Christmas

I love Christmas. Christmas is fantastic. I don't particularly like the fact that stores put up decorations before Halloween these days, but that's got nothing to do with the actual celebration and meaning of Christmas (though I confess I could listen to Christmas carols all year round).

There has been a lot made recently about the supposed "war on Christmas". If you're talking about Santa Claus, travel hassle, $$ spent on presents, and pointy trees with stars on top, then there's an argument to be made. I understand people who don't profess a certain faith not wanting these things jammed down their throats. But that has nothing to do with what Christmas is supposed to be. They're the commercial and secular aspects that have regrettably come to be associated with Christmas.

Season's Greetings. Happy Holidays. Merry Christmas. I don't think the first two are an attack on the last, though some individuals may use them as such. I think that for the most part people say them to reflect a broadening of the audience they're speaking to, which may include non-Christians. Saying "Happy Holidays" doesn't denigrate Christmas, because it can't. How can it denigrate the memory of the birth of the Son of God? You think a simple two-word phrase can impact such an event, or what it stands for? If what's in our hearts and souls is the truly important thing, then why should we worry about how early the decorations go up or what catchphrase gets used in the Walmart checkout line? And let's not forget that the religious and spiritual meaning of Christmas pales in comparison to Easter.

You might have guessed that I don't really believe that there is a war on Christmas. I think a lot of it is drummed up by people upset that they're not being allowed to do whatever they want in the name of Christmas. But if they want some ammo, then there's this:

A few years ago my cousin was featured in a story by HGTV called "Coming Home" or "Going Home". Part of the show was going to be cousins caroling around town. They gave the TV people a list of songs they were going to sing, but some of them were nixed because they weren't supposed to sing any that mentioned Jesus. Heaven forbid.