Even though preparing large meals and purchasing Christmas gifts add to our stress level this time of the year, I’m excited, as are so many, that the Christmas season is here and people still view this season as a time of celebration and spending time with family.

Having already attended several Christmas parades this year, I can say with certainty that the residents in our area continue to go out of their way to smile a bit more and extend their kindness as the day we celebrate Christ’s birth approaches.

As we prepare for Christmas day, we recognize that regardless of the conflicts in our world, we are all striving to live our lives in peace with one another. To me, that includes the acceptance of those who make different choices than me, including those with different cultural and religious backgrounds than I have.

‘Tis the season for political correctness, though. Every year, it seems there are a few ACLU-types out there who stir up conflict because they do not celebrate Christmas or honor the reasoning behind it. They would rather that we do not have community nativity scenes and that we stick to words such as “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas!”

This has got to stop. We all recognize that we live in a very diverse world in which people make their own life choices according to how they see fit. This doesn’t mean that we restrict others from their customs. It means that we all have something to bring to the table, and Christmas is part of that for the vast majority of Americans.

As we continue through the month of December, I encourage you to live out your faith, beliefs, and traditions—whatever they may be—without apology. Respect others, learn about one another’s traditions, and teach others about yours. Spend time with your family and friends, and enjoy this joyous time of year. The birth of Christ is reason to celebrate!

As for myself and my family, we wish all of you a very “Merry Christmas!”