As the Christmas season is upon us we are reading a book to our children about Advent and the different aspects of the holiday. This week we learned about the various greetings usually said this time of year and their meanings. I know that there was been some controversy about different clothing stores using different greetings and well wishes in their ads. Some people are actually refusing to shop at this stores because of the greeting they chose. So let’s take a minute to examine these familiar sayings.
“Season’s Greetings” simply says, “Welcome to the season”. That season you are wanting to greet may be just winter, or more formal such as Christmas, Chanukah, or Kwanza or maybe even the season of hustle and bustle. But whatever the season is you are simply saying “Hello” to it. Maybe the department stores are simply saying “Greetings to the shopping season.”
“Happy Holidays” is a celebratory term. Think “happy birthday.” Holiday actually means holy day usually referring to a day of vacation. Therefore this greeting literally means “let’s celebrate because I have a day off of work!” Again, it is possible that the stores are suggesting that you come shopping on your day off.
“Merry X-mas” is a term that used to really get under my skin. I loathed it when people would write this on their boxes of decorations in the attic and garage. However, I recently have come to learn that “X” is actually the first letter of “Christ” is His native language- Greek. Unfortunately, most of us do not know Greek and should not use this well-known abbreviation. Using it may relay as one of two messages. Either we want to take the “Christ” out of Christmas or we are just too lazy to write out the whole name (all six letters!) of the only person ever willing and able to die for our sins. I would assume the stores use this greeting because of the former and the rest of us because of the latter.
Finally, is the greeting of “Merry Christmas” that is often used. (Not to be confused with “Mary Christmas” which my 5 year old swears is how it is said and spelled. “because Mary was there at Christmas! Duh!”) “Merry”, of course, means cheerful. Delightful. Laughing. Fun. And we would all agree that “Christmas” is the day we celebrate Jesus coming to earth to teach, preach and love. I am not sure if I have actually seen any advertisements use this one but if they did I hope they know what they are saying.
I hope that we all know what we are saying. There are days I may wish you “Season’s Greetings” because I want to welcome in the winter as it is the only way to get spring. I also know that I am looking forward to some “Happy Holidays” so that Matt can spend some time at home with me and the kids. I have finally allowed myself to write “X-mas” on our calendar of events due to lack of space but with full respect for my Savior. But this year, I want to be more careful when I say “Merry Christmas”. I want to really mean it. I want to say “I hope you are joyful and glad that Jesus came.” I additionally want to wish everyone “a cheerful, fun, exciting season as we celebrate his birth” as the phrase leaves my mouth and enters your ears.
I also want to have a Merry Christmas. I want to spend time with family in celebration with joy and gladness. To spend the day remembering why we are together instead of focusing on what store used what term in their ad and banning certain ones from our places to shop. As the old cliché goes: Let’s remember the reason for the season. I mean really remember.
So to everyone… I hope you have a Merry Christmas… literally!
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