December 23, 2025 • 34 mins
On Today's Show: Dennis explains why saying "Merry Christmas" is right and "Happy Holidays" is wrong.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
Welcome to Timeless Wisdom with Dennis Prager. Here thousands of
hours of Dennis's lectures, courses, and classic radio programs. And
to purchase Dennis Prager's Rational Bibles, go to Dennisprager dot com.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Believe it or not, this is the Ultimate Issues Hour
on the Dennis Prager Show. The third hour every Tuesday
is devoted to a great issue of life. But give
us the Christmas music. It is, after all, the last
ultimate Issues hour prior to Christmas. Yes, special time of year.
(01:02):
And I made the argument in the first hour that no,
what is this the third hour? Already? Wow? Ghost fast Wow.
I though it was the second is but of course
it's the third. I made the argument that you got
to take these two weeks and relax. It's very important.
And believe me, I know about the world tensions and
the domestic tensions. I read them, I write them, I
(01:25):
talk about them, I live them. I care about them.
But you have to at some point there is a
reason to have holidays and Holy days. You have to
take time off because next year is going to be
very intense. The whole year. The future of the United
(01:45):
States will be decided in November of twenty sixteen Ultimate
Issues Hour. The Ultimate Issue is really a big issue.
People don't know how big it is. I don't even
think that many people who do say Merry Christmas to
people realize how big it is. That's why I want
you to please see my column this week. It's going
(02:07):
I don't know about viral, but it's extremely widely reprinted
on the internet, including Real Clear Politics, which takes what
it considers the most important left and right articles each day.
So you can go to National Review, town Hall, RealClearPolitics,
Dennisprager dot com. And the title that I gave it
(02:31):
is what title? Because they gave a different title National Review.
Let me see the title that I gave it is
saying Merry Christmas is very important. That's exactly what it is.
It is very important. This is a huge issue, huge.
That's what I want the people to understand. So I'm
(02:53):
going to tell you why. Let me begin by reading
this to you. What I wrote. The nearly universal change
from wishing fellow Americans Merry Christmas to wishing them happy
Holidays is a very significant development in American life. Proponents
of happy Holidays argue that it's no big deal at all,
(03:16):
and that proponents of Merry Christmas are making a mountain
out of a mole hill, especially when proponents say that
the substitution of Happy Holidays is part of a quote
war on Christianity. But the happy Holidays advocates want it
both ways. They dismiss opponents as hysterical while at the
(03:38):
same time relentlessly pushing through it in America of Merry Christmas. So, then,
which is it? Is the substitution of happy Holidays for
Merry Christmas important or not? The answer is obvious. It
is very important. That's why the anti Merry Christmas crowd
has worked so hard to make this greeting a thing
(04:00):
of the past, and they have been extraordinarily successful. I
have been wished Happy Holidays by every waiter and waitress
in every restaurant I have dined, by every one of
the young people who welcome me when I go to
the gym, by every flight attendant and pilot on every
one of my flights, and by every individual I have
(04:22):
dealt with on the phone. When I respond thank you
Merry Christmas, I sometimes sense that I have actually created
some tension, while many of those to whom I wish
Merry Christmas may actually be happy that someone felt free
to utter the SA word. All the sensitivity training that
(04:43):
they've had to undergo creates cognitive dissonance. Christmas has also
been eliminated by many, probably the majority, of our elementary schools,
high schools, and universities. Thus, for example, they no longer
have a Christmas vacation, but a winter vacation. The opponents
of Merry Christmas and other uses of the word Christmas
(05:04):
know exactly what they are doing. They are disingenuous when
they dismiss defenders of Merry Christmas as fabricating some war
on Christianity. Of course, it's a war on Christianity, or,
more precisely, a war on the religious nature of America.
The left in America, like the left in Europe, wants
(05:27):
to create a thoroughly secular society. Unfortunately, most people do
not realize that the left believes in secularism just as
fervently as religious Christians believe in Christ. That's why Merry
Christmas so bothers the anti religious left. It is perhaps
the single most blatant reminder of just how religious America is,
(05:51):
and it must therefore be removed from public discourse. Here's
a safe prediction the ACLU and other secular activists on
the left will eventually move to have Christmas removed as
a national holiday. The left doesn't announce that its agenda
is to thoroughly secularize America. Instead, activists offer the multiculturalist
(06:13):
argument that saying Christmas as in Merry Christmas, or Christmas
party or Christmas vacation is not quote inclusive unquote. This
inclusiveness argument plays on American's highly developed sense of decency.
Most Americans don't want to gratuitously offend other Americans, so
(06:37):
the inclusiveness argument has been effective. But the argument is preposterous.
Who exactly is being excluded when one wishes someone marry
Christmas non Christians. I'm a non Christian, I am a Jew.
Christmas is therefore no more or religious holy day for
(06:57):
me than Ramadan. But I am an American and Christmas
is a national holiday of my country. It is therefore
my holiday, though not my holy day, as much as
it is for my fellow Americans who are Christian. Irving Berlin,
an American Jew, wrote white Christmas as a celebration of
an American holiday, his holiday. Not wishing me or merry Christmas,
(07:22):
you are not being inclusive. You are deliberately excluding me
from one of my nation's national holidays. But even if
Christmas weren't a national holiday, I would want companies to
have Christmas parties, schools to continue to have Christmas vacations,
and pilots to wish their passengers Merry Christmas. Just because
(07:46):
I don't personally celebrate Christmas, why would I want to
drop the word Christmas from public discourse When Christmas is
celebrated by ninety percent of my fellow Americans. It borders
on the misanthropic not to mention means spirited to want
to deny nearly all of your fellow citizens the joy
of having their Christmas parties called Christmas parties, or to
(08:09):
have to force them to replace Merry Christmas with happy Holidays.
A majority Christian country that treats non Christians so well
deserve better. Narcissism, misanthropy, meanness, and ingratitude. That's what the
leftist campaign against Merry Christmas and Christmas parties boils down to.
(08:34):
So say merry Christmas and Christmas party. If you don't,
you're not inclusive. You're letting the real life grinches win.
There we go I want you to have that. I'd
like you to read it at your Christmas party, at
a Christmas table, I should say celebration. No matter what
(08:58):
your opinion, it would provoke a very interesting discussion. While
I'm not for debating politics, I think this is a
this is a good one. It's time to fight back.
It's one of the stupidest things. And it's the whole
thing's fraudulent, non inclusive. It's a fraud to my fellow Jews.
