Everywhere you look Christmas lights blink, wreaths hang from doors, bells jingle, and "Here Comes Santa Claus" blares from the radio. The "Jolly Old Elf" and Frosty grin at you from colorful store displays. Yet, do you see "Merry Christmas" anywhere? Not if you're in Target or one of several large retailers.

Several large chain retailers cuased quite a stir this holiday season when attempting to ban the phrase "Merry Christmas" from their employees' lips. They prefer "Happy Holidays" or "Seasons Greetings" which are "more inclusive." This is just another way of saying that out there, somewhere, "Merry Christmas" offended somebody.

What I want to know is who is offended by someone saying "Merry Christmas?" It doesn't offend me to hear someone say "Happy Hanukkah," or "Happy Holidays" for that matter. But it does bother me to know that Christmas is being discriminated against when the vast majority of people in the United States celebrate it. Explain that one to me. (For a statistic, look on FoxNews.com in the O'Reilly Factor portion of the site.). Besides, it's not like an employee will say "Merry Christmas" if they don't want to.

Anyway, Christmas is a national holiday, so how can they ban the phrase "Merry Christmas" anyway? And what is so offensive? I think this is just an attempt by who ever is pressuring these companies at taking Christ out of Christmas. Ever year the holiday gets more and more secular and this just proof of it. Here's another example: My history teacher told me a "delightful" story about a friend of his and a discussion she had with her grandkids. The woman asked her grandkids why we celebrate Christmas. They're answer was "it's Santa Claus's birthday." The woman, puzzled, said "No, it's Jesus Christ's birthday." Her grandkids gasped. "Oooo, Grandma, you just said a bad word."

Okay, the parents are to blame for that one, but that really is the message that is being sent out today: Christ isn't part of Christmas anymore. If you're a Christian and it doesn't bother you, it should. They are taking Christmas out of Christmas and I wouldn't be surprised if Hanakkuh wasn't the next target (afterall, Christanity came from the Jewish faith). This country is on a crash course towards pluralism and secularism. All I can say to you is this: Everyone of us who is Christian, Jewish, Muslim, or any other kind of faith; we need to hold onto that faith, whatever it is, because the pluralists and secularists are trying to take it away from us, masking it as "tolerance" and "acceptance." Don't let them fool you, because they will take it away if you let them.

Bug

P.S. For those of you who like hearing "Merry Christmas":
My mother was in the store yesterday and an employee said "Happy Holidays." Mom looked him right in the eye and said "Merry Christmas." They man seemed surprised, I have no clue as to why, and could only say "Merry Christmas" in response. I encourage you to follow my mother's example. Maybe together we can make a difference. Don't boycott anybody, but let them know that you support Christmas.


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