Love your candy cane Jaywalkers. How fun!

Um, why "most certainly Happy Solstice"? Some of us actually celebrate that, you know, as a religious holiday. Actually, what's wrong with trying to be a little inclusive, especially at this time of year? :( I like your blog, and I really hope you were trying to be funny, not offensive.

hey sandra, thanks for passing on the link for "a christmas memory." i'd never heard or read that story before, but it's lovely (and so are your jaywalkers, bien sur).

I hope you understand that I don't go out of my way to offend people. I'm not a Christian but I am a stickler to the Golden Rule. I try to be, anyways. :P

However, I stand by everything I said. There seemed to be this really bizarre need this Christmas season to make sure that no one felt left out and excluded. Everyone was going out of their way to make sure that the "C" word was never, ever uttered. My response to this whole phenomenon was: Why? (Well, I guess "Huh?" would be more accurate, actually.) There is a reason why we all get time off, get bonuses at our jobs, and exchange cards and gifts this time of year. And it isn't because the shortest day of the year is upon us.

Look, I don't celebrate any holiday in the month of December. I cleaned my room, balanced my checkbook and watched a DVD with my family on Christmas Day. And I'm fine with that. I don't feel all sad because I'm apparently being left out of all the holiday fun. Nor am I anymore grateful that people are apparently being real open-minded and considerate now in wishing me a "Happy Holiday" as opposed to a "Merry Christmas." All this politcal correctness strikes me as corny and really tedious.

We live in a country where the overwhelming population celebrate Christmas (about 96% last time I checked). I just take this time of year in stride and figure it comes all in part with living here. I don't expect the vast majority of people to bend over backwards to make sure non-Christmas-ites like me are not "offended." Just like the way I expect the same vast majority of people to leave me the hell alone when I go meet up with my family to celebrate the Lunar New Year or Chusok (Korean Thanksgiving). Whatever happened to diversity? I thought that was what made America all great and crap in the first place.

And as for the "most certainly Happy Solstice" part, I was referring to the fact that people seem to be using the term "solstice" in place of "Christmas" now. Hence all the Solstice pageants, concerts, and celebrations that seem to be popping all over the place these days. Like "Yay, it's winter so that's why we're all so filled with joy and buying each other materialistic crap, hooray! And everyone can appreciate that it's winter, right? RIGHT?!" Unless you are a hard-core neopagan, I don't get why you would feel offended by that remark. And even then, I still have a hard time getting it.

Anyhoo, I didn't mean to start any trouble with this post. And I certainly didn't want anyone busting out their sad smileys. ;) I was letting off some steam at the time. I really do appreciate that you like my blog. Either way, I think it's safe to wish you and everyone a very happy and healthy new year. :)

And I shall leave it at that.