(09:20):
A very simple question, should a you in Israel not
say Happy New Year during the Russiashana season? After all,
they the Hebrew iss Shahnatova good Year? So should they
not say that? After all, almost a quarter of Israel
isn't Jewish. A fifth of Israel is not Jewish. So
(09:42):
should they stop saying Happy New Year? When a fifth
of Israel Israelis don't celebrate it personally? I bet you
they I bet you it doesn't even occur to them.
This is an American leftist invention, not inclusive. If you
don't say Merry Christmas to me, then you are not
(10:03):
being inclusive. There's nothing more inclusive than trying to bring
me into your celebration. It's like, uh, it's like, I'm
not going to celebrate your birthday because it's not my birthday. Hey,
you're not inclusive. It's not my birthday. It's only yours.
(10:26):
One eighth Praguer seven seven six. This is worthy of
an Ultimate Issues Hour. It is an ultimate issue. Please
get the article and send it along. You're listening to
the Dennis Prager Show. We continue. One eighth Prager seven
seven six. Hi, everybody, this is the Ultimate Issues Hour,
(10:49):
third hour every week Tuesday is on some great issue.
And I consider the removal of the word Christmas from
the American public vocabulary to be an ultimate issue. Absolutely.
Please read my column today saying Merry Christmas is very important.
(11:10):
That's the title of the column. And it's all over
the It's not all over, it's in many places on
the internet, National Review, town Hall, Real Clear, Politics, and
many other places. It's a national holiday. Anyway, I read
you the entire piece. I'm not going to re review
all of the points. I'm going to take your calls though.
(11:34):
The schools no longer have Christmas vacation, it's winter vacation
and so on. By the way, even Happy New Year.
I don't know why they say Happy New Year. Jehovah's
witnesses don't just celebrate the New Year. To the best
of my knowledge, they don't celebrate birthdays. If you're going to.
If inclusivity is your point, then you can't say anything
about anything. Why even say happy holiday? Not everybody is
(11:59):
observing any holiday? Right? Why say that inclusive totalitarian notion?
And it's meaningless inclusive? If you wish me a merry
Christmas and I happen not to be Christian, how am
I being excluded? Exactly cold? Somebody tell me that, how
am I being excluded? Aren't you in including me in
(12:21):
your celebration? Isn't that the nicest thing you can do?
Like everything else on the left, it's it's preposterous. It's preposterous. Birmingham, Alabama, Jonathan, Hello, Jonathan, Hey.
Speaker 3 (12:37):
How you doing all right?
Speaker 2 (12:38):
Thank you good?
Speaker 4 (12:40):
You know, Christmas is really just a celebration of the
Winter Solstice, which is a pagan holiday that is kind
of scraping it over by Christianity. And this is constantly
you know, Christmas is constantly through Is.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
There anybody who celebrates Christmas who was celebrating the winter solstice?
Is there anyone celebrating Christmas today? Who was celebrating the
Christmas Solstice? Excuse me, the winter solstice.
Speaker 4 (13:06):
Well, it doesn't make it any less true that.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
That's what it's about, but it makes it completely irrelevant.
It's true, but irrelevant.
Speaker 4 (13:13):
Well, I mean that's just why is it relevant?
Speaker 2 (13:15):
Why is it relevant? Everybody who celebrates Christmas as a
religious day is not celebing the the place of the
earth visa vi. The Sun. They are celebrating the birth
of their savior. So why is it important to note
that thousands of years ago it was the time of
the winter solstice. I'm serious, I'm I'm not arguing with you.
(13:36):
I want to know. Why do you think it's an
important point?
Speaker 4 (13:39):
Well, I mean it's you know, it's it's recognized, what's
recognizing what our ancestors went through to get us here.
At one time, it was a big celebration about the
harvest or whatever it was about. I'm not a historian,
but no.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
No, I'm why did you call to tell me that
it was originally the winter solstice? I'm not I'm not
challenging you. I don't understand the point of the call.
Speaker 4 (14:02):
I mean, because it was stolen. It's stolen, it's sprayping
it over by Christians. It's not it's not Christmas. Christmas?
Speaker 2 (14:09):
Who what does it mean? Okay? So are you aware
of the fact that virtually every Biblical holiday, uh, and
I'm talking as a Jew about the Hebrew Bible ultimately
had a corresponding pagan basis. Did you know that the
whole greatness of Judaism and Christianity is to pour new
(14:31):
wine into old bottles. Otherwise people wouldn't know what they're
doing in order to wean away Do you know, for example,
the greatest I'm sure he wouldn't know, and I don't
expect you to. The greatest Jewish philosopher whoever lived is
mimonodes To eleventh century. And his point he completely Orthodox
jew obviously, and he said the whole reason for the
(14:56):
sacrificial system in the Bible was to wean away people
from human sacrifice, the whole. Whether you agree or not,
the point is that the greatness of elevated religion is
to take traditional frameworks and fill them with moral essences.
(15:19):
Concentrates you're concentrating on the bottle, whereas the point is
to concentrate on the contents of the bottle. That's all
that matters. All right. That's very important because because I
see that. I always read comments on my pieces because
I like to see maybe I did I made a
wrong point, and maybe I could make the point stronger
(15:41):
in the next column or on the next show. And
I get this winter solstice stuff as if it means anything.
Oh so therefore what so? Therefore America should not have Christmas,
Christians should not celebrate Christmas? So what it doesn't mean anything? Okay,
(16:03):
won eight Praeger. But I'm glad you called, Jonathan, and
I thank you for the call. And Shaska, Minnesota and Karen, Hello,
Karen of Chaska.
Speaker 5 (16:12):
Hey there is Chaska.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Yeah, oh one minute, I like getting the right Karen
of Chaska.
Speaker 3 (16:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (16:19):
This actually has more to do with your last hour.
But I was listening to it in the discussion about
whether or not you should tell children that Santa Claus
is not real at a young age or not, and
it just struck me that you're breaking your own principle,
which is tell the truth first and then give your opinion.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
Right, So you should know that my policy for your
kids is if your child asks you is Santa real,
then you have to tell them the truth. However, there are.
Speaker 5 (16:49):
Lots of questions in life that they don't ask, but
you still tell them the truth.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
That's right, but you see it. So I'm curious, as
as I point out when I do the subject each
year on Santa Claus, if you read to your child's Pinocchio,
do you tell your child please know Pinocchio is not real.
It's a made up figure by the author.
Speaker 4 (17:08):
Yes, okay, you're.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
Real like I do Cinderella, and you tell your kids
there really was never a Cinderella.
Speaker 5 (17:16):
I'm not aworried that there ever was, so they would
be still no.
