Friends,
I say Happy Christmas. This doesn’t ring right to American ears, which is the intended result. When I’m extending a cheerful greeting during this season, I would like people to notice, stop for a second and think. The dissonance makes people notice.
I don’t hear a whole lot about Americans being merry. It’s not a description that’s used very often and I really can’t tell you why. It’s not that we’re moping around, far from it. Visitors from other countries will usually remark that Americans are an amiable people. Affable, friendly, warm, but not merry. Jolly? Save that for our vision of a certain heavyset and hirsute gentleman in a crimson suit. Happy sits there on the upbeat spectrum somewhere between giddy and satisfied for me. A spot where a warm hearth, the golden winter sunset streaming through the windows, and little kids full of too much sugar giggling with delight resides. Happy.
While in the Apple store down near the Festival of Dirt purchasing shiny things for a cute girl I know, the young guy taking my money wasn’t sure what to make of me. I asked an overworked and over-asked woman in the back of the store if she would process my payment and was referred to the table up front with the young guy. “They’re faster,” she suggested. I shared that praise with the young guy, rolling him back a bit. After the gizmos were bagged and my receipt bleep-blorped into my phone, he thanked me with some tenuous corporate approved “Happy holidays!” “Thank you, and Happy Christmas!” I replied. He stopped for a beat and asked, “Hey, that’s English!” “I suppose it is, isn’t it?” as I headed out the door.
I wish you and the people you love a very happy Christmas.
You’ve been through a lot this year and you deserve it.
Your best pal in the world,
– bob
P.S. In other Christmas news, is Mercedes-Benz’s commercial guy…
…supposed to remind us of this guy?
I think the demographics point to yes.