LONGVIEW, Wash. – Breyanna Lea Siebert noticed something was missing when she looked at the Christmas decorations in Longview this year. The nativity scene was gone from R A Long Square. “Don’t get me wrong. I love snowmen, candy canes, snowflakes and all kinds of Christmassy things,” said Siebert.
A nativity scene, Siebert’s favorite Christmas decoration, had been a part of the park decorations as long as she could remember. So the 13-year-old wrote a letter to the editor of the local newspaper to let everyone know how she felt about this year’s omission. “It would be nice if everybody could have something there,” she said. “And everybody could have the different symbols of Christmas without everybody getting offended.”
After she wrote the letter, Siebert found out she wasn’t alone.
A local church set up their nativity scene in the Civic Center. City officials said there’s no formal policy related to Christmas decorations. Siebert said she was happy to see a nativity scene again this year.
“I’m also happy that I can get my opinion out there,” she said. “I think people should pay attention if kids make a valid argument and have facts to support it and stuff like that. I think people should pay attention to them.”