I'm not Jewish. I don't feel left out or offended when Jews celebrate their holidays. I see what they do as a family thing. One big family. What's wrong with them mistaking me for one of their own, during the excitement of the moment, and saying "Happy Hanukkah" to me? If I lived in a predominantly Jewish neighborhood and someone mistakenly said “Happy Hanukkah” to me, I wouldn’t correct them and say “but I don’t celebrate your holiday” nor would I say “that offends me.” I would appreciate what they’re saying because I know their true intentions are loving & cheerful.
In case you can’t tell, I don’t say Happy Holidays to people or Seasons Greetings.
What would make someone think that saying Happy Hanukah or Merry Christmas is offensive? Maybe some misperceptions of what Jews and Christians are all about? Maybe because some Jews/Christians can be real jerks even though the majority of them aren't?
How would someone come to the conclusion that they’re being left out when being told “Happy Hanukkah” or “Merry Christmas”? Or how would they come to the conclusion that they’re being left out if Jews and Christians are freely celebrating their holidays without constraint?
I see families having a good time a lot but I don’t feel left out. Now families and religious holidays don’t have everything in common, but they DO have this one thing in common, namely that it’s a bunch of people getting together to celebrate. What’s exclusive about that? I wonder if the people complaining are merely jealous. Or not. Who knows, because it could be a number of things.
