The war against Christmas

The right-wing echo chamber is all agog over the idea of a secular 'war
against Christmas'. It's the whole "Happy Holidays" versus "Merry
Christmas" tempest in a teacup. It's not unlike the Texas town that decreed
that their government staff answer the telephone with a chirpy "Heaven-o"
rather than Hello. This is just stupid, and most sane people recognize it
as such. But since the rabid right wing is in control of the federal
government at present, they insist on the rest of us kowtowing to their
rabidity. I suspect that God is above all this petty crap. He's bigger
than our childish squabbles.

Still, if we're insisting on taking Christmas back to it's roots, perhaps we
should start wishing everyone a Happy Saturnalia. The early church simply
co-opted pagan 'holy days' (Old English which became 'holidays') and plunked
down Christian substitutes. Santa Claus, Yule trees, eggs, and Easter
bunnies are hardly Christian symbols. So it's only fitting that we
celebrate the end of the year with a 12 day feast.

I don't think God will mind, though I have it on good authority that He
rides a steel, full-Campy track bike sans brakes, and that putting an
aluminum, carbon fiber, or titanium bike under the
Saturnalia/Christmas/Holiday/ Yule tree just might incur His righteous
anger.