Free Republic

'Tis the season: A woman named Merry (really) Susan Hyatt and her brother David are apparently on the verge of having their initiative approved by the attorney general's office for circulation. It would amend the state Education Code to allow public schools to present "Christmas music" at Christmas. Parents would be given three weeks' notice and could opt out their kids. For the record, the proposed initiative was submitted in late August. That was before Bob Dylan released his new CD of Christmas music, souring millions on the sounds of the season.

Conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh and girlfriend Kathryn Rogers have promised the town $100,000 toward the cost of new holiday decorations. The gift is part of $350,000 in private donations pledged by a few town residents, Town Council President David Rosow said at Tuesday's council meeting. Limbaugh wanted to help bring "brightness and cheer" to a town he dearly loves, said Rosow, who is a friend of Limbaugh's. Rosow solicited the donations to cover the entire cost of the new lights and garlands, and installation of wiring to support them. "No one I called said 'no,' " Rosow said....

<p>President-elect Barack Obama has vowed to close it. The international community has condemned it.</p> <p>On Christmas Eve, however, when it came time for him to wish some American service members a Merry Christmas for his last time in office, President George W. Bush rang up a North Carolina man who's assigned to the military prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.</p>

A Tennessee woman says she was fired just days before Christmas because of the way she was spreading Christmas cheer. The pin says "It's called Christmas, for Christ's sake". When Sutton admired the pin being worn by a customer, the stranger gave it to her. Neither knew its message would mean trouble for the cashier. When a customer complained, the employee was asked to remove the pin due to store policy that no employee should wear a pin supporting a religion. Sutton says when she returned from lunch that day, she was fired.

Christmas is Jesus' birthday. The calendar started over 2000 years ago because Jesus the Son of God was born.

1. For Our Liberal Friends: Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, our best wishes For an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low- stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all. We also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2009, but not without due...

On this, the third Christmas that we've been following the Haditha travesty, I wanted to give a seasonal shout-out to all the pals I've made over these past three years. Many are known to me, and to each other, only by screen names on Free Republic. Still, you're all like my extended family, and so here's a list of my Christmas wishes for you... For Girlene, a millionaire Boyene or a pony (your choice). For ticked, a blog that has more readers than the New York Times (God knows you deserve it). For lilycicero, a million smiles all your own...

As I sit here, late on Christmas Eve, with the presents wrapped, the grandkids in bed, the wife and kids talking about Christmas's past, and the snow falling outside, I thought I would wish my freinds involved in the effort to maintain our cherished liberty and way of life, our heritage, and our constitutional republic a Merry Christmas. May the Peace of Christ, the true spirit of Christmas, His sacrifice and atonement for each of us...for everyone on this earth who will accept it...rest upon you all. May it lighten all of your burdens...all of our burdens. May it comfort...

Join us in sending Holiday wishes to our Troops, Veterans & thier families! " Enjoy this holiday season, remember who keeps you safe at home. Think of the Sailor, Marine or G.I. out there feeling quite alone. They choose to be there, even on Christmas night. Support your troops, what they do for this country, is indeed right." "Thanks to veterans who have done military Christmas in the past. The new troops continue the tradition, to make our freedom last. Sleep well this Christmas Eve, at home in your warm bed. To our military, defending the nation, full speed...

1. For Our Liberal Friends: Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, our best wishes For an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low- stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all. We also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2009, but not without due...

To all on Free Republic Merry Christmas, may you and your family have a wonderful safe and joyful holiday. To our Troops abroad, THANK YOU!! May you be home with your family soon.

President Bush signed several bills into lawPresident Bush, First Lady Laura Bush and daughter Jenna Hager travelled to Camp David to spend the Christmas holidays Enjoy your visit to Sanity Island

NASA Television Commemorates Apollo 8 Christmas Eve Broadcast WASHINGTON -- NASA Television will honor the 40th anniversary of the historic Christmas Eve broadcast by the Apollo 8 crew with special programming Dec. 24 and 25 on the NASA TV Public Channel (101). Forty years ago, Frank Borman, Jim Lovell and Bill Anders became the first humans to visit another heavenly body as they successfully orbited the moon in their Apollo 8 spacecraft. On Dec. 24, 1968, the three astronauts devoted one of their mission's six live television transmissions to reading from the biblical book of Genesis during what has...