Speaker 2 (17:19):
No, I'm not right. Okay, So this is a story.
Speaker 5 (17:21):
Santa Claus is a story, so I would tell them
the same. It's a story. It's not real.
Speaker 2 (17:27):
No, that's what I'm saying. Before you read your kids Cinderella,
you say this is not real.
Speaker 5 (17:35):
I don't know if before I opened the book, I
would do that. But they would tell at a young
age that it was a story.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
No, they don't know that that's not true. I'll bet
you they believe Cinderella lived.
Speaker 5 (17:44):
But I would tell them when they were old enough
to understand the difference between the truth and a story.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
So all right, So you would, according to you, you
lie to them until they're older. That's your own that's
your own accusation against me.
Speaker 5 (17:59):
No, Dennis, because there are lots of things that you
do in life, you do to teach them things.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
That's exactly right. And that's exactly why I don't think
there's any reason to tell your kid about Santa until
they ask.
Speaker 5 (18:10):
Okay, well, sorry, I already did, by the way. I
was raised in a family where I knew that Santa
Claus was not real, but we still had christ of
gifts under the tree.
Speaker 2 (18:20):
Believe that, and I believe that. I believe that, and
I'm glad you did. I don't know anybody who's been
harmed by having been raised without being told Santa Claus
is a myth. Okay, I don't think it's a battle
worth making. It's not my biggest passion in life. The
Merry Christmas issue is a big passion. Back in a moment,
(18:42):
you are listening to the Ultimate Issues Hour on the
Dennis Prager Show.
Speaker 3 (18:54):
We're riding in a wonderland of.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
Hi, everybody, I'm Dennis Prager. This is the Ultimate Issues Hour.
The third hour every Tuesday is on an Ultimate Issue
this week. It is my column. I actually read my column.
I don't do that. I mean maybe three times a
year I do that. Maybe that's how significant I consider
this column. And it's up at my website, National View,
Real Clear Politics, town Hall and many others. It's as
(19:27):
you might want to print it out and read it
at your Christmas dinner. It's it's a it's a it's
an important I think it's an important piece on why
it is totally inclusive to say Mary Christmas and completely
narcissistic to make the substitutions for it. Happy Holiday. Incidentally,
(19:51):
our our guest here also here is happy holiday in
the singular, not just happy holidays. CHRISTI in Inglewood, California,
Dennis Prager High m Okay, Christy. Christy is currently one
(20:13):
of the volunteers on the Martians Space Cruise and is
calling from many miles away. Christy, I can't hear a word.
Speaker 6 (20:23):
Can you hear me?
Speaker 2 (20:24):
Now? I can? Great?
Speaker 6 (20:25):
Okay, Hi, thank you for taking my call. I have
to tell you that you're such a blessing to me
and my mom, who's almost ninety three. We listen to
you every morning. I take care of her at home,
and it's part of our morning routine. And I was
walking through the dining room and I was hearing you
explain to that lout caller some thoughts you had about
(20:47):
the winter solstice and Christmas. And I have to tell
you, you've never heard anyone explain.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
The give an answer to that.
Speaker 6 (20:58):
Yes, the elevations of paganism.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
That's right, Yep, that's right.
Speaker 6 (21:03):
The way that you did it was truly a special
moment for me, and I hope it was for a
lot of other people. You ares just so brilliant at
explaining things.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
Well, that's very kind of you, you know. Just recently,
it was very interesting. Recently, a very pre dominant Christians
looked at me and he said, do you know how
many people you have brought back to Christianity? And I
said yes. And the fact is I brought a lot
of Jews back to Judaism. And because there are great
(21:36):
arguments to be made, I mean not arguments, there are
great truths to be told. And the truth is that unfortunately,
well intentioned clergy just haven't had these answers. There's this thing, Oh,
it's really the winter solstice is an irrelevant point and
it's not true. The greatness of religion is to take
(21:58):
the pagan and elevate it, just as Christy was so
happy to hear. That's its greatness. If people are celebrating
a certain date and you can change that date from
celebrating Zeus into celebrating one God and celebrating love your
neighbor as yourself, and all the other greatnesses of the Testaments,
(22:24):
then that's great, isn't it. Isn't that the best thing
you could do. I mean, just to give you an example,
let us say it's not a perfect example. Very few
times is an analogy perfect. Let us say somebody took
the swastika and made it into a symbol of love,
an active symbol of love. They have taken it away,
(22:48):
they have filled it with something beautiful. Okay, let's go
to uh uh right, let's see, let's see, let's see,
let's see. Okay, I'm sorry, Rob in Garden City, New York.
We're not going to talk about Donald Trump this hour.
(23:10):
I'm only laughing because it's so easy to get politics
into anything. But now we're just talking about this subject.
So yeah, call call tomorrow. That is exactly right. Okay.
So we've opened up a line, folks, and I may
open up a couple of others. Oh yeah, David, and
fort Worth notes, those who say Santi is and real
(23:31):
are misinformed. He was a real person. Okay, But obviously
the way we refer to Santa Claus today, coming down
the chimney and bringing you gifts and getting letters into
the north pole, that's that's the one we're referring to.
I see no harm done.
Speaker 6 (23:48):
You know what.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
I'm a big believer in folks, really really big believer
in common sense. Back in a moment. You're listening to
the Dennis Prager Show, the Ultimate Issues.
Speaker 7 (23:58):
Hour, just to share I love black yours bok.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
Hello, my friends. I'm Dennis Prager and this is the
Ultimate Issues Hour, the third hour every Tuesday, and some
great issue. I read to you my column today. Tuesday
is my column day, nationally syndicated column, and it is
about why saying Merry Christmas is so important. I do
consider it an ultimate issue. People like to trivialize it.
(24:29):
At the same time that they trivialize it, they are
making war against it. No, no, no, Schools don't have
Christmas vacations, they have winter vacations. We don't say Merry Christmas,
we say happy holiday, and we don't have a Christmas
party at work? We have a holiday party? Holiday party?
(24:54):
What does that mean? Tell me, isn't there Isn't there
something more meaningful to the word Christmas party than holiday party?
I mean? Right? And you know what's happened. You see
what leftism? Leftism is ultimately a form of narcissism. I
(25:18):
don't celebrate it, so why the hell should you. I'm
not religious, so let me tear down the religiosity of America.
That's what it really is, That's what it is in
its essence, and I want to fight back. I want
to fight back. All right, Let's see what else we
have here, and let's go to Colorado Springs. Pat, Hello, Pat,
(25:43):
Dennis Prager.
