It's the same ol' issue every year!!!

It's December!!  That's an awesome, December means Christmas and my birthday!!!  Although I appreciate my birthday being in December, I haven't always appreciated it.  When I was a kid, I always got ripped off.  My birthday parties were smaller because money was tighter during the holidays.  I absolutely hated that most years I got one present for both Christmas and my birthday. My brothers all had birthdays months away from Christmas so they got the bigger parties and 2 presents for the 2 events...them lucky boys!!   Having my birthday exactly a week before Christmas wasn't always a blessing, at least not in my mind.  Now, it is.  I love the change of seasons, warm comfort food, hot chocolate, all the Christmas decorations and parties.  Call it age, but staying home with loved ones on a cold December's night while eating warm comfort food and drinking hot chocolate (possible with a little Baileys) has become the best way to spend my birthday :)

There is another December tradition I'm not so fond of.  Since the schools have pushed God out, they get very upset if you use words like "Merry Christmas".  Both of my children have been in trouble for saying this in school at one time or another.  I have had to correct teachers, principles, and other school employees on this.  Don't misunderstand me here, I have the highest respect for those who educate our youth, that's one tough job.  There are issues, like with the rest of us, the "school officials" are simply wrong on.  On the occasions my children have been told not to wish someone a Merry Christmas because it will offend someone and religious holidays aren't allowed in our schools.  That little rule only lasted as long as it took me to get to the school and correct everyone.  First of all, Separation of Church and State is NOT in the Constitution.  I've had to explain this to a history teacher at one time.  Separation of Church and State is in a writing by Thomas Jefferson and all it was meant to say was the state can not tell the church how to worship.  Here is an excerpt from his letter:

"I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should 'make no law respecting an establishment of religion, prohibiting the free exercise thereof,' thus building a wall of separation between church and State."



The "wall" was a metaphor for keeping government form interfering with religious practice.  He references the First Amendment in his writing however, Separation of Church in State isn't in the First Amendment as so many tried to make me believe.  In fact, the Amendment puts restrictions on the government, NOT the people.  What we think of as Separation of Church and State today is a total misinterpretation.  The Constitution however, does protect our right to free speech and freedom of religion.  Therefore, my kids CAN and WILL without punishment say the words "Merry Christmas".

Of course, we want to teach our kids to be respectful of others.  They will say "Happy Hanukkah" or "Happy Holidays" when they are aware of another person's different beliefs.  They also are not offended if someone says the same to them.  It's all meant to with someone well and no one can take that right away Isn't that more important than some uptight prick getting all bent out of shape over someone wishing him a Merry Christmas??

Happy Hanukkah
Merry Christmas
Happy Holidays
Feliz Natividad

Have a blessed Holiday Season!!!