Happy Holydays

Whether due to excessive political correctness or sensitivity in a pluralistic and multicultural society, people have been using the phrases “Happy Holidays” and “Season’s Greetings” rather than “Merry Christmas.” And, for some reason, certain Christians are upset about this. (It reminds me of when people get upset about the use of “Xmas,” but I suppose that is a topic for another blog). Personally I like hearing Season’s Greetings or seeing Happy Holidays on billboards and signs (Or, in less educated parts of the country, “Happy Holiday’s”). “Season’s Greetings” reminds me that the time before Christmas is a time of preparation for Christmas. We Lutherans observe the weeks before Christmas as the Season of Advent. For us, it marks the beginning of the church year, and it happens to be my favorite season, perhaps even more so than Christmas. The greeting “Happy Holidays” reminds me of the many “holy days” during the months of December and January. Here are a few of my favorites: St. Nicholas Day St. Nicholas day is Dec. 6. This day commemorates Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, in modern day Turkey. Nicholas is remembered for his gift giving and a number of stories tell of his secret generosity to three poor sisters. Many of our Santa Claus traditions come from St. Nicholas. Some families observe the day by setting out shoes or hanging stockings on Dec. 5, then children awake on St. Nicholas Day to find them filled with candy or gifts. Since it is early in the Advent season, St. Nicholas Day is also an appropriate day for decorating your Christmas tree. Merry TubaChristmas tm TubaChristmas has been celebrated in December each year since 1974. Columbus, Ohio, celebrated its 25th TubaChristmas on Dec. 17 this year. Each TubaChristmas event gathers tuba, sousaphone, and euphonium players together to play a selection from 33 Christmas carols, including your favorites like "Fum Fum Fum" and "Come Sweet Death." TubaChristmas was an annual tradition when I was in high school, and one year I won a prize for best costume or best decorated instrument. This year my brother, two high school friends, and I once again played in TubaChristmas. Boar's Head and Yule Log Festival One of my more recent traditions is attending the Boar's Head and Yule Log Festival at St. Paul United Methodist Church in Louisville. The Festival is usually after Christmas, and it provides a nice, quiet, and worshipful time after the busy holiday season. Notes from the Boar's Head program: "The history of the Boar's Head reaches back into the days of the Roman Empire. The boar was the first dish served at great Roman feasts. In Norman England, the boar was the sovereign of the great forests, a menace to man and a symbol of evil. The serving of the boar's head thus represents the triumph of Christ over evil, begun with his birth at Christmas and manifested as Savior of the whole creation at Epiphany. The festival has its roots in centuries of tradition, having been first presented at least as early as 1340 at Queen's College, Oxford, and in time becoming part of Christmas celebrations in the great Manor Houses of England. The custom of the Boar's Head and Yule Log Festival was carried to America, where the first performance took place at Hoosac School, Hoosac, New York, in 1888.