December is upon us, so it’s again time for the war on Christmas. Oh, don’t get me wrong, I don’t have any problem with Christmas myself, as long as people aren’t over spending or buying people crap they neither need nor want and as long as they aren’t pushing religious traditions on the public square.

So what really is the war on Christmas?

It’s something that’s been fabricated by the religious right and Fox News. That’s it. It’s where concerned citizens try to push nativity scenes on state capitols and city halls. It’s when parent’s try to push their favorite Christmas themed hymn on the school’s holiday program. Yes, it’s the time of the year that Fox News gives American Atheists lots and lots of free press.

I remember being a little kid in small farming town in eastern Oregon, actually not too far from where I live now. I went to public school at the time and we’d have our Christmas program each year, even as a young child I thought it was interesting that there was no reference to babies, mangers, or angles, but we’d all have fun and get into the holiday spirit just the same and it was legal. I also recall seeing nativity scenes around town, there would be one in front of the Catholic Church and usually one in front of the large non-denominational church, but there wouldn’t be in front of city hall, the courthouse, or the school. I doubt anyone gave it much thought in that town, but they did it right.

Nobody is out there trying to destroy Christmas. Nobody is trying to keep churches from having nativities or singing their hymns. All we want is for the religious holiday traditions to be left off public property, keep them where they belong, at churches and at private homes.

One more point, don’t get all worked up about somebody saying either “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays.” One represents the holiday that the vast majority of the population, probably even the vast majority of atheists, celebrate; the other represents the entire plethora of different holidays and traditions around this time of the year. There’s nothing wrong with being inclusive.