Re: Christmas Day Meeting Schedual?

David Bowie wrote:

> I gave one of the speeches, and as a result got still more anecdotal
> evidence for my suspicion that the Merry Christmas vs. Happy Holidays
> controversy that gripped so much of the editorial page space in the US
> during December really just doesn't matter to most Mormons.

As far as the stores go, I have to say I'm actually pretty glad that
most or all of them have stopped tying in what's become a pretty
spiritual time of year to me, in order to sell me stuff. In other words,
they've finally stopped *defacing* Christmas.

(Is anyone else frustrated with the banal mix of Christmas music which
began on November *1st* on certain radio stations around the country?)

Our ward's main speaker addressed the issue directly in his talk, by
paraphrasing a New Testament scripture, "Not all those who say Merry
Chirstmas! Merry Christmas! are heirs to the Kingdom of Heaven" and
other such riffs on the idea.

The basic thrust of his talk was that if you didn't mean the "Merry" in
"Merry Christmas", then what's the point of wishing it, y'know?

I switched to "Have a good holiday" years ago, just because I can no
longer tell at a glance who around me would prefer "Happy Christmas" and
who might prefer "Merry Chanukah" or whatever. It seemed, literally,
more inclusive, while at the same time just returning a genuine "thank
you" to whatever people say to me.

I know as a Mormon (and I mean this not just as an obMormon tie-in) it
just doesn't matter to me whether or not someone pushes a generic
holiday salutation, or one specific to Christmas. As I look at the
tradition of Christmas among Mormons over the course of the history of
the Church, I see it more as an excuse to party than a liturgical
requirement.

Sort of a, "Fetch yeah! And also to you!" kind of thing.

Rob, loudly clearing his throat

.