The Spirit of the Season
At this time of year (December), some people get anxious about the proper way to greet others. “Should I say Happy Holidays or Merry Christmas or what?”
The best way to make it a non-issue is to speak from the heart. It’s not about what you say but how you say it. The purpose of a greeting is to say: “I see you and want to give you my best wishes.” The purpose is to make a connection.
This isn’t about political correctness. It’s about awareness of the other and that the other person might celebrate something different (or the same thing differently) than we do.
When we say to a friend: “Hey, you must be so happy that your sports team won the game!” we are showing that we know what the other person cares about. So, too, with holiday greetings. When we know what another person celebrates (be it a holiday or a sports team), we honor that person by acknowledging it and greeting them appropriately. When we don’t know, a more generic greeting can convey the same good wishes. What matters is that we speak from the heart.
Greetings are a way to engage and connect. When you keep the focus there, the path forward is clear. At the root of it all, we are sharing joy.
———
Copyright © 2018 Sharon V. Kristjanson. All rights reserved.