Well, it has been quite some time since my last rant and although it is the holiday season of many religions, I do have to get something off my chest - so to speak.

Why the heck do I keep getting greetings from Pagans/Witches which say Merry Christmas???

Gee, when those religious righters put up signs saying "Keep the Christ in Christmas" they have a point. Although Christmas has roots in Paganism, as does every other religion, when a Pagan says to me "Merry Christmas" I really don't know how to react. It's one thing to hear it in the stores, from co-workers and Christian family members, and from folks who just assume that everyone is Christian, but when I get a message or am greeted by Pagans who say this to me, I am pretty astounded at the lack of thought that goes with uttering what has become a common catch phrase.

Bah, Humbug!

It's not that I don't appreciate the sentiment. Certainly, when confronted with such a greeting from well-meaning folks, I usually respond with a "Happy Holidays to you too" - although there are times when I will sneak in a "Happy Solstice" - and receive puzzled stares in return. What to do, though, about Pagan Merry Christmas's I haven't quite decided - although my first reaction of wanting to smack them upside the head has been firmly suppressed on many an occasion.

I think my favorite greeting this season came from a novice witch who wanted guidance. She sent us an electronic greeting card complete with the title "Merry Christmas" with a Christian picture AND a Christian song attached. I think she really needs to do a lot more basic work before she can make a decision about this path. But it's not just newbies who do this, but seasoned veterans as well. Have we become so conditioned by the dominant culture, that we unthinkingly mouth these phrases by rote? What does it say about our being witches - connected and observing of our path? If witches/Wiccans/Pagans greet each other with "Merry Christmas" with this little thought, then the religious righters might have cause to be worried about the submergence of their holiday into the consumeristic mecca that it has become. And although I don't believe that "Jesus is the reason for the season" (they need to take a simple astronomy course here), I do believe that this can become a time when ALL religions can come together to celebrate peace and joy and giving and hope.

So let's think about the meaning of this season. We celebrate the returning sun, the growing light, rebirth and reflection. Greet the dawn with thanks for the returning warmth. And try greeting your Pagan friends with something more in line with your beliefs. Believe me, changing this takes thought and effort.

Wow - a little Yule magick in the making.