Just respond with a “Merry Christmas!” and move on…

Around this time of year, I get many people asking me how to deal with store clerks or other strangers wishing us a “Merry Christmas!”

Well, for the sake of politeness and brevity, I personally just say it back to them. There's no sense in being rude to, or starting a theological debate with, those who are just being nice and haven’t got a clue about the “real reason for the season.”

Some stranger in a Department store doesn’t need know “what you believe”; and responding with a “Merry Christmas” won’t kill you and doesn't mean you're dishonoring YHWH or worshiping satan (as some HR types would have you believe). It simply means you're being polite to your fellow man who’s trying to be polite to you.

Now - if, for instance, you get into a conversation with your over-talkative, friendly Walmart Greeter, and they ask you about your plans for Christmas this year, THEN you can either simply say that you do Hanukah (to which they’ll usually reply, “Oh, okay then – happy Hanukkah!”) -

OR - if you want to risk getting into a deeper discussion, tell then you don’t “do” Christmas because you follow God’s commanded Festivals. At that point, you’ll probably get “the look” and a confused “Oh…” because most haven’t got a clue as to what you’re talking about, and the conversation will probably end right there.

But if it doesn’t, THEN be prepared to discuss and give them an outline of the seven Mo’edim and how Yeshua has so far fulfilled the first FOUR….

If you don’t want to risk being held up for the next thirty minutes, just say, “Merry Christmas!” and move on.