it's just a diversion!

merry christmas or happy holidays?

yeah i wasn't even gonna justify this debate with an opinion of my own, but i'll point out what my 7th graders said:

"saying happy holidays might make people confused. how do you know that they wouldn't be talkin about halloween or something?"

"i'd say happy holidays. that way, you can say it to everyone and be respectful of their beliefs."

"i'd say merry christmas because i'm catholic and that's what i celebrate. you shouldn't get offended if someone says that to you. if someone were to say happy chanukka to me, i wouldn't be offended."

my conclusion on this "newsworthy" debate is that it doesn't matter what you're celebrating this season. the whole idea is to be happy about whichever occasion you honour. i don't recall a particular event in december where it's required to promote segregation and hatred towards those who are different. maybe it's a typical sentiment in some places regardless of the occasion. what bugs me about this whole thing is that because it's in the news, the kids are getting asked about it too. is the goal for them to grow up to be even more self-conscious than they already are? i tell you, there are some higher-powers out there who love to fuel insecurity and uncertainty in other people's lives. haters.

however, i must say, i like it that my kids think the way they do. for a bunch of 11 and 12 year olds, they're pretty open-minded. not once did i hear them say anything that implied one thing is better than the other. they found positive things about both sayings. i hope the society they grow up in helps nurture their open-mindedness rather than suppress it.