No Such Thing As Christmas

It used to be that some anti Christmas people didn't believe in Santa Claus. But a few years ago the politically correct advocates came into power and broadened the debate. Now, every December, there is a flock of non believers who say that Christmas itself doesn't exist. They prefer a new holiday carved from Christmas called "The Winter Holiday" as in "Happy Holidays", not "Merry Christmas". For them, Christmas is dead because Christ is dead, or a something like that. And they become very upset if any public institution celebrates Christmas.

The annual attempt by the Christmas nullifiers is happening everywhere in the United States. They insist that "Christmas" is not "inclusive enough", that because many people are not Christians the Christians have no right to have their own holiday. Bah Humbug! We hate it when anyone acknowledges Christmas, they mumble. Further they declare, if a government mentions the word Christmas or any religious variation that said government is abusing non Christians. That's why they deny Christmas and try to change the Christmas holiday into their own "inclusive" version. Don't they realize that the existence of the Christmas narrative is why there is any holiday at all on December 25th? It's silly, mean spirited and idiotic. But then, so are many politically correct types who want to create an imaginary world of their own liking. To follow their lead would be like banning the word "Mohammed' because using it is "not inclusive" to non Muslims.

So the latest PC police against Christmas is in Roselle Park, New Jersey. A New Jersey city council's decision to add the word "Christmas" to the name of its tree lighting ceremony prompted one council member to step down because it "turned it from a non religious event to a religious one," she said. Charlene Storey announced her decision just minutes after the Roselle Park council approved the change. Good riddance to her, I say. Charlene is a former Catholic, a self described as an atheist.  So Charlene resigned the other day saying that the town's decision to change the ceremony's name from "A Tree Lighting" to "A Christmas Tree Lighting" favors one religion and "cuts non Christians out of the loop."

Of course Christmas cuts them out of the loop. It's a celebration that was Christian in origin, though now seems to be as much secular and as popular among non Christians as with Christians. Roselle Park Mayor Carl Hokanson replied to Charlene's resignation with a dose of common sense, something most of the politically correct lack in great abundance. "It's not a street, it's not a building, it's a Christmas tree," Hokanson said.

I wonder if Charlene will forfeit her Christmas bonus.  Or if she refuses to observe the holiday recognized by the federal government we know as Christmas Day, and goes in to work that day. I suspect there is little chance of that. Charlene likes the perks of Christmas, but doesn't want it called what it is because the non perks "offend" her. I hope Santa puts plenty of Christmas coal in her "Holiday" stocking this year.

The irony of these idiotic protests against calling a holiday by its rightful name is that Christmas is not really about Jesus for most people. It's more about consumerism and black Friday sales and discounts and buying more stuff than they can fit in their attics and closets. It's about getting drunk at the Christmas party and kissing that sexy secretary so lusted over all year by so many or her co workers, it's about silly Christmas lights and decorations we all love to see and erect, about those Christmas movies, about people being nicer to each other (except Scroogess Charlene), about lovely Christmas movies and ugly Christmas sweaters, about all those Christmas  sweets grandma bakes and most of all it is about humans being more tolerant and loving toward each other. The latter is the part most missing from Charlene's politically correct brain. Merry Christmas, Charlene!