Happy Holidays, To You, and You, and Even You

Great Christmachanakwanzaka, my holiday challenges continue.



Normally when I buy holiday cards, I usually end up with some abstract dove design that says, "Peace on earth," or some other non-denominational crunchy granola saying. I have never had to think about how to include my non-Christian friends because my greetings have always been nicely vague in their sentiment.

I celebrate Christmas, but I'm also a Unitarian and have a strong need to be inclusive. It is one of my favorite things about this time of year - there's a little something for almost everyone to celebrate: Christmas, Solstice, Chanukah, Kwanza, and if all else fails, New Years. When else in the year do so many people get to rejoice together?

Well, this year, my main concern in choosing holiday cards was to find something adorably Australian to charm our friends and family at home. As I mentioned, I found cutsie-wootsy marsupialed cards that fit the bill. My cards this year are also serving as the sleeves for my wedding announcements, so I'm sending heaps. All was well and good until I got to my first Jewish friend on the list.

"Dear (Name)," I wrote. And then, I realized that the next line on the card was, "Merry Christmas!"

Hmmm ... first, I went into denial, not wanting to waste a card. I called into the other room to Partner-in-Crime, "Can I send a Christmas card to a Jewish friend?"

"How would you feel if you got a Chanukah card?" P-i-C replied.

"Kind of confused," I conceded.

"OK."

I knew he was right, and so off I trotted this afternoon to find some lovely non-denominational cards to supplement my Christmas stash.

I went to four stores and, literally could not find one card that did not say "Merry Christmas." Not a "Holiday Greetings," "Peace and Love," or "Thinking of you this Holiday Season" to be found. I got tricked a few times by some "Seasons Greetings," on the outside; but then, every time I looked for the inside greeting, it said "Merry Christmas."

There are plenty of places in the world where I would expect this, including countries with Christian state religions and the little Southern town I went to college in. But, here in Australia, I was quite surprised.

Here in Sydney, a high percentage of the population is immigrant, a very many of who are from Asian countries. Case in point, in the first store I looked in for holiday cards - the post office - every one of the counter workers was, if I may make a bold assumption based on clothing, Muslim. There were Jewish people on the First Fleet. Heck, the Prime Minister of this country is an atheist.

I don't mean to suggest that some insidious societal menace is to blame - I get the feeling that no one even thought about ordering non-denominational cards. Perhaps I just need to cast my net wider to other neighborhoods in Sydney; but still, color me surprised.

I mean, Merry Christmas and everything, but also Mele Kalikimaka, Feliz Navidad, Happy Chanukah, Joyous Kwanza, Bon Solstice D'Hiver, and a very Happy New Year to you.