New Yorkers Squabble Over Christmas Decorations in Their Buildings

New York Times ^ | 12-10-10 | Vivian S. Toy

[van_erwin]

Holiday decorations can easily become controversial because Christmas is both a national and a religious holiday, and anything that refers to Christmas can feel like “an alien symbol being forced upon a non-Christian population,” said Jack Santino, a professor in the department of popular culture at Bowling Green State University.

[red irish]

As a Christian, I try to live my faith in finding ways for me to express it, so the Christmas Tree has that reflection for me. I decorate the tree with symbols of the faith,the Cross, stars, nativity scenes, Mary and Joseph ornaments. Christmas cards with Holy scriptures on it attached them to the tree to tell a story of the infant Messiah birth. And so on. Over the years I searched yard sales for different ornament for my tree and have found some real treasures, ornaments that were so nice that I could never have afforded them at a retail store. Now friends and family give me ornaments for my tree because they know how I loved to decorate tree with Christian symbols of the story of Christ.

[scottiemom]

How smug and liberal you sound. Seems that you think it's universal with regard to other faiths. It is not. They have freedoms to celebrate their faiths and holidays in Texas public schools. Besides, my main point is the midwinter celebration farce. As if it is now just a great tradition to celebrate that particularly dreary season every year! Therein lies the hypocrisy. Just curious, you are probably opposed to the “one nation under God” too, right? We say that in the pledge at a public school. You pay taxes in a country that has a Judeo- Christian foundation. Get over it.

[Hound of the Baskervilles]

I think you have me all wrong. I am not smug. On the contray I wrote more than once I am not at all hostile to religion or faith. But in all fairness, taxpayer money should not be spent to promote religion. Now if it ever comes to pass that you cannot practice your religion on your own dime it’s gonna be time to break out the pitchforks.

And winter is not at all dreary to me. I love it! If people want to celebrate winter, summer, spring and fall so what?

[Hound of the Baskervilles]

I think you have me all wrong. I am not smug. On the contray I wrote more than once I am not at all hostile to religion or faith. But in all fairness, taxpayer money should not be spent to promote religion. Now if it ever comes to pass that you cannot practice your religion on your own dime it’s gonna be time to break out the pitchforks.

And winter is not at all dreary to me. I love it! If people want to celebrate winter, summer, spring and fall so what?