Speaker 3 (25:45):
Dennis, I would love to talk to you one on
one for about four hours.
Speaker 2 (25:49):
I learned so much from Would you bring a very
good cigar?
Speaker 3 (25:54):
Absolutely?
Speaker 2 (25:56):
Okay?
Speaker 1 (25:56):
All right?
Speaker 2 (25:56):
Oh? Makes it certainly makes it more tempting. Yes.
Speaker 3 (26:03):
The attack against Merrick Christmas, I think is just another
indicator of what's going on in the bigger picture. We
wrestle not against flesh and blood. We wrestle against sprints,
taalities and powers of darkness. I think we're in a
spiritual battle in America.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
We are ultimately, There's no doubt in my mind it
ultimately comes down to the God issue. There is no
doubt in my mind that that is what is about
leftism in the final Now, since Marx has been ultimately
about that. Marx hated religion. It's the opiate of the people.
(26:42):
God is Man, Man is God. What is it? Man
is God? That was I believe Marx. God is Man.
That was Engels. Ever since the beginning, it has been
they have understood either the left winds or religion wins.
And that is why Europe has essentially no religion. And
what is the result. People don't get married, people don't
(27:04):
have children, people don't have ultimate meaning. The place is soulless.
I love visiting Europe. I love it. By the end
of the next cruise, I will have been Europe has
an incredible number of countries. I will have been to
every European country except uh, maybe Slovakia because I was
(27:28):
in Czechoslovakia, but that was before it divided into Czech
Republican Slovakia and I and we're going to Slovenia correct
on this cruise. So Slovenia on Albania and Montenegro, So
what's left. I've been to Croatia, I've been to Serbia,
(27:48):
So what's left in Yugoslavia the former Yugoslava. I think
I will have been to every I and I studied
in Europe for a year. I've been back a dozen
times at least. But it's solis, folks. It is soulless
and and that's what the left creates. It's a soulless place.
Everything is about the material. How much do you make,
(28:09):
how much time do you have off, what are your
what is your retirement age? That's it. It's all material.
It's because because obviously, if there's no God, what is
Everything is just material? So he the caller is right, Pat,
You're right, it is ultimately. I've always believed that it
(28:30):
is ultimately about the God issue. You know how we
know that at pre University. It's interesting, you know how
much you know what's get the most hate of our
videos the ones that advocate God's existence, not the ones
that advocate small government, not the ones that advocate lower taxes.
I mean, we have a lot of controversial and not
even the ones that from the founder co founder of
(28:52):
Greenpeace who spoke about the UH the lack of threat
in global warming. Even those didn't get as much hate
as the completely rational videos on behalf of God's existence.
That's really what that's really in the final analysis, the
(29:14):
most angering aspect. Oh Kadoki, Let's go to more of
your calls, and again, thank you. Pat. Free up a
line there, dearborn Michigan, Karen, Hello, Karen.
Speaker 8 (29:32):
Dennis Prager, Hi, Dennis, Merry Christmas.
Speaker 2 (29:35):
Thank you.
Speaker 8 (29:37):
I wish I would have had your column read before
I went into an appointment that I just left about
an hour ago. I am a Christian. I do have
a Muslim person that I know through work that I
needed to visit his house, and he and I have
had times. He's a very mature gentleman. It's been in
this country over forty years, and is Muslim. We've had
(29:59):
discussions in the past, very pleasant discussions about our respective religion.
But today I visited him in his house and he
had a Christmas tree front and center in his living
room window, and I thought he is American, and I
think that really hones into what your whole column was about,
that despite our differences, he embraces America well.
Speaker 2 (30:24):
I think it does exemplify that he does exactly. That's
not to say that every non Christian doesn't have a
Christmas tree, doesn't embrace America. But it's I understand your point,
and I agree with you, of course. I mean it's
his He wasn't converting to Christianity. He was celebrating an
American holiday, and it is a national holiday, folks. Easter
(30:47):
is not a national holiday, but Christmas is a national holiday.
And I honor my fellow citizen. I'm not just Dennis.
Here's a great here's a great thought for people on
the left. You're not only you or a member of
your ethnic group or racial group. You're also an American.
(31:09):
I know that that's a chakaru, but it's worth thinking about.
Back in a moment. I get so involved and wrapped
up in these Christmas songs that I I don't start
talking on top now, who is that? I know that,
(31:34):
I know that that's Frank, Yeah, of course, of course,
exactly what an era? Now, these were the crooners, right,
it was the krooner era. Yeah, it's like Dean Martin
was a crooner too, right, It's just I know it's
just a term, but they but they used it. Well, well,
not in the crooner era now, so that's why I
(31:55):
use the word era. Maybe it was an era to
use era. Hello everybody, I'm Dennis Prager. This is the
Dennis Prager Show and this is the Ultimate Issues Hour.
Please get my column today. It comes out on Tuesdays
(32:18):
on why saying Merry Christmas is so important. It is
a huge issue in the United States. Huge Ah. Okay.
Stephanie in Scottsdale, Arizona. Hello, Stephanie of Scottsdale.
Speaker 3 (32:32):
Hello, ooh that was beautiful.
Speaker 9 (32:34):
Hello, thank you.
Speaker 4 (32:39):
I have a question.
Speaker 9 (32:42):
My question is, as a Jew, how do we teach
our children how to honor Christmas and say Mary Christmas
without confusing them about the fact that we're Jews and
we practice Judaism not Christian Now, it's very interesting, Americans,
we want to honor us.
Speaker 2 (33:01):
Well, you just did it perfectly. Frankly, if you just
said that, this is one of the great calls of
my history, you answered the question. I don't have to
say a word. I can only add an anecdote for you.
I grew up in an Orthodox Jewish home where we
wore a yamlda all the time in the house. Okay,
and on every Christmas Eve, except if it was Friday
(33:24):
night because we didn't watch television. On Friday night, every
Christmas Eve, my whole family would gather around the television
set and watch the Mass from the Vatican. And I
remember when I was five or six, thinking, look, he
where's a yamulka two? Looking at the Pope, there was
(33:45):
never a confusion. I was raised in a home to
love my fellow American, to love America, and to honor
the holiday called Christmas, because that's a national holiday of
the nation that has treated Jews better than any in history.
(34:05):
Is that a good enough reason to say Merry Christmas?
I'm Dennis Prager.
Speaker 1 (34:48):
This has been timeless wisdom with Dennis Prager. Visit Dennisprager
dot com for thousands of hours of Dennis's lectures, courses
in classic radio programs, and to purchase Dennis Prager's Rational Bibles.