Christmas is being compromised in one New York town in the name of inclusivity. In the New York village of Armonk, officials have placed a menorah for the Jewish faith and the Islamic star and crescent for the Muslim faith alongside the town's Christmas tree. Bill Donahue of the Catholic League does not believe a Christmas tree correctly represents the Christian faith. Instead, he says the Christian religious symbol of this season should be a nativity scene. Last year, a Muslim resident in Armonk asked officials to display Islamic symbols so Muslims could be included in Christmas celebrations. This...

(Chardon) -- Two boys are being hailed as heroes for commandeering their school bus when the driver slumped over at the wheel and became unaware of where he was. A bus that had dropped off students at the Auburn Career Center was on its way to Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin high school near Chardon. Jeff Eippert, one of the students on the bus, noticed that the bus was going nearly 60 miles an hour, and was weaving in and out of traffic. Jeff thought something was really wrong when the bus went past their school without slowing down. He went to...

For My Conservative Friends: Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! For My Liberal Friends: Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all. I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the...

The 2008 White House holiday card, produced in Lawrence by Hallmark Cards Inc. with art by T. Allen Lawson. The inside of the 2008 White House holiday card, produced in Lawrence by Hallmark Cards Inc.

There is a church about a mile from my house with a small billboard out front. Usually it has generic messages of peace and love, although it occasionally does intimate that I am going to hell pretty much right away because of my failure to worship the God of their choice. One of the agnostic's great problems is that we don't have a hell. Oh, it would be so nice to assign all those Hindu and Muslim and Jewish and Christian fundamentalists to a place of eternal torture and suffering. Alas, all we can cling to is the belief that...

A Muslim lawyer has launched an extraordinary rant against Christmas, branding the celebration 'evil'. Hate preacher Anjem Choudary claimed the festival was the 'pathway to hell' and urged his followers to boycott it. 'In the world today many Muslims, especially those residing in Western countries, are exposed to the evil celebration Christmas,' he raged in a sermon broadcast on the internet. 'Many take part in the festival celebrations by having Christmas turkey dinners. 'Decorating the house, purchasing Christmas trees or having Christmas turkey meals are completely prohibited by Allah. 'Many still practise this corrupt celebration as a remembrance of the...

I went to the shopping mall with my husband on Monday to get a haircut and a bite to eat. We walked through the mall, saw Santa by a cash register, but as we walked by so many stores, we did not see the Christmas anywhere. No "Merry Christmas," no "Joy to the World," not even Christmas presents. It was as if the word Christmas did not even exist, only "Happy Holidays," or not even that.

An annual boat parade in one New York community lost a major sponsor when organizers refused to use the word "Christmas" in the title. Last year more than 5,000 people turned out for the annual Christmas Boat Parade in Patchogue, New York. One of the parade's key sponsors, Fireworks by Grucci, donated the fireworks for the show on the condition that the word "Christmas" be used in the parade title. fireworksHowever, city officials received one complaint, and this year dropped the word "Christmas" from the title. That caused the fireworks company to pull its support from the parade taking place...

68% Prefer “Merry Christmas” to “Happy Holidays” Thursday, November 27, 2008 Christmas is just around the corner, and a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 68% of American adults prefer stores to show signs saying “Merry Christmas” rather than "Happy Holidays." Only one-quarter of adults (25%) favor signs that say “Happy Holidays.” Those figures are virtually unchanged from our survey conducted this time last year. Men (71%) favor “Merry Christmas” slightly more than women (65%). From a politically partisan perspective, Republicans (84%) overwhelmingly prefer “Merry Christmas” more than Democrats (51%). Far more Democrats (43%) wish for “Happy Holidays”...

WASHINGTON, Nov. 24, 2008 – Mannheim Steamroller, the recording group famous for putting a new twist on traditional Christmas music, is hoping to spread holiday cheer to the military this season by giving away 1 million CDs to troops and their families. The group and its creator, Chip Davis, have started giving away copies of its multiple Christmas CDs to troops at home and abroad. The group also is giving away copies of its children’s pop-up book, “My Little Christmas Tree.” “Throughout the years, I have had the opportunity to work with many in the armed services,” Davis said. “This...

Lord, Keep our Troops forever in Your care Give them victory over the enemy... Grant them a safe and swift return... Bless those who mourn the lost. . FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer for all those serving their country at this time. ...................................................................................... ........................................... U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues Where Duty, Honor and Countryare acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated. Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel...

"Hello all! I pray everyone had a wonderful Christmas and will happily be ringing in the New Year in just a few short days. I honestly can't believe that we've gotten over what I believe to be the hardest part of this deployment... Christmas. As we're all away from our families and friends, we came together and did our best to make this Christmas special. Afterall, the real reason for our joy isn't caused by our loved ones. Sure, it's a great comfort and tradition to be with our families during this time of year; however, the real reason we...

NBC says some find bookcase and Christmas lights offensive Candidate wishing voters Merry Christmas upsets some folks The latest effort to spread the idea that religion has no place in the public square comes as a response to a TV spot produced by presidential candidate Mike Huckabee. I urge you to watch the two video clips I have placed in this e-mail. First, is the ad by former Governor Huckabee wishing people a Merry Christmas. Click here to watch the 30-second ad. Next, is a clip from the Today Show (Dec. 18), hosted by Meredith Vieira, on which Governor...

:D

Boy scouts grant Christmas wish http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/local&id=5852557 Sunday, December 23, 2007 | 10:07 PM By Chad Pradelli BLUE BELL, Pa. - December 23, 2007 -- A group of boy scouts have done a very good deed for a Philadelphia family who lost their home to fire last Sunday. The Boy Scouts of Troop 444 armed themselves with gifts. Led by Santa, the boys marched down Shoal Creek Drive. Their mission was to turn the Dunphy family's holiday tragedy into a Christmas they'll never forget. "It was so wonderful. The people have been so amazing," Janet Dunphy said. The Dunphy's Somerton home...

Have you ever received a Christmas gift you didn’t want? Idiot mittens from grandma. A subscription to the deodorant-of-the-month club. Membership to the “We Fix Fat People� gym and spa. Yes, we’ve all received bad gifts. But do you remember what it felt like? Burdened. Insulted. Irritated. Disturbed. All are candidates. Naturally, however, you smiled and said, “Thank You� while you secretly considered how to dispose of the new curse you’d acquired. And, of course, if someone gives you a bad gift once, next year’s gift is preambled with a nice holiday dose of anxiety to boot. So if that’s...

I would like to wish all a very Merry and Blessed Christmas.Below is my favorite comment for this time of year, by one of the greatest men, if not THE greatest to live in our time, Ronald Reagan. "Meaning no disrespect to the religious convictions of others, I still can't help wondering how we can explain away what to me is the greatest miracle of all and which is recorded in history.(cont.)

For all the children who should be loved always, but especially on this wondrous night, with our arms around them, and a long good-night kiss on the temple, a kiss more precious than anything wrapped in a box. For the parents lingering in the doorways of the bedrooms, watching those sleeping shapes. For all the babies who aren't loved and may grow up with a hard crust around their hearts, because someone neglected to plant those kisses and give those hugs. For every couple that adopts a child to save a life. For those who've tried to have children, but...

Our Troops Rock!  Thank you for all you do!   For the freedom you enjoyed yesterday... Thank the Veterans who served in The United States Armed Forces.   Looking forward to tomorrow's freedom? Support The United States Armed Forces Today!     ~ Hall of Heroes ~ The Berlin Airlift Part 3:  Operation Little VittlesAll info and photos from this website. Link to Part One Link to Part Two               "DER SCHOKOLADEN FLIEGER"   OPERATION LITTLE VITTLES   40K JPEG General Hoyt S. Vandenberg, Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force is shown...

Christmas in Japan can be a little lonely and isolated for the Westerner. What with the distance and cultural differences. Missing the usual things from back home, especially for one 'American in Tokyo'. This year 2007 is no different. However, in many respects there is nevertheless one little thing that is so refreshing about being stuck in Japan during Christmas—after a few years--for the occasions one cannot make it back "home". It is almost like the clock has been turned back years to a simple and brighter time in our own country. An era years before the phenomenon of "political...

"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone around about them; and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, "Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. " Luke 2:10-12

For Immediate ReleaseOffice of the Press SecretaryDecember 22, 2007 President's Radio Address   President's Radio Address  Audio  En Español       In Focus: Holiday in the Parks THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. Christmas is just a few days away. As Americans gather around the tree with family and friends, we remember the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines, and Coast Guard men and women who will be spending this holiday far away from their homes and loved ones. America is blessed to have men and women willing to step forward to defend our freedoms and keep us safe from our enemies. We are thankful for their...

This guy Huckabee is some kind of genius. A week ago, you had to be the Pope or the Queen to do your own big televised Christmas message. But now, since Huck climbed into his red sweater and hired George Lucas to do the notorious "floating cross" effect, every single-digit nickel 'n' dime presidential candidate is donning his gay apparel and trolling the ancient Yuletide carol. I haven't seen so much festive knitwear since "The Andy Williams Christmas Show" 1973. Because Mike Huckabee mentioned "the birth of Christ," he liberated the equivocal tentative finger-in-the-windy candidates and enabled them to utter...

TGIF....Thank Goodness it's the Friday Before Christmas!!!

War on 'Merry Christmas'? http://access.aikenstandard.com/archive_detail.php?archiveFile=./pubfiles/aik/archive/2007/December/09/site-localnews/143446.xmlhttp://tinyurl.com/26bjsbDecember 09, 2007 By HALEY HUGHES Staff writer What would you say if someone wished you a "Merry Christmas"? Would your response be "Merry Christmas to you, too," or would you ever so subtly correct them by throwing out the more politically correct term, "Happy Holidays"? Would you say anything at all? In an ever-increasingly PC world, it seems "Happy Holidays" is the more accepted greeting passed from person to person when the holiday season (whatever the holiday may be) arrives. The fear of offending someone by referring to Christianity's most treasured figure has driven individuals...

Help Sink Old Navy's Blockade Dear Craig, You would think a company that gets the vast majority of its business from Christians would be respectful of its customers. Such is true of companies that don't have an anti-Christian bias. But not at Old Navy. Old Navy has put a blockade around Christmas. Old Navy, Gap and Banana Republic are owned by the same company. And all three boycott Christmas. At these stores, Christmas isn't allowed because a handful of non-Christians are offended. Old Navy doesn't want to offend non-Christians. But they sure don't worry about offending Christians. They will take...

Afrikaans: Geseënde Kersfees Afrikander: Een Plesierige Kerfees African/ Eritrean/ Tigrinja: Rehus-Beal-Ledeats Albanian:Gezur Krislinjden Arabic: Idah Saidan Wa Sanah Jadidah Argentine: Feliz Navidad Armenian: Shenoraavor Nor Dari yev Pari Gaghand Azeri: Tezze Iliniz Yahsi Olsun Bahasa Malaysia: Selamat Hari Natal Basque: Zorionak eta Urte Berri On! Bengali: Shuvo Naba Barsha Bohemian: Vesele Vanoce Brazilian: Boas Festas e Feliz Ano Novo Breton: Nedeleg laouen na bloavezh mat Bulgarian: Tchestita Koleda; Tchestito Rojdestvo Hristovo Catalan: Bon Nadal i un Bon Any Nou! Chile: Feliz Navidad Chinese: (Cantonese) Gun Tso Sun Tan'Gung Haw Sun Chinese: (Mandarin) Kung His Hsin Nien bing Chu Shen Tan...

An e-mail fracas at North Seattle Community College hits on why "the most wonderful season of all" causes us so much angst. Here in Seattle, the phrase "Merry Christmas" has been largely expunged from public discourse. Haltingly and awkwardly, we wish each other happy holiday; we talk vaguely about a holiday season; we plan parties that by all appearances look like Christmas parties, but we never call them such. This despite every indication that Christmas, at least the consumerist trappings of it, is alive and well. Every Starbucks sign hawks a peppermint latte; the sound of Barbra Streisand belting out...

