Why I won't turn off the Christmas Carols

I got an email from my corporate office this week stating that company wide, we don't have a policy on how to greet people for the holidays.  They don't specifically endorse "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays", but encouraged us to be cheerful and greet our guests with a smile.  How sad that they have to remind us to smile.  It's easy to get in holiday burn out mode working in the retail/service industry this time of year.  I have listened to so many people talk about Christmas and Thanksgiving when they are sitting in my stylist chair.  And what saddens me is probably 90% of the time, the only thing they are talking about is their Christmas list, or what they have or have yet to buy.  It's very easy to get caught up in all of that, I find myself doing it as well. That, I think, is why so many of us are "ready for the holidays to be over" or get so stressed out and burned out.  So when I get home, I crank my Pandora. (Pentatonix holiday station is the best!!) I know that Christmas music is another thing for people to get burned out on, but I'm not talking about cheesy Frosty the Snowman-ish music.

When you listen to most traditional Christmas music, rarely is it talking about the gifts, or the hustle and bustle of this time of year.  But it is talking about the cheer, the warm feelings, and more importantly, in line with the beliefs of our family, CHRIST.  They talk about the birth of Christ, and the religious aspect, and the family togetherness, which is what it is really all about. But being a Christian, I would never be offended if someone wished me a happy Hanukkah, or any other religious greeting.  In fact, I get more annoyed with the whole "seasons greetings".  We have created a society of a bunch of wimps who get their feelings hurt too easily.  When I wish someone a merry Christmas, it is not me forcing my beliefs on them, it is me trying to brighten their day.

So, whether it's Christmas, Hanukkah, or anything else that you might celebrate this time of year, shout it from the rooftops.  Say "Merry Christmas", or "Happy Hanukkah".  Because it shows you have cheer in your heart, and that's something this world needs a little more of.  And from the bottom of my heart....

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU AND YOURS!!!