When in doubt, sing “It’s Christmas”

With Christmas fast approaching, it sometimes feels like a minefield out there when we hear news about whether or not it’s politically-correct to greet someone “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays.” Don’t worry though; a songwriter named Cory Morgenstern has come up with a way to help us decide. And to make it easy for us, he even made it into a song called “It’s Christmas.”

It’s Christmas or is it the Holidays?

In today’s age when people push things overboard in being too careful to avoid offending sensibilities, a little change in perspective might be in order.

For example, a recent Brooklyn primary school had declared that holiday icons like Santa Claus and angels have no place in school. The school– PS 169 in Sunset Park, Brooklyn– was given the scrub down when a memo was sent out urging their staff to “be sensitive of the diversity of our families” as “not all children celebrate the same holidays.”

“We definitely can’t say Christmas, nothing with Christmas on it, nothing with Santa. No angels. We can’t even have a star because it can represent a religious system, like the Star of David,” PTA president Mimi Ferrer said administrators told her.

However, Morgenstern finds this over-reaction to Christmas absurd. That’s why he came up with the song, “It’s Christmas.”

Why ‘It’s Christmas’ was created

A noted multi-instrumentalist who also sings, Morgenstern has been writing songs, recording, teaching and performing for all of his adult life. A native of Southern California, he also performs locally, and teaches and records in his home recording studio.

Morgenstern said of the song’s origin, “It’s Christmas came about when my co-writer, Maryann McArthur– who was working with John Gambling on WOR radio in NYC– attended the Christmas Parade in NYC, and was incensed when she heard that Santa was forbidden to wish everyone ‘Merry Christmas’ and instead was told to say ‘Happy Holidays’.”

“She approached me with the lyric, and I wrote the music and recorded it in my studio, and then got Micayla De Ette to sing it, and so here it is!” he added.

Sing “It’s Christmas” when in doubt

So if you think that holiday caution in offending other people’s sensibilities is getting you down, cheer up. Remember the reason you’re celebrating the holiday season and sing “It’s Christmas.”

Here’s the link to the song “It’s Christmas”. You can also buy it here as well as on iTunes so you can keep it on your player on repeat.