Years ago I’d often patronize a shop where a woman named Hester would usually wait on me.

Once, when it was around this time of year, as she was ringing up my purchases, I was trying to make conversation and I blurted out that old chestnut:

“Are you ready for Christmas?” 

She hesitated just for a fraction of a second, and I could see in her eyes that that was a question that she was already tired of hearing, and I realized, oh, of course, she’s Jewish. But she recovered and came back with some light-hearted reply.

I relate this anecdote merely as a reminder that not everyone celebrates the same holidays at the same time of year.

So living in a metropolitan area as I do, I try not to automatically assume things about folks that I don’t know. I’m not always successful, of course. After all, I’m only human.