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Wow. Things truly have changed since I was in grade school. And that wasn't very long ago!! (I'm 21 now) I remember going to nursing homes and civic club meetings with my school choir and singing Christmas carols to the elderly patients with no family, and to entertain stuffy old geezers from Kiwanis and Rotary. It truly is a terrible shame that these activities are now non-existent. The joy that these "field trips" brought myself, my peers, and our audience was so uplifting then. Can things really have changed THAT much in 10 years? Red and green construction-paper garlands with Christmas wishes written on them, school plays (The Best Christmas Pageant, Ever!), Santa Letters, all these things are a thing of the past! Have we truly come to be a society that honors nothing? Even as an atheist, Christmas time has ALWAYS been a time of celebration of peace among all people, spreading good cheer with my family and friends, and most importantly (for me at least), singing songs that have been sung for centuries celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ (yes, I believe in Jesus). I have never been offended by Christmas, Chanukkah, Kwanzaa, or even (until recent events) Ramadan. But to me it seems ironic that all displays of religion except Christianity is OK!! Why the exception? If you are going to exclude religion, than exclude ALL religion. Something like this needs to be all-inclusive or all-exclusive. And PLEASE, don't take away the magic and love of the winter months from the children! Their innocence has already been violated enough by the actions of a few radical freaks.

OK, I'll get off my soapbox now =)

Merry Christmas, happy Chanukkah, Have a joyous time of celebration, whatever holiday you do (or don't) celebrate.