Dug out of the archives

I can't believe I wrote this four years ago already, while I was at the Jackson County Chronicle. But a recent report, again, on CNN.com about this so-called War On Christmas has prompted me to go into the archives and post. 

Good 'ole Scrooge never fails to make an appearance

by Michelle Weyenberg of the Jackson County Chronicle 

(Dec. 22, 2005)

I hate to even bring up the issue, especially this close to Christmas, but I can't stop thinking about it.

So here it goes…

Not only do we have a war going on overseas, a war between the rich and poor, a war between republicans and democrats (sadly the list could go on and on), but we seem to be having this so-called 'war on Christmas.' Have you heard about this?

Whether it's made-up controversy or not, you can't turn the channel without seeing a story on whether there is an attack on Christmas.

I caught my first version of the story on MSNBC three weeks ago. The first thing you should know about me is that I'm a channel flipper. But when I saw the headline, "The War on Christmas," my hand holding the remote froze in mid-air.

Why? Because the second thing you should know about me is that I love Christmas. Not only that but the whole holiday season. I'm the person some of you hate. The person who puts up the Christmas lights the day after Halloween. The person who starts talking about Christmas even before it's Thanksgiving.

The third thing you should know about me is that I don't care if you think I'm crazy for being a die hard Christmas celebrator. To me, it's the best time of the year.

But I have to say, all this non-sense about the war on Christmas is pretty coo-coo.

We've got the "Merry Christmas" people versus the "Happy Holidays" people.

Unfortunately I can't remember who was anchoring the MSNBC broadcast of "The War on Christmas" that night, because all I was thinking was "this is so stupid but I can't change the channel."

It seems we have some religious conservatives that are insisting that store clerks and advertisements say "Merry Christmas" because the phrase "Happy Holidays" is offensive to their beliefs and the real meaning of Christmas.

Now I was an avid church-goer growing up, and as a Christian I know the significance of Christmas Day. But I've never been offended when someone's said "Happy Holidays" to me. I don't think I ever even thought, "Why didn't they say Merry Christmas?"

But this year for some reason, everybody is pulling out all the stops to shed some bah-humbug light on Christmas.

People are getting mad at President Bush because he sent out cards referring to the "holiday season." On the flip-side, the decorated tree on the Capital lawn was declared a "Christmas Tree" and not a "Holiday Tree."

Could it be that everything has to be politically correct these days?

We have to decorate our town, sell merchandise and greet people without offending someone. That's really, really hard.

People get too passionate about this kind of stuff for a couple weeks and then it fades away. Maybe the news media was a little slow on news and picked up on this idea and ran with it. Oh and it could be the book that Fox News Channel Anchor John Gibson wrote called, not surprisingly, "The War on Christmas."

Truthfully, the only reason I got mad right away about the whole idea was because I didn't want to have to call my tree a "Holiday Tree."

But then the news started reporting on towns canceling Christmas parades and tree lightings. I assume to respect the diversity in America.

I'm just thankful that our area didn't fall under the "holiday" spell. Could you imagine no Christmas parade, Christmas tree lighting, Christmas carols or Christmas concerts? It would be a pretty, bah-humbug Christmas if you ask me.

But I can see how maybe some people who don't celebrate Christmas might feel like Dec. 25 is thrown in their face 24/7 as the day approaches. But it doesn't mean that we should cancel Christmas traditions that have been celebrated by more than half of U.S. citizens for centuries.

No matter what, Dec. 25 should be a day we all come together, Christmas believers or not. Let's face it, most of us get the day off of work.

So spend it with loved ones and have your self a Happy Holiday.

But from me to you … Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.