There's been a lot of talk about a "War on Christmas" this year. A lot of shops are requiring their employees to say"Happy Holidays" instead (not an entirely bad policy, mind you...inclusiveness is a good consideration for a retailer...I'd feel better about it if the policy were "advised" rather than required, though...but again, that's up to the employer...as working there is up to me....but I digress). And there have been lawsuits about various Christian displays by prominent atheists.
I have looked at all the evidence, and I DO believe there's a cultural "war on Christmas". But it's not being led by atheists. Michael Newdow is advancing the cause, yes, but Michael Newdow is just another faux celebrity milking his 15 minutes of fame for all it's worth. He really doesn't have a whole lot of support, even among the atheist community.
The "war on Christmas" is largely being waged by CHRISTIANS. Barry Lynn, the director of Americans for the Separation of Church and State, is a professing Christian who celebrates Christmas privately. And, in fact, the majority of the people I have heard speak out against Christmas in the public square have been professing Christians, who themselves celebrate Christmas.
Personally, I think the whole thing is rather ridiculous. I've never been fined, arrested, or even given a dirty look for saying "Merry Christmas". And I've lived in some pretty liberal areas. Further, I don't KNOW anyone who's ever been fined, arrested, or even given a dirty look for saying "Merry Christmas".
Maybe the town square's display is toned down a little bit. Maybe we long for a piece of Americana, of Norman Rockwell America that never was. Maybe the stress of the season has just given us a case of temporary insanity. Or maybe it's all just chalked up to global warming. The fact is, Christmas isn't the same as it was when I was an 8 year old kid. But then, I'm not an 8 year old kid anymore. My perspective has changed. All I know is that I see the same look of anticipation in my children's eyes when they open the hall closet and see all the gifts that I had in my eyes too many years ago to count. And I feel pretty sure that Christmas is alive and well, despite the naysayers.