I say "have a happy holiday" if I don't know that person's religious beliefs. I don't think there is anything wrong with recognizing the fact that there are many people of all races, nationalities, religions and cultures in our country. However, I certainly am not offended at all if I'm told to have a Merry Christmas and don't know anyone who is. It's the politicians and radical groups who started all this silly controversy.

I grew up in a Jewish family and my parents spoke Yiddish and were very ethnic. We certainly didn't have a Christmas tree and we lit the Menorah for 8 days. Mom & Dad would sit down with a long list of friends and neighbors and send out lots of Christmas cards. No, the cards didn't have a picture of Jesus in the manger, but they were still cards to wish everyone a joyous holiday season. Does it really matter what words you use? Some years I'd join the neighborhood kids and go caroling. I keep hearing how people get offended by "Merry Christmas" and in 56 years I've never heard anyone complain about that. I guess that's because none of the people I know are running for office or bending over backwards to be politically correct.

Justx, I heard the Hanakkah song by Adam Sandler for the first time last year. It is so cool. I love it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mwa0u1anSwY

Tenaj, I heard it on the radio once. I just hope nobody takes it seriously. Think it was from SNL but not too sure. I thought the OJ part was funny and Harrison Ford - not too shabby!

I was thikning about this article Mike posted. Roland Martin is a good journalist & author, but I've been hearing about society and how Americans no longer have the spirit for 30 years and I don't totally agree. I think what is happening is the gap between the rich and the poor has widened so much that the former middle class has so much less. The majority of charitable donations come from people who aren't rich at all. Everyday I read about kindness, generosity and heroic acts of selflessness. A principal in NH is donating his kidney to his 13 year old student. Can you think of a better gift? Last month our local Salvation Army was robbed and all the toys were taken. As soon as the story hit the newspaper, local businesses donated money and gifts and toy drives raised enough money to replace the stolen toys. Everytime there's a disaster we see people rushing to the aid of their neighbors.

Also, shopping is good for our economy. One thing people who say "don't shop" might not realize is when people stop shopping, thousands of others lose their jobs and the effect trickles down from the managers to the salespeople to the customer service department to the receptionist. The truck drivers and the people in the warehouse also lose their jobs. This is something I know firsthand. I've worked in 3 stores that closed because of the economy. One store employed a couple of men who were mentally challenged and they helped load and unload the trucks. When that store closed, they lost their jobs too. Since almost everything is being made in China these days and so many jobs have been outsourced, the one thing we don't need is for the American consumer to stop supporting local businesses.

The Christmas season was a magical time for me when I was little. Once Santa gave me a sewing kit and I couldn't figure out how he knew that's what I asked for. It was at a neighborhood party and to this day I don't remember anyone telling me I couldn't sit on Santa's lap. I knew Christmas wasn't our holiday, but it wasn't a big deal if I joined the other kids and had fun. I honestly can't remember what I was told about Santa. My maternal grandfather who came here from Russia with only the clothes on his back and left the earth with about the same, would take my sister and me to Boston (that was the pre-mall era!) and when it got dark we'd watch the displays in the windows - dancing dolls, Santa & his helpers, electric trains..just really a cool sight for kids. Yet there was never a teeny doubt that we celebrated a different holiday. I think this current administration & the fundamentalists have actually torn people apart by preaching religion and using the word "Christian" to symbolize political viewpoints instead of spiritual commitments. I hope I don't offend a member by this, but don't let my upbringing fool anyone. I've spent many adulthood hours in churches and read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. Just look at history - there is nothing in the Bible telling people to celebrate the birth of Jesus, only to commemorate his death and sacrifice. That's why when people say Christmas is too commercial, it's because it was design after a pagan tradition. Jesus always said not to worship idols.   

"Thus saith the Lord, learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the ax. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not." --- Jeremiah 10

Anyway, thanks for the video - really cute - and have a Blessed Day Tuesday & everyday.

I liked the Spark and Captain Kirk part of the song. I'm glad your Christmas childhood was so nice Justx. Mine was too. We were poor but all we needed in our house was a Monopoly board and for me - a set of Jacks.

You are so right about this:

I think this current administration & the fundamentalists have actually torn people apart by preaching religion and using the word "Christian" to symbolize political viewpoints instead of spiritual commitments.

People since the beginning of time have always been torn apart, the politicians just take advantage of it and Christianity has always been abused throughout history to justify wrong doings. But in our genre the sad thing is that many times the Christian vote has put the wrong person in office (twice) with their hatred of other people but they claim to be Christians and even worst are the other people who don't have a pot to piss in with conservative views and chose not to vote for the candidate that will help create a government for the people, better jobs, food to feed their children, keep the jobs in the country,etc.

But worst than the Christians are the people who chose the candidate that was for greasing the palm of the rich, the federal reserve and big businesses because they were afraid any democracy might help a minority or a slacker might get a free ride. Look where that hatred got us - over $3.00 a gallon for gas, Federal Reserve take over (which is not government) and big business take over of our government. Our woes in this country are all because of our own hatred for each other and the politicians play us like a tune.

All a candidate had to say was that they would put gay people on an island or something and not let them get married. They will tell gay people they can get married and it always worked like a charm, the gay people would start marching and scare the haters right before the election and bam that candidate shock the bushes.

But a lot of Christians have wised up since and I am so glad. That won't work any more. Look what happened in the primaries? I'm still laughing. More than half of them wised up. So maybe there's so hope yet.

I agree. I hope the Who's "We won't get fooled again" is a song people are singing to themselves. I was surprised in 2000 but shocked in 2004.

I skipped a lot, because it's too personal. My childhood wasn't happy. But those are some very warm memories and proves, like you said, you don't need to be wealthy to have fun. I'm not a parent of young children, but I bet it's much tougher these days with all the technology. We had a round black & white 9" TV that was set in a cabinet. Now my 2004 32" color set with a digital tube is obsolete because it's a tube and not widescreen and not HDTV. The composite & S-video connections works great for DVDs but components are supposed to be better. It's like my CRT monitor - loved it until I got my laptop with LCD. Everything is better, newer, brighter, bigger, faster....that's the world we live in. "Softer" is okay since I bought some cheap tissues last week and my nose hurts. LOL

Hanukkah~

Some people spell it with a "C'
Chanukkah. Festival of Lights.