There's no place like court for the holidays

December 20, 12:38 PMBoston Independent ExaminerKeith Raboin

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Oh, how I love festive people. The spirit of the winter holidays sure is strong! Now, aside from our friend from Vermont's clear Freudian Phallus-Issues, it may be a question at this point of is it politically correct to be happy? I hate it every time I walk around a corner, and I see people having fun playing Risk. I hate Risk, it's a dumb game and in my digital culture it takes far too long! It's downright offensive that they can have the gall to enjoy a game that I cannot!

Ok, maybe a board game that takes too long to finish, let alone enjoy, isn't the best example, but can you see what I'm trying to represent? Everyone is getting a little too touchy about our holidays. Now, I can understand saying "happy holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas!" There are, indeed, several holidays around this time. I personally, however, do not take offense when I am told anything other than "Merry Christmas." It's not the least bit offensive, I think, to be wished happiness and good times in relation to someone else's custom.  On that note, it's becoming more of a competition. Let's take Hanukkah. In the Jewish tradition, Hanukkah is one of their smaller holidays. It's a day of remembrance and is dwarfed by others such as Yom Kippur. If you ask most people outside of the Jewish faith, however, they will say Hanukkah is their biggest holiday. Why is that, you may ask? That's because of its near-competition with Christmas. The fact there is competition between 2 faiths, something you don't transition between lightly, is a bit absurd, but it seems to play out that way. Christmas in itself is a commercial holiday, with stores extending hours for it and people saving all year to buy Christmas gifts. What makes people happier than receiving gifts for someone else's birthday? Hanukkah, not to be upstaged by this, has followed the commercialization tradition of most holidays, and now there is often gifts to be exchanged on the various days of Hanukkah.

The most perplexing, to me at least, is the fact that none of the holidays at this time of year are actively exclusionary. Several weeks ago, there was a large Kwanzaa dinner at my school. Kwanzaa, being a celebration of African heritage, seems to not be intended for someone as Canadian as myself. However, once I entered the event, everyone there could not be more welcoming. The food was shared, along with cultural performances and songs, and not an ill glance my way. The Christmas holidays are a time for joy and sharing with family and friends, and above all, some damn good food.

That said, I'm giving an open invitation to my Christmas party! It is welcome to Christians, Jews, Muslims, Taoists, Autobots, Decepticons, White Supremacists, Ancient Mayans, the Pope, the President, and Jesus Himself. The man seems to be remarkably absent from his own birthday! Ok, maybe not white supremacists. What you guys did to my bathroom last year was downright unacceptable.