Happy Christmas, everyone

I saw this comment by our own Cletus in response to Joe Walsh decrying that this was called the "holiday season" rather than the "Christmas season":

I know that my Redeemer liveth, so why should I take offense if someone else does not see fit to celebrate the purported* date of His birth?

Christmas hasn't been a Christian holiday since the claws of commerce dug into it. Japan, not a Christian nation, celebrates the holiday in wonderful ways. Western Europeans, who are mostly not religious, gather around to celebrate the season. I, an atheist, count this as the most treasured time of the year.

Why? Because Christmas has transcended its religious origins. It is a time when we in the Northern Hemisphere celebrate the darkness turning into light. It is a time when we reconnect with family and friends. It is a time where we put aside our petty squabbles and try to remember "peace on earth, and goodwill towards all." It is a time when we remember how we should be all year long, not just in a time-prescribed moment.

My friends, I wish you all the blessings of peace and calm. Our world is in a state where those traits are hard to come by. But we can attain them. Love yourselves. Love one another. Love this creation of earth and its wonders. This world is worth fighting for to make it more perfect.

Merry Christmas to one and all.

Be ever at peace and solace. Be ever kind and gentle to yourselves and those around you.