HAPPY HOLY DAYS all by simply changing an 'i' to a 'y'!

My dearest of friends Ralph and Margaret may have unknowingly ignited a Christmas trend that puts Christmas Greetings into a proper perspective that originates from natural order. Watching television is sometimes the only link to the outside world when small towns like the one where we live become snowbound when the main highway leading out of it is shut down. Like many others, Ralph and Margaret turn to Fox News when blizzards keep them house bound. Though Fox is their standby network, they were disconcerted to hear so many talking heads wishing folk “Happy Holidays” rather than “Merry Christmas” this year.

Sad to hear that the “Happy Holidays” greeting had become so popular on his favorite network, Ralph walked away from the television, and when his wife joined him in the kitchen, said: “Simply changing the ‘i’ to a ‘y’ and it would make the Greeting: “Happy Holy Days”. Telling me about it on the telephone, Margaret added: “I bet the word “Holiday” derived from “Holy Day.” Turns out that Margaret was right! A little Internet research proves that the concept of holidays often originated in connection with religious observances. As noted by Wikipedia,

“The word holiday comes from the Old English word hāligdæg (hālig "holy" + dæg "day"). The word originally referred only to special religious days. In modern use, it means any special day of rest or relaxation, as opposed to normal days away from work or school.”

The attack on Christmas grows more intense by year, this one evidenced by the heaping of hatred on President Donald Trump, all for wishing Americans “Merry Christmas” on his official Christmas card rather than the Obamas’ “Happy Holidays”. “The president has frequently denounced the greeting “Happy Holidays”, which he considers too politically correct”. (The Independent, Nov. 28, 2017)

Christmas 2017 came with Buzzfeed’s UK’s science editor Kelly Oakes Twitter declaration: “All I want for Christmas is full Communism now.” (Canada Free Press, Dec. 26, 2017) Whoever thought that a “science editor” would have made “full communism” a Christmas wish “in light of the fact that Christmas is normally understood as the time when the Savior of the world was born to give His life for His people to set them free from the bondage of sin, not put them under the tyranny of Communism, which is a system that attacks that Savior and His law”? Who ever would have thought that ‘Save Christmas Warrior ‘Bill O’Reilly would so quickly be replaced by “Happy Holidays” greetings on Fox News? With all that is happening and with the Christmas Spirit still upon us, Ralph’s “Holy Days” idea couldn’t have come at a better time. Let’s take up his wonderful idea to change the ‘i to a ‘y’ in “Happy Holidays” to make it “Happy Holy Days” this year and evermore. Ralph steadfastly believes that the one word that should always be used to describe Christmas is…”HOLY”. “Just one little letter, ‘i’ to ‘y’ changes the whole meaning!!, says Margaret. “I don't think the term Happy Holidays will ever annoy me so much again.” Nor will it for so many of the rest of us, Margaret!

Judi McLeod——Bio and Archives -- Judi McLeod, Founder, Owner and Editor of Canada Free Press, is an award-winning journalist with more than 30 years’ experience in the print and online media. A former Toronto Sun columnist, she also worked for the Kingston Whig Standard. Her work has appeared throughout the ‘Net, including on Rush Limbaugh and Fox News.