I find it only polite to say Happy Holidays to strangers in lieu of Merry Christmas. One never knows what holiday said stranger is practicing. All of the holidays that I know of that are progressing at this time of year are 'happy' ones, at least. Besides, my family has entirely too many friends, not all of whom celebrate Christmas, and our holiday card list seems to extend for miles. What are we going to do? Send a Christmas card to our friends who are Jewish or Islamic?

I'm still not too sure what the controversy is, about all that; maybe I'm missing the point. I tend miss a lot around this time of year, except what filters down to me through the grapevine. The news I happened to hear today was terribly depressing: Airplane crash, Tree Burns in Brookhaven schoolyard, Toys'R'Us packed with shoppers...terribly depressing. Now how am I going to get those last minute gifts for my cousins?