Welcome to Timeless Wisdom with Dennis Prager. Here thousands of
hours of Dennis's lectures, courses, and classic radio programs. And
to purchase Dennis Prager's Rational Bibles, go to Dennisprager dot com.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Believe it or not, this is the Ultimate Issues Hour
on the Dennis Prager Show. The third hour every Tuesday
is devoted to a great issue of life. But give
us the Christmas music. It is, after all, the last
ultimate Issues hour prior to Christmas. Yes, special time of year.
(01:02):
And I made the argument in the first hour that no,
what is this the third hour? Already? Wow? Ghost fast Wow.
I though it was the second is but of course
it's the third. I made the argument that you got
to take these two weeks and relax. It's very important.
And believe me, I know about the world tensions and
the domestic tensions. I read them, I write them, I
(01:25):
talk about them, I live them. I care about them.
But you have to at some point there is a
reason to have holidays and Holy days. You have to
take time off because next year is going to be
very intense. The whole year. The future of the United
(01:45):
States will be decided in November of twenty sixteen Ultimate
Issues Hour. The Ultimate Issue is really a big issue.
People don't know how big it is. I don't even
think that many people who do say Merry Christmas to
people realize how big it is. That's why I want
you to please see my column this week. It's going
(02:07):
I don't know about viral, but it's extremely widely reprinted
on the internet, including Real Clear Politics, which takes what
it considers the most important left and right articles each day.
So you can go to National Review, town Hall, RealClearPolitics,
Dennisprager dot com. And the title that I gave it
(02:31):
is what title? Because they gave a different title National Review.
Let me see the title that I gave it is
saying Merry Christmas is very important. That's exactly what it is.
It is very important. This is a huge issue, huge.
That's what I want the people to understand. So I'm
(02:53):
going to tell you why. Let me begin by reading
this to you. What I wrote. The nearly universal change
from wishing fellow Americans Merry Christmas to wishing them happy
Holidays is a very significant development in American life. Proponents
of happy Holidays argue that it's no big deal at all,
(03:16):
and that proponents of Merry Christmas are making a mountain
out of a mole hill, especially when proponents say that
the substitution of Happy Holidays is part of a quote
war on Christianity. But the happy Holidays advocates want it
both ways. They dismiss opponents as hysterical while at the
(03:38):
same time relentlessly pushing through it in America of Merry Christmas. So, then,
which is it? Is the substitution of happy Holidays for
Merry Christmas important or not? The answer is obvious. It
is very important. That's why the anti Merry Christmas crowd
has worked so hard to make this greeting a thing
(04:00):
of the past, and they have been extraordinarily successful. I
have been wished Happy Holidays by every waiter and waitress
in every restaurant I have dined, by every one of
the young people who welcome me when I go to
the gym, by every flight attendant and pilot on every
one of my flights, and by every individual I have
(04:22):
dealt with on the phone. When I respond thank you
Merry Christmas, I sometimes sense that I have actually created
some tension, while many of those to whom I wish
Merry Christmas may actually be happy that someone felt free
to utter the SA word. All the sensitivity training that
(04:43):
they've had to undergo creates cognitive dissonance. Christmas has also
been eliminated by many, probably the majority, of our elementary schools,
high schools, and universities. Thus, for example, they no longer
have a Christmas vacation, but a winter vacation. The opponents
of Merry Christmas and other uses of the word Christmas
(05:04):
know exactly what they are doing. They are disingenuous when
they dismiss defenders of Merry Christmas as fabricating some war
on Christianity. Of course, it's a war on Christianity, or,
more precisely, a war on the religious nature of America.
The left in America, like the left in Europe, wants
(05:27):
to create a thoroughly secular society. Unfortunately, most people do
not realize that the left believes in secularism just as
fervently as religious Christians believe in Christ. That's why Merry
Christmas so bothers the anti religious left. It is perhaps
the single most blatant reminder of just how religious America is,
(05:51):
and it must therefore be removed from public discourse. Here's
a safe prediction the ACLU and other secular activists on
the left will eventually move to have Christmas removed as
a national holiday. The left doesn't announce that its agenda
is to thoroughly secularize America. Instead, activists offer the multiculturalist
(06:13):
argument that saying Christmas as in Merry Christmas, or Christmas
party or Christmas vacation is not quote inclusive unquote. This
inclusiveness argument plays on American's highly developed sense of decency.
Most Americans don't want to gratuitously offend other Americans, so
(06:37):
the inclusiveness argument has been effective. But the argument is preposterous.
Who exactly is being excluded when one wishes someone marry
Christmas non Christians. I'm a non Christian, I am a Jew.
Christmas is therefore no more or religious holy day for
(06:57):
me than Ramadan. But I am an American and Christmas
is a national holiday of my country. It is therefore
my holiday, though not my holy day, as much as
it is for my fellow Americans who are Christian. Irving Berlin,
an American Jew, wrote white Christmas as a celebration of
an American holiday, his holiday. Not wishing me or merry Christmas,
(07:22):
you are not being inclusive. You are deliberately excluding me
from one of my nation's national holidays. But even if
Christmas weren't a national holiday, I would want companies to
have Christmas parties, schools to continue to have Christmas vacations,
and pilots to wish their passengers Merry Christmas. Just because
(07:46):
I don't personally celebrate Christmas, why would I want to
drop the word Christmas from public discourse When Christmas is
celebrated by ninety percent of my fellow Americans. It borders
on the misanthropic not to mention means spirited to want
to deny nearly all of your fellow citizens the joy
of having their Christmas parties called Christmas parties, or to
(08:09):
have to force them to replace Merry Christmas with happy Holidays.
A majority Christian country that treats non Christians so well
deserve better. Narcissism, misanthropy, meanness, and ingratitude. That's what the
leftist campaign against Merry Christmas and Christmas parties boils down to.
(08:34):
So say merry Christmas and Christmas party. If you don't,
you're not inclusive. You're letting the real life grinches win.
There we go I want you to have that. I'd
like you to read it at your Christmas party, at
a Christmas table, I should say celebration. No matter what
(08:58):
your opinion, it would provoke a very interesting discussion. While
I'm not for debating politics, I think this is a
this is a good one. It's time to fight back.
It's one of the stupidest things. And it's the whole
thing's fraudulent, non inclusive. It's a fraud to my fellow Jews.
(09:20):
A very simple question, should a you in Israel not
say Happy New Year during the Russiashana season? After all,
they the Hebrew iss Shahnatova good Year? So should they
not say that? After all, almost a quarter of Israel
isn't Jewish. A fifth of Israel is not Jewish. So
(09:42):
should they stop saying Happy New Year? When a fifth
of Israel Israelis don't celebrate it personally? I bet you
they I bet you it doesn't even occur to them.
