A gift idea and some thoughts on Christmas

As Christmas nears, and we prepare for the flurry of activity that surrounds it, a couple of random, holiday thoughts come to mind.

Gift giving is both a joy and a burden. In some cases, budgetary restraints prevent us from giving as much as we would like and at other times, we find that the loved ones we value the most want for nothing. Sometimes, the selection of an appropriate gift at any price can present a challenge.

What we lack in resources, we always hope to make up in the form of thoughtful consideration of the recipient. We want to give the gift that they may not have thought of for themselves or the proverbial “gift that keeps giving.” If you find yourself in such a situation, I have one humble idea to offer.

Over the years, I have discovered a very affordable, very useful gift that is always the right color and the right size. It can provide exponentially greater value to the recipient than what we pay, and it fits conveniently inside a greeting card.

A Nebraska Game and Parks Vehicle Entry Permit allows access to 76 park and recreation areas throughout the State of Nebraska. It’s a great gift for anyone who likes to boat, fish, hike, camp, picnic or simply needs a scenic place to pull over while traveling through the state. Out-of-state residents who are expected to visit, estranged children or other expatriates can benefit as well, and the majority of state facilities now offer handicap accessibility.

The permits for 2020 are currently on sale at a cost of $31 for Nebraska-licensed vehicles and $46 for non-Nebraskans. These permits are a bargain, affording a full year of unlimited, state-wide use. Permits can be purchased at numerous local retail locations including each of our surrounding lakes and at the local box store, as well as online at outdoornebraska.gov or by calling 402-471-0641.

Here’s another issue on my mind. A dear, respected friend of mine recently went off on an all-too-familiar rant about the use of “Happy Holidays” as a seasonal greeting, rather than the more specific “Merry Christmas.” The use of “Happy Holidays,” according to my friend, is part of a Bolshevik-inspired plot to eliminate observance of the birth of baby Jesus, Christianity as a whole, and western democracy as we know it. With all due respect to my friend, one would need to have his head in a place that requires an extremely advanced yoga position to believe such a thing.

Although I was the product of a mixed marriage (my father was Methodist; mother was a Baptist), I was raised in a traditional, somewhat regimented household where I was taught to say “please” and “thank you,” “Yes sir” and “No ma’am.” We attended church and I was sent to private schools that held chapel services every weekday morning. I’m not lacking in religious training, but I was also taught to be respectful of the religious observances of others. Always.

Having spent some time in the Washington DC suburbs, I was exposed to people of many religious and ethnic backgrounds, and my third-grade class resembled a United Nations conference. It was there that it became our practice as a family, and became my personal habit to use the now-maligned “Happy Holidays” in situations where I do not know the beliefs and customs of the recipient. It also seems logical, and perfectly appropriate to use that phrase when addressing any large group of people whose individual backgrounds cannot be known. For that reason, I have applied the more general reference in a broad range of business situations.

Folks, I can’t guarantee that a conspiracy to undermine Christmas doesn’t exist somewhere, but I am not aware of it. I haven’t been invited to any meetings and I don’t know the secret handshake.

I can only assure you that when I use the phrase “Happy Holidays,” I do so only out of respect and humility, and never out of disregard for any religious belief or observance. After all, it really doesn’t matter what we call it.

The true meaning of the season is in our hearts, and in our attitudes. It would be sad to see it became an excuse to divide us.