The War on Christmas

As soon as we're done stuffing ourselves with bird on Thanksgiving, thoughts turn to Christmas.

And just like swallows returning to Capistrano, some Christians start whining about liberals and others destroying THEIR holiday by taking the “Christ” out of Christmas. We liberals do this by saying “happy holidays, “ instead of Merry Christmas. We apparently, and I am guilty of this, are part of a concerted effort to make Christmas a solely secular celebration.

After all they say...”Jesus is the reason for the season, “ right?

Well, no, not really. Truth of the matter is, Christians hijacked December 25th to be Jesus' birthday. He was actually born sometime in March, according to the experts who have studied the matter more than me.

“Happy holidays” is a way of acknowledging the plurality of December 25th. It is a way of greeting all people, because some people aren't Christian and don't necessarily celebrate Christmas. By saying “Merry Christmas” to everyone you know or meet, you are assuming that everyone is Christian and celebrates the same way you do. Kind of bigoted, don't cha think?

A blanket “Merry Christmas” is kind of like straight people assuming that all other people are straight, too, when some of us are gay, some bisexual, some transgendered while others of us are just plain festive and fabulous.

“Happy holidays” is merely an acknowledgement that the world is different and diverse, nothing more. It relays a respect for the humanity of others. Sort of like the greeting “Namaste,” which is loosely translated, “I recognize the humanity in you, as you recognize the humanity in me.”

The war on Christmas myth traces back to the 1950's and the United States Junior Chamber of Commerce aka the JayCees. The JayCee campaign was called “Put Christ Back in Christmas.” The campaign was started because some businesses began using “Xmas” as short hand for “Christmas.” They even got the boy scouts involved to hand out fliers and bumperstickers. Had nothing to do with anyone trying to persecute Christians and or their celebrations.

Henry Ford lambasted Jews as opposing Christmas while he sent boat loads of money to Adolf Hitler back in the day. The John Birch society regularly complained, saying Happy Holidays was an anti-Christian statement. Goes back a long time. 

The War on Christmas is nothing more than a vampyric urban legend that refuses to die, kept alive by the wingnuts of the conservative right. In other words....Christians are behind the War on Christmas.  

As we become one big global family, Christmas has become less of a religious celebration. It's downright Pagan in a lot of ways starting with the tree.

In America for most, the religious aspects of Christmas take a back seat...and I mean way back... to the commercial aspects of the holiday.

I mean, what was that on Black Friday...pepper spray to buy a toy? Please! Wonder if she will make time to go to church, if they don't lock her ass up first.

Let's be real, Christian conservatives revive this controversy every year because they are losing their dominance in American society. They want their country back and they want it to reflect all those Norman Rockwell drawings or those Leave it to Beaver days in suburbia when daddy worked, mommy worked at home in heels, and the kids were just kids playing baseball.

There is no war on Christmas....never has been.

The nice thing about this world that we live in today, is that you can celebrate what you want....when you want...and how you want...

So.... Merry Christmas....Happy Holidays.....and Happy Kwanzaa....or not

Your choice...