‘Tis the season to wish one another Happy Holidays. Or is it?

 

At this time around the world, people are preparing to celebrate Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, the Winter Solstice, Boxing Day, Festivus, and the New Year. In the city of Harbin, China, people are preparing to celebrate the Ice and Snow Festival. 

In February, both Japan and India will celebrate the Sapporo Snow Festival and Jaisalmer Winter Desert festival, respectively. Preparations are already underway in those countries.

December is a month of celebration for many cultures and religions around the world. 

Other than religious or cultural reasons, December is also the last month of the year for societies that subscribe to the Gregorian calendar. 

Even Muslim countries, including Malaysia, frame their daily activities according to this calendar, alongside the Hijri calendar. No argument here.

Also, there are many reasons December is a month for celebration, other than for religious purposes. It is the month that ends all previous months of disappointment. 

In Malaysia, we have had our share of colossal disappointments in 2021.

Another reason to celebrate would be to hope for a better 12 months ahead, in a brand-new year. A cynic would say this is merely a question of numbers and nouns: a new number (2022), and a new name (January). 

But dear Malaysians, “hope” should never be quantified, nor should it be anointed any name.

Amidst Covid-19, very bad governance, rampant corruption, selfish and rude lawmakers, horrific road accidents, and fatal bullying in schools, many Malaysians have also decided to reject the “Happy Holidays” greeting.

And I can understand why.

The argument is as follows. Why be euphemistic about a traditional holiday for Christians, i.e. Christmas, when every Christian Malaysian has the constitutional right to practice and celebrate their festival?

In Malaysia, most of the December celebrations revolve around Christmas, not Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, which are also December festivities in Europe and the United States. 

Celebrate our differences

So, why is it wrong to wish my fellow Malaysians “Merry Christmas”?

The other angle to the debate is, why wish each other “Happy Holidays”, unless we are pandering to a bigoted government or ethnocentric religious leaders, bent on marginalising and silencing other faiths?

After all, according to our leaders, a cake that has the greetings “Merry Christmas” written in icing, supposedly invalidates its “halal-ness”. Also, the halal certification of other products sold in that shop would be erased.

Let us not waste time on this ridiculous and moronic argument.

The greeting “Happy Holidays” or “Seasons Greetings” is not an insult globally. However, it probably needs an explanation in the Malaysian context. 

Globally, it is the most inclusive greeting at this time of year, especially in cosmopolitan societies, including Malaysia.

The holiday season in many cities is shared by different ethnic and religious communities that thrive in diversity. 

They also thrive in a country with governments that celebrate difference, rather than deliberately dividing and inflicting animosity among the different communities. 

The debate is not merely about words; it is about including diverse beliefs and traditions within a country. It is about making citizens feel compassionate and close to one another.

Not everyone celebrates Christmas. If you say “Merry Christmas” to someone who celebrates “Bomoh Recognition Day”, or nothing at all, you could make them feel marginalised. 

It is as if their own beliefs are not valued or respected by society. And this is not a good way to feel at any time, holiday or a normal day, bomoh or otherwise.

In Malaysia, it can be tricky time of year, but it really should not be. If you wish “Merry Christmas”, let us embrace it. 

We are greeting our fellow Christian Malaysians, which is how communities bond and communicate. Also, if a fellow Malaysian wishes another “Happy Holidays”, let us drop the sensitivity. 

We cannot afford to be senselessly over-critical. We must embrace the greeting with open arms. Look at it as us celebrating inclusivity, Christmas, school holidays, a New Year, and “hope”.

Celebrating hope

Apart from Christmas and New Year, we are celebrating the hope for a leadership that might reflect on their last 12 months in office. 

We hope they will reflect on why millions of Malaysians are still disappointed with them. We hope they will realise that they have indulged in selfish party politics, at the expense of nation-building. 

We hope they will admit to failing the simple and ordinary Malaysian. We hope they will stop being corrupt.

There is nothing wrong in hoping.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and a Happy New Year everyone! - Mkini

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SHARIFAH MUNIRAH ALATAS is an academician with zero tolerance for corrupt, arrogant and frivolous leadership.

The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT