitive about it than we are being led to believe thru media.

A few years back at my school I wished one of our teachers, as he was passing by a Merry Christmas. He kindly said thank you but, "I don't celebrate Christmas, for me it's Hannakah (sp). We started talking and knowing next to nothing about the Jewish faith, I asked him if (for in the future, so I'd know), "Happy" Hannakah was the proper greeting. We talked for a while, and he proceeded to tell me about this celebration. I learned a little bit of another faith that I didn't know. No sensitive and/or hard feelings at all.

Another time one of our students came in with an article of clothing that maybe was a robe (it was wrapped in a large bag.) One of the teacher's was having some kind of ethnic "show and tell" type thing in her class and the girl asked if she could keep it in the office because she didn't want to carry around until last period. I told her sure she could and I took the bag and started to put it on the floor with other student's projects that had been turned in for other classes. She quickly, in somewhat of a demanding voice said, "no no, don't put it on the floor." At first I thought she was being a little defiant, but something told me from her face that wasn't the case. I said to her, "oh, is this a religious symbol or belief? Is that why it can't go on the floor?" She looked relieved as she nodded and said "yes." I said "sure, I'll put it right here on the table then." Again, I might not understand and in some cases agree with all religions/beliefs, but surely we can all respect everyone elses. I think most people do, don't you?


TIS