A Christmas throwback from 2015:

Merry Christmas and I mean it.  I like saying it.  Something about it makes me feel good and I suspect that’s true for a lot of people.

Saying Merry Christmas is not a political issue.  It is a simple wish for peace or joy or happiness, if only for a season or just one day.

If you find it offensive, you need to grow up.

Whether you’re a Jew, Muslim, Shaolin monk or an atheist, you should accept those good wishes like you would any other.  Consider it a once-a-year elevation of the mundane, Have a nice day.

Wishing someone Merry Christmas isn’t like proselytizing.  No one’s trying to foist their religious beliefs on you.  It’s not about religion at all.

Santa Claus has nothing to do with anyone’s faith.  He’s just a guy in in a cool outfit who comes down your chimney to give you presents.  You don’t even have to lose any teeth to summon him.

There’s no litmus test for being merry.  You don’t have to believe in Jesus or God or anything to enjoy the spirit of Christmas.  Even terrorists can get into it.

All you have do, Achmed, is chill out for a day.  You can always blow yourself to kingdom come after New Years.

Earth can be an unwelcoming place, so a day when people wish each other well should be cherished.  Merry Christmas is both simple and exquisite.

We wish each other a happy 4th of July without considering the social impact of the Boston Tea Party.  Most people don’t know the significance of Labor or Memorial Days, but they still tell you to have a good one.

Even people who hate the Irish wish each other a happy St. Patrick’s Day.  Most of us will never even know the joy of puking on Rush Street.

Growing up Jewish, we always searched out friends who celebrated Christmas, just so we could horn in on their festivities.

Still have fond memories of Christmas Eve with the Chelemengos clan.

Even as an atheist, I take comfort in those magical words.  Sometimes I try to imagine what it would be like if we all worked a tad harder to spread a little joy.

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