"Happy Holidays!"

Perhaps it's me and the fact I like Christmas and call it "Christmas," but it always bothers me when people say "Happy Holidays" to me. I don't mind it when the corporation or educational institutions require you to say it (Goodwill requires us to say "Happy Holidays," as did Borders) because I can see a small logic to it, but it bothers me when on a one-to-one interaction people say "Happy Holidays." If you truly mean ALL the holidays or don't celebrate Christmas, I'm completely fine with it, but most times people are not saying that because they truly mean it in the context I gave, but because you are being "sensitive" to the fact I may not celebrate the same holiday as you.

We as a "tolerable" country have gone completely the opposite direction of tolerance and gone for boring. How boring is it that we completely remove the individuality of each person by requiring us all to say, "Happy Holidays." I feel like we remove a fundamental part of who we are when the holidays roll around. I like it when people wish me a Happy Hanukkah. I've never been wished a joyous Kwanzaa, but it'd be great if someone did! I have been told a Happy Festivus. With that said, sure, there is individuality, but aren't we being "insensitive" (or presumptuous) to those who don't celebrate the holiday we have wished them? Honestly, that's where our tolerance comes in play. I should be able to accept someone's wishes for a happy whatever without being offended they do not celebrate the same holiday as me. To me...THAT is tolerance and understanding, not this removing of individuality to create a "level playing field." As I said, if you say what you mean, then I'm cool with a "Happy Holidays," but don't skip the Christmas or Hanukkah because you're "protecting my feelings."

This all comes up because I found this thing on Facebook that pretty much is my sentiment about the whole thing:

If you are Jewish, feel free to wish me a "Happy Hanukkah"
If you are Christian, you can wish me a "Merry Christmas"
If you are African American/Canadian, wish me a "Joyous Kwanzaa"
If you have no affiliation, you can still wish me "Happy Holidays"
I promise not to be offended!
I will be thankful that you care enough to wish me well.

How amazing is that? Can I post this everywhere in the world? Because, honestly, this needs to be read by a LOT of people...

On that note, might be seeing Twilight this week. I was going to rent a movie tonight, but thought I'd be too tired to watch it. Turns out I'm not *that* tired, but oh well. It's my Friday! Happy, happy, joy, joy!

Here's my fun customer story of the week (it truly boggled my mind): My co-worker picks up the phone and after a while asks me to take the call. I take the call and this customer explains to me that he doesn't want the piece of furniture he bought earlier today because it won't fit. It was hard to hear, but it was either it wouldn't fit in the truck he was going to haul it in or it wouldn't fit where he wanted to put it (it was a 2 piece dresser). Then he goes on to tell me that he cancelled the credit card transaction and is NOW calling us to let us know he did this and does not want it. Cue me being flabbergasted by this. He then proceeds to tell me that he's 79-years-old and he's gotten in enough arguments that this is his normal procedure: cancel and then call. I explained to him that I would have accepted the return and resold the piece of furniture if he had called or even stopped in at the store before he did this. He explained to me that he knew our store policy (no returns) and figured he'd just cancel and then call, but since we're "so nice" he'll, in the future, call first about it. I explained to him that there was really nothing else we needed to talk about, but I made sure I had his name and number just in case I had to do something else on my end. Turns out, our regional boss hasn't had this happen before and he didn't know what to do either. Yeah, how often do you get a situation like this?! I can also see this man being a problem down the road and doing the same thing, but we'll see. It still boggles my mind. Who takes the time to cancel a credit card transaction to get around store policies?!

Well, with that, I'm going to exercise or read while it's raining out...Well, obviously I won't be IN the rain (I'll be inside LISTENING to the rain), but you get the point. :) I am really enjoying the rain...Living in Santa Barbara meant I didn't get a lot of rain for 2 years and then last winter was a SUPER dry winter that I find I'm liking the rainy days more than the non-rainy days lately. Course, work is a little more hazardous and annoying, but oh well. Will post my latest Christmas mani later this week (after I change to Christmas mani #3).