Elshadai Aberra | Web Editor-in-Chief

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Despite what you may think after reading this article, no, I am not the grinch. I am just your average thoughtful and considerate gen Z kid, looking to make America a more accepting place each and every day. You may ask, “what
does Christmas have to do with that, Elshadai?” Well, let me educate you.

Imagine you walk into a random public place and it absolutely, not just throws up, yet projectile vomits Christmas.
For those of you average Christian American readers, I imagine that doesn’t faze you. Well, it is America, and
what’s America without Christmas, right? Wrong.

America, though composed of 70.6 percent Christians, is a land of many religions, most of which do not believe in
Jesus Christ, let alone Christmas. Of course, the members of those other religions could just “suck it up” and
withheld the overwhelming Christian music and decorations every year, but why should they? It’s not like Christians
have Hannukah or Ramadan shoved in their face, so why not pay that same respect to members of other religions?

Now’s the part where you preach “America is a free country.” Yes, it is, that’s actually a major reason why my
family immigrated here in 2004 along with a multitude of other immigrants. Actually, it’s a major reason why
America’s not only the land of the free but the land of immigrants, and believe it or not, a lot of those immigrants
are not Christians and do not appreciate being projectile vomited on with Christian Christmas decorations and
traditions! Crazy concept, right? That everyone’s not just like you and may not appreciate having your beliefs
subliminally forced upon them?

Again, I am not the Grinch! I love the holiday season myself. I love the jolliness and general warmth it brings to
everyone’s hearts, I love gift shopping, I love leaving cookies for Santa every Christmas Eve, and I most definitely
love reassuring my sisters Santa brought them their presents every Dec. 25 despite having helped my mom wrap all
of them the night before. But do I tell the patrons that walk into the library I work at “Merry Christmas” every day?
Of course not. Not because I hope Santa leaves them coal in their stockings, but because I know not everyone has
stockings or believes in Santa because not everyone’s Christian.

I know what you’re wondering, what your mind is begging to know: how do I manage to spread that jolliness and
general warmth I love so much during the holiday season? What could I possibly say to the patrons at my library in
substitution of “Merry Christmas?” Calm down, let me to tell you- the secret is, I simply wish those around me
“Happy Holidays,” whether I be at work, the grocery store, or school. Crazy, I know, but guess what! You can do it
too!

So, I encourage you, more than likely average Christian American reader, to wish those around you “Happy
Holidays” and to refrain from putting up Christmas decorations or playing Christmas music at your public
businesses. Not just because some random 17 year old girl told you to in a newspaper article, but out of respect for
those different from you.