An Escaped Christmas Tree

During a predawn run, another runner greeted me, “You look like an escaped Christmas Tree!” 

It was true. Thanks to my “Noxgear Tracer360”  multicolored, illuminated vest and headlamp, I was lit up like a Christmas tree!

December is chock full of holidays that are associated with light. Here are just a few:

Dec. 8: Rohatsu (Bodhi Day) — Buddhist

This holiday celebrates the historical Buddha’s decision and vow to sit under the Bodhi tree until he reached spiritual enlightenment.

Dec. 10 to 18: Hanukkah — Judaism

This is the eight-day Jewish festival of lights, which celebrates the Maccabean revolt in Egypt. Eight candles are lit with a menorah to honor the holiday.

Dec. 21: Solstice/Yule — Wicca/Pagan

Yule, otherwise known as the Winter Solstice, marks the longest night of the year. Since the night hours will only get shorter after that point, it is the symbolic end of the cold and dark winter and the return of light.

Dec. 25: Christmas — Christian

Christmas is a Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. It’s when Christians celebrate God’s love for the world through the birth of the Christ child: Jesus, the Light of the World.

Dec. 26 – Jan. 1: Kwanzaa – African American and Pan-African

Created by Maulana Karenga, Kwanzza is based on African harvest festival traditions. Each day of the celebration is dedicated to one of the seven principles of Kwanzaa and families come together each day to light a candle in honor of that day’s principle. 

Neptune Beach, Florida Town Center

Throughout December, I really enjoy all the festive, creative lighting – homes decorated with colored lights, inflatable characters and our local Deck the Chairs displays.

A fellow volunteer and I were talking about our love of Christmas lights when she said, “It upsets me when people say, ‘Happy Holidays.’ I always correct them by saying, “It's Merry Christmas.” Another volunteer chimed in, “I do, too. I know they don’t want us to say it, but I do.”

Lighten up!   Christmas is a federal holiday, the only federal holiday that honors a specific religion - Christianity. No one, except yourself, is stopping you from saying “Merry Christmas,” just like no one stops you from saying, “Happy Fourth of July” or “Thank you for your service” on Veterans' Day. Congress made Christmas a federal holiday. “They” will not prohibit you from saying. “Merry Christmas!”

The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution says “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech...”The First Amendment is not meant to promote one religion over any other, everyone in the United States has the right to practice their own religion, or no religion at all. Everyone in the United States also has the right to observe their own holidays and say the holiday greeting of their choice.

So why be upset if someone, usually a store clerk, says, “Happy Holidays?” Why insist that everyone use your preferred, December greeting? My preferred December greeting is “Merry Christmas,” but if someone greets me first with another December holiday greeting like, “Happy Holidays!” I respond, “Happy Holidays to you, too!” 

Lighten up! Perhaps that person who says, “Happy Holidays!” is simply acknowledging the fact that Christmas isn’t the only December holiday and wants you to enjoy your holiday, whatever it may be.

How did I respond to the runner's greeting - “You look like an escaped Christmas Tree!”?

Simple, I borrowed a line from Clark Griswold, “I hope this adds to your enjoyment of the holidays.”

The runner laughed and called over his shoulder, “Namaste!”

Perfect!