This is an American leftist invention, not inclusive. If you
don't say Merry Christmas to me, then you are not
(10:03):
being inclusive. There's nothing more inclusive than trying to bring
me into your celebration. It's like, uh, it's like, I'm
not going to celebrate your birthday because it's not my birthday. Hey,
you're not inclusive. It's not my birthday. It's only yours.
(10:26):
One eighth Praguer seven seven six. This is worthy of
an Ultimate Issues Hour. It is an ultimate issue. Please
get the article and send it along. You're listening to
the Dennis Prager Show. We continue. One eighth Prager seven
seven six. Hi, everybody, this is the Ultimate Issues Hour,
(10:49):
third hour every week Tuesday is on some great issue.
And I consider the removal of the word Christmas from
the American public vocabulary to be an ultimate issue. Absolutely.
Please read my column today saying Merry Christmas is very important.
(11:10):
That's the title of the column. And it's all over
the It's not all over, it's in many places on
the internet, National Review, town Hall, Real Clear, Politics, and
many other places. It's a national holiday. Anyway, I read
you the entire piece. I'm not going to re review
all of the points. I'm going to take your calls though.
(11:34):
The schools no longer have Christmas vacation, it's winter vacation
and so on. By the way, even Happy New Year.
I don't know why they say Happy New Year. Jehovah's
witnesses don't just celebrate the New Year. To the best
of my knowledge, they don't celebrate birthdays. If you're going to.
If inclusivity is your point, then you can't say anything
about anything. Why even say happy holiday? Not everybody is
(11:59):
observing any holiday? Right? Why say that inclusive totalitarian notion?
And it's meaningless inclusive? If you wish me a merry
Christmas and I happen not to be Christian, how am
I being excluded? Exactly cold? Somebody tell me that, how
am I being excluded? Aren't you in including me in
(12:21):
your celebration? Isn't that the nicest thing you can do?
Like everything else on the left, it's it's preposterous. It's preposterous. Birmingham, Alabama, Jonathan, Hello, Jonathan, Hey.
Speaker 3 (12:37):
How you doing all right?
Speaker 2 (12:38):
Thank you good?
Speaker 4 (12:40):
You know, Christmas is really just a celebration of the
Winter Solstice, which is a pagan holiday that is kind
of scraping it over by Christianity. And this is constantly
you know, Christmas is constantly through Is.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
There anybody who celebrates Christmas who was celebrating the winter solstice?
Is there anyone celebrating Christmas today? Who was celebrating the
Christmas Solstice? Excuse me, the winter solstice.
Speaker 4 (13:06):
Well, it doesn't make it any less true that.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
That's what it's about, but it makes it completely irrelevant.
It's true, but irrelevant.
Speaker 4 (13:13):
Well, I mean that's just why is it relevant?
Speaker 2 (13:15):
Why is it relevant? Everybody who celebrates Christmas as a
religious day is not celebing the the place of the
earth visa vi. The Sun. They are celebrating the birth
of their savior. So why is it important to note
that thousands of years ago it was the time of
the winter solstice. I'm serious, I'm I'm not arguing with you.
(13:36):
I want to know. Why do you think it's an
important point?
Speaker 4 (13:39):
Well, I mean it's you know, it's it's recognized, what's
recognizing what our ancestors went through to get us here.
At one time, it was a big celebration about the
harvest or whatever it was about. I'm not a historian,
but no.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
No, I'm why did you call to tell me that
it was originally the winter solstice? I'm not I'm not
challenging you. I don't understand the point of the call.
Speaker 4 (14:02):
I mean, because it was stolen. It's stolen, it's sprayping
it over by Christians. It's not it's not Christmas. Christmas?
Speaker 2 (14:09):
Who what does it mean? Okay? So are you aware
of the fact that virtually every Biblical holiday, uh, and
I'm talking as a Jew about the Hebrew Bible ultimately
had a corresponding pagan basis. Did you know that the
whole greatness of Judaism and Christianity is to pour new
(14:31):
wine into old bottles. Otherwise people wouldn't know what they're
doing in order to wean away Do you know, for example,
the greatest I'm sure he wouldn't know, and I don't
expect you to. The greatest Jewish philosopher whoever lived is
mimonodes To eleventh century. And his point he completely Orthodox
jew obviously, and he said the whole reason for the
(14:56):
sacrificial system in the Bible was to wean away people
from human sacrifice, the whole. Whether you agree or not,
the point is that the greatness of elevated religion is
to take traditional frameworks and fill them with moral essences.
(15:19):
Concentrates you're concentrating on the bottle, whereas the point is
to concentrate on the contents of the bottle. That's all
that matters. All right. That's very important because because I
see that. I always read comments on my pieces because
I like to see maybe I did I made a
wrong point, and maybe I could make the point stronger
(15:41):
in the next column or on the next show. And
I get this winter solstice stuff as if it means anything.
Oh so therefore what so? Therefore America should not have Christmas,
Christians should not celebrate Christmas? So what it doesn't mean anything? Okay,
(16:03):
won eight Praeger. But I'm glad you called, Jonathan, and
I thank you for the call. And Shaska, Minnesota and Karen, Hello,
Karen of Chaska.
Speaker 5 (16:12):
Hey there is Chaska.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Yeah, oh one minute, I like getting the right Karen
of Chaska.
Speaker 3 (16:19):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (16:19):
This actually has more to do with your last hour.
But I was listening to it in the discussion about
whether or not you should tell children that Santa Claus
is not real at a young age or not, and
it just struck me that you're breaking your own principle,
which is tell the truth first and then give your opinion.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
Right, So you should know that my policy for your
kids is if your child asks you is Santa real,
then you have to tell them the truth. However, there are.
Speaker 5 (16:49):
Lots of questions in life that they don't ask, but
you still tell them the truth.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
That's right, but you see it. So I'm curious, as
as I point out when I do the subject each
year on Santa Claus, if you read to your child's Pinocchio,
do you tell your child please know Pinocchio is not real.
It's a made up figure by the author.
Speaker 4 (17:08):
Yes, okay, you're.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
Real like I do Cinderella, and you tell your kids
there really was never a Cinderella.
Speaker 5 (17:16):
I'm not aworried that there ever was, so they would
be still no.
Speaker 2 (17:19):
No, I'm not right. Okay, So this is a story.
Speaker 5 (17:21):
Santa Claus is a story, so I would tell them
the same. It's a story. It's not real.
