So late December seems to be becoming as much a minefield of 'political correctness' as it is a time to celebrate.
It does not take long to get into a discussion on the role Christmas should play in terms of everything from advertising to school pageants to the simple wishing of good tidings to a friend. People are talking about it at the local coffee shop, arguing over it at the hockey rink, and posting about the topic on Internet social media sites.
The question is how do we balance Christmas, a Christian holiday of great significance, with a country which is evolving to encompass a larger population of non-Christians?
For most of the history of this country, immigration flowed from Europe, where, while many religions are represented, almost all were Christian with a common vision of Christmas, and what it means. That vision is not one of Santa Claus bringing elf made gifts in a flying sleigh, but is one where the day marks the birth of Christ.
For the vast majority of Canadians that remains what this time of year is all about. Christmas is an integral part of life for most of us, and that will remain the case for many years to come.
But Christmas is not as important to those who are not Christian, and with a change in immigration patterns we see many new Canadians coming from areas of the world where the major religions are different.
If you follow the Muslim faith, are a Sikh, Hindu, Taoist, Buddhist and several others, Christmas is not a day you mark on the calendar as a day of religious celebration.
And in reality for many who do mark the day it is more about the commercial side of the holiday, presents, a tree, and a turkey, than it is about going to church.
So where does that leave things in terms of how we as a society deal with Christmas moving forward?
There is concern that marking Christmas is unfair to non-Christians, so you see public schools moving to holiday pageants, or not doing anything at all. School buses in Ontario were told to remove Christmas decorations.
That seems short-sighted. We are supposed to be a country of religious and cultural tolerance and non-Christian Canadians should be tolerant of Christmas living in a predominantly Christian country, just as Christians should be tolerant of other religions.
And in the end we need to worry less about what decoration to hang, or greeting we make, and focus more on the root meanings of the day, the idea of peace on earth and good will to all. That is a message people of all religions should embrace and work toward.
