Xmas

 This is an article I wrote a few Christmases ago, but I’m sure it still has some relevance:

-Once a year we celebrate Christmas. Out come the decorations, up go the lights, the Christmas tree is decorated, and the manger scene has its own special place. Many people flock to the mall to buy gifts, and see large colorful “ Merry Christmas” posters. Others make homemade presents to give to family and friends. And when you see someone you know around town, your parting words are, “Merry Christmas!” 

But Christmas 2005, some people (the ACLU for instance) were protesting Christmas. They say Christmas is biased (so it’s politically incorrect). It suggests Christianity too much. Instead of saying  “ Merry Christmas” we should say “Happy Holidays”. Some stores were even leaving the word “Christmas” out of their stores, replacing it with “Happy Holidays”. 

 In one children’s choir, the kids could sing Hanukkah and Kwaanza songs but couldn’t sing Christmas songs unless they sang them in a different language or left the word “Christmas” out. Hmm… maybe “Christmas” will be the next swear word.   
 
Even the Christmas tree was under attack. But you’re okay if you call it a “holiday tree”. Lowe’s Home Improvement stores had begun advertising “holiday trees” early in December. In one public school, the kids couldn’t call their classes tree a “Christmas” tree, it was an evergreen tree!      

How about this?  One employee of Sam’s Club in a town in Texas, couldn’t wear his name on his name badge. Can you guess what his name was? Jesus! Even though his name is pronounced hae-soos, he can’t go around with the name Jesus for every one to see!    

But the good news is that a lot of people have had enough. Lowe’s quickly switched back to “Christmas trees” when the American Family Association challenged them, and in New York, Macys holiday theme was “Christmas in the City”. So “Christmas” is not sunk yet. -

~ by Will Claybourne on December 27, 2007.