The Spirit of Christmas

So many people, so many holidays, so many greetings ~ and so many people willing to be offended if the greeting is not to their liking. *Sigh* What's a person to say? Well, I think my grandson has the answer. 

This young man, well, still young in my eyes, a college student, and a professional who works the front desk of a motel in a resort town, really understands what it means to have the spirit of Christmas when greeting folks who come to his motel. I will let him speak for himself: 

Instead of rolling the dice and possibly offending someone with the wrong seasonal greetings, I've started asking people what they celebrate. Since then, I've been told to have a happy holiday, a merry Christmas, a happy al-Adha, and a blessed Solstice. This is my new favorite way to talk to people at the holidays.

I was asking myself why everyone in the service industry doesn't do this. It's because my job makes it possible and preferable to interact more with the customer. We establish a rapport and make small talk while I do my job. The woman at Subway or the guy at Walmart don't have jobs that let them do that. So I recognize how lucky I am to be in that position. (Joshua Supelana-Mix)

He tells me that al-Adha is a Muslim holiday that does not correspond to Christmas nor is celebrated in December but the man was so thrilled to be able to talk about it that it was the greeting he gave Joshua and that Joshua returned. 

I am suggesting it would be wonderful if we all cared enough about other people to ask what they celebrate and listen to their story and respond in kind. And if that is not possible, then I suggest we be very grateful if someone passing on the street cares enough to wish us happy holidays or happy anything else that brings the spirit of celebration into our lives.