A "War On Christmas" Rant

The past few years, ever since some fella who looks like Beavis’s geriatric stunt double wrote a book, some of the news pundits have declared that there is a “War on Christmas”. If the checkout girl at the mall doesn’t bid you a “Merry Christmas” as she rings up your purchases, then her store must be part of the vast conspiracy. If the local courthouse isn’t displaying a plastic Jesus lit up like Gangsta 10 on Christmas Eve, then they, too, have fallen victim to this War.

I say baloney. And I say it to both sides of the battle. To my knowledge, a Christmas tree is a Christmas tree. A decorated evergreen isn’t a traditional accompaniment to any Hannukah, Kwanzaa, or Winter Solstice celebration. Okay, so Christmas is in December in order to pre-empt Winter Solistice celebrations, Santa Claus was Turkish and Christmas trees have a Germanic origin. You get my point( hopefully), and politically correct extremists can call it Spaghetti Cat for all I care, but that doesn’t change the fact that it is a Christmas tree just as surely as the treats handed out on October 31st are Halloween Candy and not Holiday Candy.

Now, for the suggestion that wishing someone a Merry Christmas might be somehow offensive to those who don’t celebrate it. Who’s skin is that thin?? I will accept any well wishes in the spirit they are intended. I don’t find it the least bit offensive to be wished a Merry Christmas, a Happy Hannukah, a Blessed Kwanzaa, or a Splendid Solstice. And anyone who does probably needs to grow up.

On the other hand, those who expect to be wished a Merry Christmas by every store clerk, butcher, baker, and candlestick maker need to join us all in the real world for a moment. Stores serve EVERYONE of EVERY religion or lack thereof. The girl ringing up the Homer Simpson Chia Pet you picked out for Aunt Myrtle hasn’t a clue as to what holiday you hold dear, and for minimum wage, frankly, she doesn’t give a damn. She isn’t there to bolster your spiritual beliefs. If you want to be in a place filled with people who all believe what you believe, there is probably a lovely church within spitting distance of the mall that will be happy to wish you a Merry Christmas and, if the timing is right, let you have a crack at some homemade goodies down in the fellowship hall.

If every person aghast that a Nativity scene isn’t being funded with tax dollars would channel that energy into showing the world some TRUE Christmas spirit surely that would go a lot further, feed a few homeless people, save the lives of a few Walmart Greeters and may even get them a spot in line with Tim Tebow one day.

Related Links:

Defend Christmas
Merry Christmas, Who will Say It and Who Want