You are driving to school on a blustery December day, the heater cranked up and Christmas music blasting through your speakers. You are rocking your ugly Christmas sweater and matching Christmas socks. Except, technically, according to today’s society, it is winter music you are listening to, along with a winter sweater and winter socks.

Commercialism and political correctness have officially taken over the holiday season. Long past are the days where people would say “Merry Christmas” to each other in stores or in passing. “Happy Holidays” is even starting to fade out. Soon, people will just go about their days without even the slightest mention of the upcoming holidays.

This trend is not a religious issue, or even a social issue. This is the issue of declining spirit due to the implication of being “politically correct”. The less we acknowledge Christmas as an actual holiday, the less of a holiday it will become.  It is not just a coincidence we are off school at the end of December, the same time as two major annual holidays. If everyone knows the true reason we have a break, then why must we pretend it is for something else?

Although Christmas is the second most celebrated holiday in the world (behind New Year’s), it is true not everyone joins in on the festivities. Whether or not someone celebrates the holiday is completely their personal choice, and everyone’s opinion should be accepted equally. This can be achieved, however, without losing the magic of Christmas that many people love. It is possible to find balance between the two extremes so everyone can enjoy the season.

If you do not believe in Christmas, you have every right in the world to let the day pass as any other and go on with your daily routine. But if this is so, do not ruin it for other people. It is too big of a holiday and too festive of a celebration to pass it off just as a day in winter. Either embrace it or don’t, but either way, the spirit of the holidays should live on.