Christmas 2011

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to All

It’s the Christmas Season and I wanted to take this time to wish all my readers regardless of their religious beliefs all the best during this time of celebration and giving.

Many Christians decry that this season has lost its meaning.  They cite not only the commercialization of this very sacred holiday, but also take issue with the generic “Holiday Season Greetings” that are displayed so often nowadays.  I look at this differently.  Christmas hasn’t lost its meaning, and those of other faiths—or even no faith at all—are perfectly aware of the true meaning of this holiday.  Yet many of other faiths choose to get into the holiday spirit and partake in the traditions of gift giving, fellowship, and family anyway.  This is not something warranting disdain.  It is rather something to be celebrated.

I have friends who are Jewish.  I have friends who are Muslim.  I have friends who are Hindu.  I’ve had friends in the past, back when I lived in Japan many long years ago, who were practitioners of Shinto and Buddhism.  I have friends who are atheist.  The one thing all these friends shared with me was an understanding of the meaning of Christmas and an eagerness to partake of some of its traditions.  And for that I thank them and admire both their tolerance and their respect for others.

Likewise, I enjoy granting to my friends of other faiths my best wishes during their religious holidays, and I try to learn and respect their traditions as well.  I make sure my guests’ menus honor dietary restrictions.  I wait for sunset during Ramadan before serving food or refreshments to my Islamic friends whom I’ve invited into our house for dinner.  And if I’m unsure, I ask questions so as to avoid unintentional offense whenever I invite people into my home to dine.  I’ve learned much as a direct consequence of these practices over the years.

So, to all my friends and followers of this blog, I would like to wish all the best this holiday season, regardless of your religious faith.  And I would like to thank all who have embraced some of the traditions of Christmas and incorporated those traditions into your own homes and among your friends and family during this most joyous season.  I hope you find me at least as tolerant of your beliefs as you have been of mine.