Speaker 2 (17:27):
No, that's what I'm saying. Before you read your kids Cinderella,
you say this is not real.
Speaker 5 (17:35):
I don't know if before I opened the book, I
would do that. But they would tell at a young
age that it was a story.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
No, they don't know that that's not true. I'll bet
you they believe Cinderella lived.
Speaker 5 (17:44):
But I would tell them when they were old enough
to understand the difference between the truth and a story.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
So all right, So you would, according to you, you
lie to them until they're older. That's your own that's
your own accusation against me.
Speaker 5 (17:59):
No, Dennis, because there are lots of things that you
do in life, you do to teach them things.
Speaker 2 (18:04):
That's exactly right. And that's exactly why I don't think
there's any reason to tell your kid about Santa until
they ask.
Speaker 5 (18:10):
Okay, well, sorry, I already did, by the way. I
was raised in a family where I knew that Santa
Claus was not real, but we still had christ of
gifts under the tree.
Speaker 2 (18:20):
Believe that, and I believe that. I believe that, and
I'm glad you did. I don't know anybody who's been
harmed by having been raised without being told Santa Claus
is a myth. Okay, I don't think it's a battle
worth making. It's not my biggest passion in life. The
Merry Christmas issue is a big passion. Back in a moment,
(18:42):
you are listening to the Ultimate Issues Hour on the
Dennis Prager Show.
Speaker 3 (18:54):
We're riding in a wonderland of.
Speaker 2 (19:00):
Hi, everybody, I'm Dennis Prager. This is the Ultimate Issues Hour.
The third hour every Tuesday is on an Ultimate Issue
this week. It is my column. I actually read my column.
I don't do that. I mean maybe three times a
year I do that. Maybe that's how significant I consider
this column. And it's up at my website, National View,
Real Clear Politics, town Hall and many others. It's as
(19:27):
you might want to print it out and read it
at your Christmas dinner. It's it's a it's a it's
an important I think it's an important piece on why
it is totally inclusive to say Mary Christmas and completely
narcissistic to make the substitutions for it. Happy Holiday. Incidentally,
(19:51):
our our guest here also here is happy holiday in
the singular, not just happy holidays. CHRISTI in Inglewood, California,
Dennis Prager High m Okay, Christy. Christy is currently one
(20:13):
of the volunteers on the Martians Space Cruise and is
calling from many miles away. Christy, I can't hear a word.
Speaker 6 (20:23):
Can you hear me?
Speaker 2 (20:24):
Now? I can? Great?
Speaker 6 (20:25):
Okay, Hi, thank you for taking my call. I have
to tell you that you're such a blessing to me
and my mom, who's almost ninety three. We listen to
you every morning. I take care of her at home,
and it's part of our morning routine. And I was
walking through the dining room and I was hearing you
explain to that lout caller some thoughts you had about
(20:47):
the winter solstice and Christmas. And I have to tell
you, you've never heard anyone explain.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
The give an answer to that.
Speaker 6 (20:58):
Yes, the elevations of paganism.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
That's right, Yep, that's right.
Speaker 6 (21:03):
The way that you did it was truly a special
moment for me, and I hope it was for a
lot of other people. You ares just so brilliant at
explaining things.
Speaker 2 (21:13):
Well, that's very kind of you, you know. Just recently,
it was very interesting. Recently, a very pre dominant Christians
looked at me and he said, do you know how
many people you have brought back to Christianity? And I
said yes. And the fact is I brought a lot
of Jews back to Judaism. And because there are great
(21:36):
arguments to be made, I mean not arguments, there are
great truths to be told. And the truth is that unfortunately,
well intentioned clergy just haven't had these answers. There's this thing, Oh,
it's really the winter solstice is an irrelevant point and
it's not true. The greatness of religion is to take
(21:58):
the pagan and elevate it, just as Christy was so
happy to hear. That's its greatness. If people are celebrating
a certain date and you can change that date from
celebrating Zeus into celebrating one God and celebrating love your
neighbor as yourself, and all the other greatnesses of the Testaments,
(22:24):
then that's great, isn't it. Isn't that the best thing
you could do. I mean, just to give you an example,
let us say it's not a perfect example. Very few
times is an analogy perfect. Let us say somebody took
the swastika and made it into a symbol of love,
an active symbol of love. They have taken it away,
(22:48):
they have filled it with something beautiful. Okay, let's go
to uh uh right, let's see, let's see, let's see,
let's see. Okay, I'm sorry, Rob in Garden City, New York.
We're not going to talk about Donald Trump this hour.
(23:10):
I'm only laughing because it's so easy to get politics
into anything. But now we're just talking about this subject.
So yeah, call call tomorrow. That is exactly right. Okay.
So we've opened up a line, folks, and I may
open up a couple of others. Oh yeah, David, and
fort Worth notes, those who say Santi is and real
(23:31):
are misinformed. He was a real person. Okay, But obviously
the way we refer to Santa Claus today, coming down
the chimney and bringing you gifts and getting letters into
the north pole, that's that's the one we're referring to.
I see no harm done.
Speaker 6 (23:48):
You know what.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
I'm a big believer in folks, really really big believer
in common sense. Back in a moment. You're listening to
the Dennis Prager Show, the Ultimate Issues.
Speaker 7 (23:58):
Hour, just to share I love black yours bok.
Speaker 2 (24:09):
Hello, my friends. I'm Dennis Prager and this is the
Ultimate Issues Hour, the third hour every Tuesday, and some
great issue. I read to you my column today. Tuesday
is my column day, nationally syndicated column, and it is
about why saying Merry Christmas is so important. I do
consider it an ultimate issue. People like to trivialize it.
(24:29):
At the same time that they trivialize it, they are
making war against it. No, no, no, Schools don't have
Christmas vacations, they have winter vacations. We don't say Merry Christmas,
we say happy holiday, and we don't have a Christmas
party at work? We have a holiday party? Holiday party?
(24:54):
What does that mean? Tell me, isn't there Isn't there
something more meaningful to the word Christmas party than holiday party?
I mean? Right? And you know what's happened. You see
what leftism? Leftism is ultimately a form of narcissism. I
(25:18):
don't celebrate it, so why the hell should you. I'm
not religious, so let me tear down the religiosity of America.
That's what it really is, That's what it is in
its essence, and I want to fight back. I want
to fight back. All right, Let's see what else we
have here, and let's go to Colorado Springs. Pat, Hello, Pat,
(25:43):
Dennis Prager.
Speaker 3 (25:45):
Dennis, I would love to talk to you one on
one for about four hours.
