Folks who know me or who have hung around here for a bit know that I'm a Buddhist. I'm an in-for-life, Buddhist-holiday-celebrating kind of Buddhist who abandoned western holidays long ago. But because of the beauty of diversity, I have friends and family who celebrate the December holidays... Christmas, Chanukkah, etc. Each year we will occasionally get cards and gifts from said friends and family. I'd like to say thank you, but also let y'all know that you needn't feel obligated to include us (my husband and I) in your list. It's not because we don't appreciate the sentiment, and it's not because we don't want to send you something kind in return, it's only that the idea of card and gift giving
in the name of Christmas doesn't apply to us. You send cards and gifts to people because they celebrate that holiday, and because you want to wish them a Merry Christmas. You needn't wish us a Merry Christmas since we don't celebrate Christmas. We won't be offended or feel shunned if you opted not to send a card or gift. And hey, just to complicate things, we don't celebrate western New Year either. Our "Christmas" is in February and it's a combo New Year and gift-giving holiday called
Losar. If you'd like to send a card then, with wishes for a prosperous and healthy new year, that'd be most welcome and appropriate.
With all that said, if you celebrate Christmas or Chanukkah or Winter Solstice, you may receive a card from us. Does that seem counter-intuitive? It shouldn't! It'd just be us sending you
our sentiments that we wish
you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year because
those are your holidays.* All this making sense? Same applies to presents. We buy presents for (some) friends and family in celebration of their holiday traditions. We also receive gifts, for which we're grateful, but that are truly unnecessary. We consider them blessings for which we are unworthy.** The sentiment which makes you want to send a card or gift a gift is blessing enough for us indeed. If, after all my explaining, you still want to send a card, please do. Your sentiment will be treasured, and saved in my scrapbook collection as a reminder of our friendship and your good wishes.
*whether religious or secular
**that said, I could use some argyle socks
5 comments:
Well said, and duly contemplated.
thanks for stopping by on my Wordless Wednesday. In answer to your question: it's a mystery as to what's in there. :-)
I send cards appropriate to the season and religious/culture orientation of the recipient. I am always amused when I receive an overtly Christian religious card for Christmas, as most folks know of my Buddhist leanings, or at the very least understand that I don't celebrate the birth of "our lord."
Christmas, however, as a pagan and secular holiday, I do celebrate. Peace on Earth -- I'm there with ya.
I'm surprised anyone sends any cards these days. It's a lost art.
This makes perfect sense to me, and I also try to accommodate friends, loved ones with the appropriate holiday cards. I, like you, love Losar, and find more joy in celebrating it than our western New Year. Hooray for the art of sending cards!
Love it. This has been on my mind (the diversity of holidays) with this whole CHRISTmas campaign on Blogger. I want to respond to those people, ok well maybe that what this is about this time of year FOR YOU, however there are all different celebrations this time of year. Kind of, there's room enough for everyone, ok? And I think it's great that you wish people a happy occasion even if it's different from your own celebration.
I love this post. I keep coming back and reading it but haven't commented yet.
This time of year really highlights diversity to me. I have Atheist friends offended by Jesus's birthday. Christian friends upset by commercialism and Santa. I have friends who celebrate all of it, friends who celebrate none of it, friends who celebrate different things at different times.
I don't know where my religious views fall, currently. But I do enjoy a lot of the Christmas traditions. I enjoy trying to exude a spirit of giving. Peace on Earth, Good Will To Man. The joys of winter. That's the sentiment I am trying to share when I send cards or gifts this time of year. It's my way of saying "right now is a time of year when I try to focus on my loved ones and I just want to say hello and wish you happiness."
I hope that I'm able to convey that message in a way that's received correctly among all of my friends this time of year, you included. Thank you very much for this very thoughtful post.
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