Murphy's Logic: A Merry Christmas is good for everyone
December is a month of many celebrations -- Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, the pagan season of Yule.
Most of us celebrate one, or more, of them for religious and/or cultural reasons.
Christmas is by far the most widely observed in our part of the world. Although deeply religious in origin and still widely in practice, it is also a season of civil importance and economic impact -- the backbone of the retail sector.
One need not be a theologian to see the irony in exploiting the birth of Jesus to sell stuff -- it’s gone way beyond gift-giving, and now well beyond Christianity.
But for all of its retail and other excesses, the season still brings out the very best in people. We see more acts of charity and kindness at this time of year than practically any other, and not just among practising Christians, for whom the season retains its deep and special meaning.
It’s appropriate to recognize, respect and acknowledge religious days of great importance to others.
But in our society, one need not be of Christian tradition to wish someone a “Merry Christmas,” nor should such a greeting cause offence to those who do not observe the religious holiday.
A Merry Christmas is good for everyone.
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