The Phantom War on Christmas

Pittsburgh Christmas Display 2013


There are so many things to loathe about facebook, not the least of which are all of those old high school chums that you have gladly not seen for 30+ years and their narrow world view.  I should just ditch fb, but it serves as a great way for me to stay in contact with long distance friends.
So, now we're neck deep in endless memes about 'the war on Christmas'.  Jesus H. Christ - there is no war on Christmas!  How can there be a 'war' on a holiday that itself is nothing but an appropriation of a pagan holiday?  If anything there's been a two thousand year war on Yuletide!  Where's the outrage about that?

The Meaning of The Season

     I've never paid much attention to the ginned-up argument that there's a 'war' on Christmas just because some people might say 'Happy Holidays' instead of 'Merry Christmas'.  It's an utterly meaningless position and completely indefensible given that the sole source of the holiday lies in the pagan observance of the Winter Solstice and Yuletide.  There, now don't you feel better?  It's impossible for there to be a war on Christmas because the true holiday is something quite different, and so lasting in its influence that by altering what's being celebrated, as in the birth of Jesus versus the lengthening of days, cannot change how the season is celebrated.  The tree is up and encircled many times with lights, there is a fire in the fireplace, garland spilling over the mantle, gifts for all beneath the tree.  All of these things are pagan, and despite the best efforts of the church, any church, people will not relinquish their hold on these traditions that date back to when my pagan European ancestors huddled in their halls or huts against the seemingly endless cold and dark.