Speaker 2 (25:49):
I learned so much from Would you bring a very
good cigar?
Speaker 3 (25:54):
Absolutely?
Speaker 2 (25:56):
Okay?
Speaker 1 (25:56):
All right?
Speaker 2 (25:56):
Oh? Makes it certainly makes it more tempting. Yes.
Speaker 3 (26:03):
The attack against Merrick Christmas, I think is just another
indicator of what's going on in the bigger picture. We
wrestle not against flesh and blood. We wrestle against sprints,
taalities and powers of darkness. I think we're in a
spiritual battle in America.
Speaker 2 (26:21):
We are ultimately, There's no doubt in my mind it
ultimately comes down to the God issue. There is no
doubt in my mind that that is what is about
leftism in the final Now, since Marx has been ultimately
about that. Marx hated religion. It's the opiate of the people.
(26:42):
God is Man, Man is God. What is it? Man
is God? That was I believe Marx. God is Man.
That was Engels. Ever since the beginning, it has been
they have understood either the left winds or religion wins.
And that is why Europe has essentially no religion. And
what is the result. People don't get married, people don't
(27:04):
have children, people don't have ultimate meaning. The place is soulless.
I love visiting Europe. I love it. By the end
of the next cruise, I will have been Europe has
an incredible number of countries. I will have been to
every European country except uh, maybe Slovakia because I was
(27:28):
in Czechoslovakia, but that was before it divided into Czech
Republican Slovakia and I and we're going to Slovenia correct
on this cruise. So Slovenia on Albania and Montenegro, So
what's left. I've been to Croatia, I've been to Serbia,
(27:48):
So what's left in Yugoslavia the former Yugoslava. I think
I will have been to every I and I studied
in Europe for a year. I've been back a dozen
times at least. But it's solis, folks. It is soulless
and and that's what the left creates. It's a soulless place.
Everything is about the material. How much do you make,
(28:09):
how much time do you have off, what are your
what is your retirement age? That's it. It's all material.
It's because because obviously, if there's no God, what is
Everything is just material? So he the caller is right, Pat,
You're right, it is ultimately. I've always believed that it
(28:30):
is ultimately about the God issue. You know how we
know that at pre University. It's interesting, you know how
much you know what's get the most hate of our
videos the ones that advocate God's existence, not the ones
that advocate small government, not the ones that advocate lower taxes.
I mean, we have a lot of controversial and not
even the ones that from the founder co founder of
(28:52):
Greenpeace who spoke about the UH the lack of threat
in global warming. Even those didn't get as much hate
as the completely rational videos on behalf of God's existence.
That's really what that's really in the final analysis, the
(29:14):
most angering aspect. Oh Kadoki, Let's go to more of
your calls, and again, thank you. Pat. Free up a
line there, dearborn Michigan, Karen, Hello, Karen.
Speaker 8 (29:32):
Dennis Prager, Hi, Dennis, Merry Christmas.
Speaker 2 (29:35):
Thank you.
Speaker 8 (29:37):
I wish I would have had your column read before
I went into an appointment that I just left about
an hour ago. I am a Christian. I do have
a Muslim person that I know through work that I
needed to visit his house, and he and I have
had times. He's a very mature gentleman. It's been in
this country over forty years, and is Muslim. We've had
(29:59):
discussions in the past, very pleasant discussions about our respective religion.
But today I visited him in his house and he
had a Christmas tree front and center in his living
room window, and I thought he is American, and I
think that really hones into what your whole column was about,
that despite our differences, he embraces America well.
Speaker 2 (30:24):
I think it does exemplify that he does exactly. That's
not to say that every non Christian doesn't have a
Christmas tree, doesn't embrace America. But it's I understand your point,
and I agree with you, of course. I mean it's
his He wasn't converting to Christianity. He was celebrating an
American holiday, and it is a national holiday, folks. Easter
(30:47):
is not a national holiday, but Christmas is a national holiday.
And I honor my fellow citizen. I'm not just Dennis.
Here's a great here's a great thought for people on
the left. You're not only you or a member of
your ethnic group or racial group. You're also an American.
(31:09):
I know that that's a chakaru, but it's worth thinking about.
Back in a moment. I get so involved and wrapped
up in these Christmas songs that I I don't start
talking on top now, who is that? I know that,
(31:34):
I know that that's Frank, Yeah, of course, of course,
exactly what an era? Now, these were the crooners, right,
it was the krooner era. Yeah, it's like Dean Martin
was a crooner too, right, It's just I know it's
just a term, but they but they used it. Well, well,
not in the crooner era now, so that's why I
(31:55):
use the word era. Maybe it was an era to
use era. Hello everybody, I'm Dennis Prager. This is the
Dennis Prager Show and this is the Ultimate Issues Hour.
Please get my column today. It comes out on Tuesdays
(32:18):
on why saying Merry Christmas is so important. It is
a huge issue in the United States. Huge Ah. Okay.
Stephanie in Scottsdale, Arizona. Hello, Stephanie of Scottsdale.
Speaker 3 (32:32):
Hello, ooh that was beautiful.
Speaker 9 (32:34):
Hello, thank you.
Speaker 4 (32:39):
I have a question.
Speaker 9 (32:42):
My question is, as a Jew, how do we teach
our children how to honor Christmas and say Mary Christmas
without confusing them about the fact that we're Jews and
we practice Judaism not Christian Now, it's very interesting, Americans,
we want to honor us.
Speaker 2 (33:01):
Well, you just did it perfectly. Frankly, if you just
said that, this is one of the great calls of
my history, you answered the question. I don't have to
say a word. I can only add an anecdote for you.
I grew up in an Orthodox Jewish home where we
wore a yamlda all the time in the house. Okay,
and on every Christmas Eve, except if it was Friday
(33:24):
night because we didn't watch television. On Friday night, every
Christmas Eve, my whole family would gather around the television
set and watch the Mass from the Vatican. And I
remember when I was five or six, thinking, look, he
where's a yamulka two? Looking at the Pope, there was
(33:45):
never a confusion. I was raised in a home to
love my fellow American, to love America, and to honor
the holiday called Christmas, because that's a national holiday of
the nation that has treated Jews better than any in history.
(34:05):
Is that a good enough reason to say Merry Christmas?
I'm Dennis Prager.
Speaker 1 (34:48):
This has been timeless wisdom with Dennis Prager. Visit Dennisprager
dot com for thousands of hours of Dennis's lectures, courses
in classic radio programs, and to purchase Dennis Prager's Rational Bibles.
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Breakfast Club
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!