jocose
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I live in a Christian country and a Christian world. I accept that. As a matter of fact, I love Christmas time because I honestly believe that from Thanksgiving to Epiphany (or a little thereafter) people are genuinely nice and sincere when they wish you a happy holiday.
I personally have no problem when strangers wish me a Merry Christmas. I mean, when I'm at the store, I don't expect the person behind the counter to say "If you are a Christian, Merry Christmas, if you are Jewish, Happy Chanukah, if you are a Muslim, Good Ramadan, if you are an African American, a Splendid Kwanza." I just don't want to talk to them for that long, so it's just easier just to accept that it's a Christian world and smile and say Merry Christmas back. Besides, they are trying to be friendly.
So, those who know I'm Jewish (and who couldn't really), never really know what to say to me. They always get so uncomfortable and ask if they are supposed to wish me a Merry Christmas, or what they should say. If I like them, I tell them they can either wish me a happy holiday or a happy Chanukah.
What really annoys me though, are the clueless ones. One of our secretaries (not the brightest bulb on the tree) said to me the other day, "So, your Jewish, right? So you don't celebrate Christmas, right?" To which I replied, "correct." Then she said, "Well, what do you do on Christmas." I told her that like all Jews in the US, I will probably watch a movie and get Chinese food (actually, I usually get sushi or Indian, but I thought that would be too much for her). She pauses for a moment, in what I can only assume was deep thought, and says, "Well, you do have Christmas dinner with your family, right?" And I politely said, "No, it's not our holiday. It's just another day for me." After another brief pause, she started in again, "You don't have Christmas dinner? Well, I guess you don't even have a Christmas tree." Again, I tried to be as polite as possible, and said, "Well, no. I don't have a tree, either. These things really aren't part of my religious traditions." Then she turned away; clearly she was done with me, and mumbled to herself, "I don't know what harm there is in having a Christmas tree."
So, this got me to wondering. I assume that I'm not the only Jew on the Forum, and I was wondering what other interesting experiences my fellow Tribesmen have had with similiar experiences.
Oh, and I have more stories if you want.
I personally have no problem when strangers wish me a Merry Christmas. I mean, when I'm at the store, I don't expect the person behind the counter to say "If you are a Christian, Merry Christmas, if you are Jewish, Happy Chanukah, if you are a Muslim, Good Ramadan, if you are an African American, a Splendid Kwanza." I just don't want to talk to them for that long, so it's just easier just to accept that it's a Christian world and smile and say Merry Christmas back. Besides, they are trying to be friendly.
So, those who know I'm Jewish (and who couldn't really), never really know what to say to me. They always get so uncomfortable and ask if they are supposed to wish me a Merry Christmas, or what they should say. If I like them, I tell them they can either wish me a happy holiday or a happy Chanukah.
What really annoys me though, are the clueless ones. One of our secretaries (not the brightest bulb on the tree) said to me the other day, "So, your Jewish, right? So you don't celebrate Christmas, right?" To which I replied, "correct." Then she said, "Well, what do you do on Christmas." I told her that like all Jews in the US, I will probably watch a movie and get Chinese food (actually, I usually get sushi or Indian, but I thought that would be too much for her). She pauses for a moment, in what I can only assume was deep thought, and says, "Well, you do have Christmas dinner with your family, right?" And I politely said, "No, it's not our holiday. It's just another day for me." After another brief pause, she started in again, "You don't have Christmas dinner? Well, I guess you don't even have a Christmas tree." Again, I tried to be as polite as possible, and said, "Well, no. I don't have a tree, either. These things really aren't part of my religious traditions." Then she turned away; clearly she was done with me, and mumbled to herself, "I don't know what harm there is in having a Christmas tree."
So, this got me to wondering. I assume that I'm not the only Jew on the Forum, and I was wondering what other interesting experiences my fellow Tribesmen have had with similiar experiences.
Oh, and I have more stories if you want.