Seasons Greetings

“Season’s Greetings” is a spoken or written greeting commonly used before or during the month of December as this is a time of year that holds many holiday and special dates that are commonly celebrated in a diverse and multi cultural society.

Though associated with the celebrations of the December holiday season, technically “Seasons Greetings” could be a greeting applied throughout the year for each season, as each season in the western hemisphere (primarily Canada, the United States of America (USA), and United Kingdom (UK)) has its own particulate cultural celebrations and events.

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The use and acceptance of “Season’s Greetings” can be traced back to the 18th century in Europe primarily used in a written form, as opposed to a spoken greeting. Notes and cards were created with the “Seasons Greetings” motto to represent even at that time the many different holiday events that were being celebrated, including the Christian Christmas.

By the 1920s it had become a popular greeting card fixture with the U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1955 sending out a seasonal card, have featured the phrase. “Season’s Greetings”.

Over the last decade “Seasons Greetings” has become more popular as a spoken greeting mimicking the greeting cards popularity of use as well as a way of complying with what has been deemed to be a politically correct saying for the holiday season. As western, and primarily Canada, the USA, and UK societies became more increasingly multicultural the celebrations and customs of these cultures became more and more of prominent in society as well as the common market of theses societies.

Pressures from many sectors of society as well as the law came to weigh on the governments and they had to become more sensitive and aware of their role in society as well as their legal actions by law. Government as well as market actions began to show as early as 2005, with legal changes a well as market changes away from the use of “Merry Christmas” towards more inclusive use of “Seasons Greetings”, “Happy Holidays”, and similar greetings.

In 2005, primarily in Canada and the USA the new direction towards a use of more inclusive, language during the holiday seasons, many Christians saw this as a “War on Christmas”. Some people believe that the use of “Season’s Greetings”, and other such saying, is only in reference to the religious ceremony of Christmas and therefore an attack on the Christmas season, and their religion. Others hold that it is an all inclusive greeting that takes into consideration the multiculturalism of societies today.

Some may say it is simply greed why the market climbed on board the Season’s Greetings band wagon.

Some non-profit and Christian religious groups have petitioned for boycotts of secular organizations like the giant food and retail stores demanding that they use the term “Christmas” rather than other non religious terms for the holiday season, in their advertisements.

As time passes the markets and society will be faced with this controversy on an ongoing basis as the cultural and religious diversity becomes more and more a growing fact of our all inclusive societies. Ignorance and non acceptance must pass and people need to realize that they live in a society of diversity and personal religious or cultural celebration at any time of the year is just that a “personal” event.

The Markets must adjust to the market demands if they are to survive and prosper, if they are to represent and meet the needs of their customers in a culturally diverse society. This is why you will see many signs and sales this Holiday and Celebration Season that targets the diverse buying public. Cultural buying during the Celebration Season is an important tool for retail and company survival.

Political correctness assumes to address the question, “What is the intent when you extend a greeting to another person, specifically during the holiday season?”. Are you proclaiming your personal cultural celebration or are you wishing the other person a greeting on their cultural celebration? In most cases, it's the latter.

Now if you know the someone you are greeting celebrates Christmas, then offer a hearty "Merry Christmas"! If you know they're Jewish, then smile and say "Happy Hanukah"! If you don't know, but still want to extend a greeting of friendship and good will, then what is beter than "Seasons Greetings", it is the social and politically correct greeting and safe way to go.

Don't let ignorance or arrogance be your guide, for this is a time of celebration for one and for all. We live in a culturally diverse society all of who are celebrating some cultural celebration during the holiday season, be grateful that it is a heartfelt greeting that is being offered and receive it in kind. Rejoice in the celebration of the season by being all inclusive and let the other person know it.

The government must act in accordance with the laws or the country, Government (the State) is legally required to be an body that is separate from any and all religions, therefore it is the responsibility of the government to represent all of its citizens at all times, even during the holiday seasons, by NOT promoting one cultural event over another. “Season’s Greetings” and “Happy Holidays” are inclusive heartfelt greetings that we can all share in and rejoice is our own unique way.

In Canada the federal government is considering allowing businesses to be open all statuary holidays. This would include Christmas/Xmas and New Years.CKSO RADIO,Ontario