Happy Hanukkah

So I recently started working for Best Buy as "Loss Prevention." That's basically an overblown title for the guy who stands up front and greets all the customers, checks receipts, and follows you around with cameras and sends employees to bother you incessantly if you look suspicious.

Well, last night, it was near closing, and an older couple was waiting for their son to check out. I suppose the father got bored, because he came over after wandering around aimlessly in the register area, and asked me where the 'Merry Christmas' signs were. I looked up and said, "We have our 'Happier Holidays' signs," pointing to them with a smile. "What about Christmas?" he asked, and seemed a little perturbed with me. I told him we hadn't been provided with any, though we did have our Christmas music (which had been blaring from speakers above my head for 8 hours O_O). He shook his head at me and started rambling. "If your bosses don't believe in Christmas then they're not Christians..." He continued on at some length before wandering off in somewhat of a fit. I admit that I stopped listening to him after that first phrase. Sometimes, when you deal with Customer Service, not listening is the best way to maintain sanity, and stay out of trouble.

I heard a news story on the radio recently, as well, that Utah Senator Chris Butters was proposing a bill to promote the use of Christmas in public places to "combat the war on Christmas."

War on Christmas? Eh? Last time I checked, Christmas was the biggest...thing...of the year. I realize that a lot of it is commercial (I've adopted the title of "Annual Debt Renewal Season"), but still. It's not like, for the Christians of the nation, Christmas is in some kind of decline. That businesses insist on saying "Happy Holidays" rather than "Merry Christmas" doesn't mean that its owners or employees have anything against Christmas. They just want to avoid insulting those Americans that don't follow the Christian faith, and there are plenty. (I'm not sure myself why "Merry Christmas" would insult someone of another faith. As you are simply wishing them a happy season, in my opinion, but they may have their reasons. I, personally, would not be insulted if you wished me a Happy Hanukkah or Kwanza). You could look at it the other way, as well. "Happy Holidays" could be a very Christian thing to say, in the right context. You could argue, because there are so many different religious holidays this time of year, that saying "Happy Holidays" embraces the Christian ideal of acceptance by recognizing those other events.

Anyways, what are your thoughts on the "War of Christmas" or have you even seen anything like this?

Happy Holidays.