Christmas Tree vs Holiday Tree
If you happen to see a spruce tree covered with 10,000 lights and 5,000 ornaments displayed, do you initially say "Christmas" or "Holiday" tree? It so happens that this particular tree is on the Capitol grounds and House Speaker Dennis Hastert wants to make sure it is called the "Capitol Christmas Tree."
During the 1990s, the tree was referred as the Holiday Tree. No one knows why people started calling that. The Speaker wants to make sure that when the lights turn on Dec 8, everyone should think of it as a Christmas tree and nothing else.
Also, on the other side of the country in Encinitas, CA, the mayor of that town wanted to rename the annual parade from "Holiday Parade" to "Christmas Parade." Mayor Dan Dalager said he wanted to just restore the title that existed when he was younger. Somehow, someone changed it to "Holiday" for no particular reason.
Unfortunately, three local groups have told the town they will pull out of the parade if the name gets changed. A girl scout troop, the Leucadia Town Council, and the Bernese Mountain Dog Club of Southern California were the groups named. Strange enough, the mayor did change the event of the "Spring Egg Hunt" to the "Easter Egg Hunt" last year and nobody made a fuss about it.
Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year! Wait, before you read this line, you need to sign a legal waiver.
Comments
Posted by: Joe
Posted on: December 2, 2005 08:41 PM
Let's call it an "inverted cone-shaped decorated and lit" tree! It's a Christmas tree for God's sake! Get it? Many of you merchants wouldn't show a yearly profit if people didn't CHRISTMAS shop! Wake up people!
Posted by: larry Schmidt
Posted on: December 14, 2005 09:07 PM
Thanks, Joe, for addressing an important cultural issue. I've spent much of my free time this year preparing an essay on the very topic of Christmas in the public arena for a web site "Christmasrapping.com". I tried to leave no stone unturned in my exploration of it. My perspective is different from those who are most organized and outspoken about keeping Christmas visible- the religious right wing, I'm more toward the left, a supporter of women's rights' civil rights, gay right's, an agnostic (not a church goer) an environmental activist and life member of several conservation organizations, and so on.I just like Christmas. Now Christmas is for the first time, being touted as a religious- only observance for Christians. In fact Christmas has never been that, but has always been a secular, multi-cultural, and inclusive holiday that different people can observe in different ways as well as a Christian time of devotion. Yes, there are other holidays in December. but Christmas occupies and dominates only one of twelve months. The important Jewish holidays come in the fall and not in December. I don't think it's necessary to downsize Christmas to the extent that some people feel it's necessary, by calling a Christmas tree a "Holiday tree" for example. That's just dumb. Christmas is a very complex subject. Yet I find that many who come to Christmasraspping.com have their minds made up ahead of time, and are for or against the idea that Christmas should keep it's visibility in the public arena. They aren't interested in exploring new ideas on a theme that's been arounfd for a few years. They'd rather just REACT to the subject soon after they see the logo. I can tell they don't read much of my essay by the comments they leave. I hope anyone who is interested in Christmas and the subject of it's role and history in the public arena will read my essay on Christmasrapping.com. It's a non -commercial web site. I'm not selling anything, just sharing my observations, research and ideas.
Posted by: larry Schmidt
Posted on: December 14, 2005 09:07 PM
Thanks, Joe, for addressing an important cultural issue. I've spent much of my free time this year preparing an essay on the very topic of Christmas in the public arena for a web site "Christmasrapping.com". I tried to leave no stone unturned in my exploration of it. My perspective is different from those who are most organized and outspoken about keeping Christmas visible- the religious right wing, I'm more toward the left, a supporter of women's rights' civil rights, gay right's, an agnostic (not a church goer) an environmental activist and life member of several conservation organizations, and so on.I just like Christmas. Now Christmas is for the first time, being touted as a religious- only observance for Christians. In fact Christmas has never been that, but has always been a secular, multi-cultural, and inclusive holiday that different people can observe in different ways as well as a Christian time of devotion. Yes, there are other holidays in December. but Christmas occupies and dominates only one of twelve months. The important Jewish holidays come in the fall and not in December. I don't think it's necessary to downsize Christmas to the extent that some people feel it's necessary, by calling a Christmas tree a "Holiday tree" for example. That's just dumb. Christmas is a very complex subject. Yet I find that many who come to Christmasraspping.com have their minds made up ahead of time, and are for or against the idea that Christmas should keep it's visibility in the public arena. They aren't interested in exploring new ideas on a theme that's been arounfd for a few years. They'd rather just REACT to the subject soon after they see the logo. I can tell they don't read much of my essay by the comments they leave. I hope anyone who is interested in Christmas and the subject of it's role and history in the public arena will read my essay on Christmasrapping.com. It's a non -commercial web site. I'm not selling anything, just sharing my observations, research and ideas.
Posted by: Barbara Gomez
Posted on: January 19, 2006 09:09 PM
This is absolutely halarious! This "educated society of ours has really "missed the sleigh!" If we are going to attempt to remove Christ from Christmas in any way, including our trees(can not be done)then SANTA'S GOT TO GO TOO! You see Santa means Saint in spanish. Uh-oh I've really done it now, he-he! O.K. Thee big issue now is, what are we going to celebrate on December the 25th? Where do we go? What shall we wear? Maybe we should not wear red like that Saint that "brings gifts if you are not naughty." Because if we wear red like the Saint we could be thrown to the left wing liberal wolves! Oh wait a minute, that has already been done too. Now it is time for me to stop laughing so I can get seriously grateful to Christ and go spend some time praising Him in my warm and cozy manger.
Posted by: Matt
Posted on: September 14, 2006 09:33 PM
Political correctness makes excuses for americas segregation
Posted by: African holiday
Posted on: September 5, 2007 03:00 AM
You know what? You can call it whatever. Why should it matter? I think people have big problems and it is called insecurity. Yeah they are insecure.
Posted by: Nicole Simon
Posted on: November 22, 2007 06:19 PM
It sounds very strange to me to call it a holiday tree - and I agree with larry: christmas is about much more than especially religion.
At least over here in Germany, most people do not see this as a holiday for religion but for a nice free period of time off work where you do have fun with the family and get presents.
The famous Adventskalender (advent calendars) where born out of some religious believes, but today this is about presents and chocolate and not about any kind of religion ;)))
greetings from 24 days in christmas germany ;)
Posted by: Fisher
Posted on: March 23, 2008 10:33 PM
I don't really think its insecurity I think it's political correctness gone amok. Seems like getting votes is taking priority over tradition these days.