"Merry Christmas": I dare you!

On Saturday at 4:30 I realized I hadn't picked up my dry cleaning. I was going to the temple that evening with Geoff and was determined to wear my best gray wool skirt. I invested money in that pencil skirt and am going to get my money's worth. I already do just feeling like a million bucks wearing it with my black cashmere sweater...I love good fibers.

Anyway, back to my story.

I raced out the house with Geoff telling me to pick up toilet paper before coming home. Dire orders as we were down to napkins in the restroom. That's glamorous information, huh? Almost as good as my wool and cashmere...not to wipe with, I'm talking about wearing. But...Anyway, back to my story. (Haven't I already had to say that in this anecdote of mine?)

I went to my new dry cleaners, corner of Greenwood and 125th in the same lot as 7-11...which I think is 24 hours now and not just 7-11...But why change a name that rhymes?

I got there with twenty minutes to spare to their closing time, took out my debit card and handed it to the lady who said they only accept cash or checks. Who does that? I don't carry cash because I can't be trusted, and I never carry my checkbook because I use my debit card. I really must amend my monetary habits if I'm going to return to this "Formal Dry Cleaner" store.

So I head over to the 7-11, which I found very convenient that I could purchase just enough t.p. to last us until a trip to the grocery store with coupons or Costco. Note to self: t.p. down to last roll: purchase more t.p. before we have to go back to fancy napkins.

7-11 would only give $10 cash back and I needed $14.73 for my two skirts. (Is that a lot? Seems like it.) The nice man said I could make two purchases, maybe some 35 cent gum to get another $10 cash back. I did. I now am the proud chewer of some extra spicy Dentene Cinnamon Ice...or something like that. Now to the point of my story: I had the urge to say "Merry Christmas." Not "Happy Holidays" or something PC/Neutral. I thought, 'self: he seems like a nice Ethiopian man and not one likely to be offended. self, go ahead.' So I did it with a smile looking him in the eyes, "Merry Christmas." I could see a shift in him as a smile spread across his face, a little surprised but in a happy way. "Thank you." Of course, Ethiopians celebrate Christmas in January as their calendars are one month behind ours.

I walked a few doors down after putting t.p. in the car. After all, I didn't want to carry something so indiscreet into the dry cleaners. No, I just blog about it later...

I paid my money and they handed me my skirt. The same Christian spirit in me pushed forward as I wished this nice Asian couple a "Merry Christmas" and they in return smiled and said the same back to me, it seemed also that they were a little surprised. But still, happy to hear it.

When did I ever get uncomfortable about this? It is really too bad that I would hold back because a very few would be offended by this. I would never be offended if someone wished me a Happy Hanukkah. In fact, Best Buy aired a commercial the other night with a young woman, who supposedly works for Best Buy, telling a story about helping a customer make a Hanukkah purchase. I quickly said to Geoff, "It's about time. I never see commercials about Hanukkah."

Political Correctness is of the devil. Because when we are so afraid of saying what we believe, even when it is something as harmless as a nice, well-wishing "Merry Christmas", we don't get to show people that light in us. I pushed myself on Saturday and was richly rewarded.

And then I went home, slipped into my wools and went out with my husband.

Merry Christmas!