A compromise on ‘holiday’ greetings

Why ‘Happy Holidays’ doesn’t ring true, Dec. 8 It is a sad commentary on our times when we kowtow to the panderings of a vociferous segment of minority groups in our society — clearly a case of the tail wagging the dog.

A universal phrase like Christmas cannot simply be relegated to “Happy Holidays” in a milieu that predominantly embraces “Merry Christmas” and has done so for over a century. The Ontario premier and even the mayor seem to have succumbed to this trend. Changing with the times is hardly a tenable excuse, unless our leaders lack the gumption to adhere to entrenched tradition.

If they want to be politically correct, they could use an innocuous doublebarrelled “Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays” as a compromise, in their greetings. This applies to other public institutions and businesses as well. Armand Rodrigues, Toronto I am very disappointed with those seemingly politically correct expressions. They are unnecessary. Christmas has evolved into a cultural festival in Canada (and other countries) since the pioneer days. Many if not most children in Canada now associate Christmas with Santa Claus and presents under the Christmas tree, not the birth of Christ.

There are certainly religious people who celebrate Christmas in the religious tradition. We should respect that. However, all Canadians should embrace Christmas as Canadian cultural heritage, hence we have this statutory holiday.

Christmas Day is not a religious holiday. Hence we should not have statutory holidays for religious days for Jews, Muslims, Hindus and Chinese.

I don’t subscribe to any religious faith, but I do happily proclaim Merry Christmas to others whether they are Christians or not, and I celebrate Christmas like many Canadians because I have kids and now grandchildren. “Happy Holiday” denigrates our Canadian culture. Robert Yeung, Mississauga

Re

Diversity means the honouring of differences; their inclusion, not suppression. Raymond Peringer, Toronto