This thread has got somewhat off track, It wasn't intended to be about "holier than thou", about who was most charitable, nor a discussion on that age old chestnut, the commercialisation of Christmas.
It was about fighting the methodical and persistent eradication of Christmas by the left wing secularists who would eradicate all religion if they could.
There are many traditions associated with Christmas, some are secular, some are religious. Christmas trees, carolling, the Messiah, the Nutcracker, Christmas decorations, parties, and gift giving, to name but a few. All or most of these things are slowly being stamped out by the left. Soon the "magic of Christmas" that we all (hopefully) knew as a child will be gone, obliterated, by the left wing loons.
That's what I was fighting.
The ACLU has some help...
In a joint letter with the Anti-Defamation League, the state American Civil Liberties Union alleged "Jewish students no longer feel safe or welcome"
The Jewish Anti-Defamation League has a comprehensive list of guidelines they say should be followed in dealing with "The December Dilemma".
Their web site states that if schools choose to recognize holidays through decorations they should respect the diversity of the season and avoid symbols with "patently religious meanings". It says it's permissible to show secular Christmas.
Christmas images like snowflakes, holly, and evergreen trees, but not the nativity image because it is "an undeniably religious symbol". A menorah, the symbol and ceremonial object for Hanukkah, on the other hand, is permissible because it is regarded as a secular symbol.
http://tinyurl.com/4x5vm
religious music, literature, art or other religious activities should not dominate school activities. These activities are permissible only if they make up a small portion of a school-sponsored event. For instance, it may be permissible to have students act out a play which contains one scene where a family is shown opening presents on Christmas morning. However, school-sponsorship of a play about the birth of Jesus would be impermissible because such performances are inherently affirmations of a certain religious point of view.
to avoid First Amendment violations, school choirs should not sing only religious music and should not focus on a particular holiday or denomination. Also, similar to school assemblies and other activities, school officials should allow public school children to be excused from singing religious music without fear of embarrassment or peer pressure.
If schools choose to recognize holidays through decorations, they should represent the diversity of the season and should avoid symbols with patently religious meanings to avoid sending the message to students that a religion or a particular denomination is preferred. 27
Additionally, symbols depicting religious holidays are most appropriate when accompanied by both secular objects and symbols from holidays of other religions. This combination of faiths and of secular and sacred helps to neutralize messages of favoritism and concerns about religious coercion.
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A leading Jewish voice, Rabbi Daniel Lapin, president of Toward Tradition, said he is deeply disappointed at the Anti-Defamation League's role in the matter.
"The ACLU is already notorious for its rabid hostility toward America's Judeo-Christian tradition, but the Anti-Defamation League, originally founded to defend Jews, should know better" said Lapin, whose group is the nation's largest for building bridges between Jews and Christians.
We are in full agreement about the Left trying to gradually force us into being an amoral, atheistic society, presumably in the mold of Communist China. As long as you are a true Christian, Christmas can never be gone from your life. Decorate your house in the true Christmas spirit as much as you wish. Put decorations all over your yard. Feel free to make them overtly religious. I understand what are you are fighting for. We are on the same side. I am not criticizing you personally. I just think the battle is much better fought at the individual and congregational levels through acts of kindness and charity. I think that encouraging or forcing secular businesses into celebrating our religious beliefs with us is the wrong direction because it ends up trivializing our religion. Merry Christmas! :)