Amidst all the hoopla in recent years over the "War on Christmas" or, rather, the campaign to erase Christmas, and, therefore, Christianity from the public square, the idea that Jews are somehow oppressed by Christmas continues to be pushed. Indeed, much of the stated impetus for the use of the bland catchphrase, "Happy Holidays," over the dreaded utterance, "Merry Christmas," is to protect the allegedly delicate sensibilities of Jews celebrating Hanukkah in December. Muslims, Hindus, and Pagan practitioners of Winter Solstice are thrown into the mix for good measure. But the "holiday season" in America has always been about Christmas...

Jessica Simpson is reportedly desperate to strip naked for a film role as she believes she will be taken more seriously as an actress. Simpson is said to be willing to go against her families wishes to land the role that will require her to do a full-frontal nude scene.

Executive Order: Closing of Executive Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government on Monday, December 24, 2007 By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered as follows: Section 1. All executive branch departments and agencies of the Federal Government shall be closed and their employees excused from duty on Monday, December 24, 2007, the day before Christmas Day, except as provided in section 2 below. Sec. 2. The heads of executive branch departments and agencies may determine that certain offices and installations of their...

On the heels of last season’s record-setting Red Kettle Campaign – in which $30 million was raised for The Salvation Army in red kettles outside Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club locations – the nation’s largest retailer announces today its continued support for the nonprofit organization this holiday season. This year, in addition to inviting red kettles back in front of its stores, Wal-Mart is hosting a flurry of other holiday activities aimed at raising even more money for those in need. These include: •    Bells Ringing Across America – For the second year, Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club associates are participating in...

Today was the last day for most of the 120 staffers on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," who left with an early Christmas bonus check and no guarantee of a job when the strike ended. "Do we have a job when the strike ends? That's what everyone keeps asking," one former staffer said. "They've guaranteed no one a job. They just keep saying, 'The letter explains it." That letter is a notice from NBC's human resources department that says, "If your services are needed, we will contact you." Sources said that while some higher-level executives received severance packages, other...

I get all these AFA alerts about stores that ban Christmas. How about a list or a link to a list of shopping alternatives who do not ban Christmas? Here's a few examples of web sites who were not so ashamed to allow the word Christmas to appear on their front page. (Searching the page for text does not always work, e.g. Starbucks mentions Christmas on their front page, but it's in an image.): http://www.gifts.com/ http://www.walmart.com/ http://www.target.com/ (Surpise!) http://www.ftd.com/ http://www.lenox.com/ http://www.winebasket.com http://www.starbucks.com/

November 27, 2007 - 5:17PM Cards for troops program to stop in Barstow By AARON AUPPERLEE, city editor BARSTOW — A cross-country trek collecting cards to send to troops who will be overseas for the holidays will stop in Barstow on Wednesday afternoon. The Honoring Heroes at the Holidays Tour, sponsored by Move America Forward, a pro-troop organization, will pull its flag-painted tour bus into the Barstow Outlets at 1 p.m. on Wednesday. Catherine Moy, the executive director of the group, said the group will set up places for people to make cards and collect cards. The group will then...

A year later, Gap continues to censor Christmas At Gap, the score is "holiday" 172 and "Christmas" 3 At Gap, Old Navy and Banana Republic, Christmas hardly exists. For these three companies, all owned by Gap, the only items listed as having anything to do with Christmas were a pair of boxer shorts and a child's sleepwear set. Last year, when Gap also censored Christmas, we contacted the company. The company refused to change their policy of censoring Christmas. This year the company has continued their practice of censoring Christmas from their stores and promotions. The only conclusion one can...

Group Names Naughty, Nice List Of Stores Shoppers Urged To Avoid Stores That Censor Word 'Christmas' POSTED: 2:26 pm EST November 21, 2007 LYNCHBURG, Va. -- A Christian advocacy group has some advice for Christians as they prepare to do their Christmas shopping: Don't shop at stores that censor the word "Christmas." As part of its Friend or Foe Christmas Campaign, Liberty Counsel has released its fifth annual "Naughty and Nice" list of stores seeking to attract gift buyers. The "Naughty List" names stores that make no mention of Christmas in their advertising, vaguely observing the "season" or "holiday" instead....