To say I love Christmas is an understatement. I love the decorations, the festivities, the visits from family and friends. The egg nog and cookies (no fruit cake please), the look in children’s eyes as they pass through the malls and see Santa getting his picture taken with the children. Christmas is the time of the year when the world seems to set aside its differences and be at peace with itself and others if only for a few moments. I think we all get caught up in the season. In each of us that little bit of child that stays hidden all the other days of the year comes out at Christmas.

I like to remember back to a simpler time. A time when the world didn’t seem to move as fast. A time when it was just natural to think of others. Wishing you had the money to get your mom a real Christmas present and not the one you made in school. Now we take those little tree ornaments made by the grandchildren and treat them more precious than gold. I recall bundling up and going caroling. Making sure we hit all the shut-ins in our small rural town. We also went to certain houses where we were almost secure in the knowledge that we would be invited in for a cup of hot cocoa and Christmas cookies. We didn’t need to fear the ACLU coming into town and assaulting our manger scenes. If they had, they would have been asked politely to leave town. If they had to be asked a second time it wouldn’t have been very polite. Oh, they could have called a press conference, but no one would have shown up or if they did they would have laughed the ACLU to scorn and by the press,, would have been asked politely to leave town.

We decorated our tree the other night. For years I held out about buying artificial trees. I felt it would be like having an artificial Christmas. After I bought my first artificial tree and found that I didn’t have to clean pine needles out of my carpet 'til April I was sold on that idea. It didn’t take away from the theme or feelings of Christmas. Some places in our political correct commercial establishments have ceased to sell "Christmas Trees" and are now calling them "Holiday Trees." I say don’t buy those "Holiday Trees." Hold out until they rename them. Let’s see now, how about calling it a Hanukkah bush, or maybe a Kwanzaa tree. Well now that I think of it maybe the right thing to call it ,, would be "Holiday Tree."

Television is starting to run those stories about Christmas. The main theme centering around, do you believe or not believe in Santa Claus. That guy sure has come along way since his start in 1931 as a advertising figure for Coca Cola. It seems to be OK to use this figure to celebrate this time of year. After all he represents the real reason for the season.. Make as much money as you can off all those stupid people who believe in Christmas.

To underscore this I have bought the latest politically correct Bible and would like to share the Christmas story as the modern day writers have put it:

St. Lukie the first.. Chapter two:

And it came to pass in those days that Macy’s should put on a great parade followed by many days of great sales and the making of fruit cakes and everyone should go into his own mall to be taxed according to the local governor...

And there in the same country people decorating their trees and passing around egg nog, letting visions of sugar plumbs dance in their heads, waiting for the annual visit from Santa Claus, when the angel atop the tree spake saying... Fear not for behold I bring you tidings, If you go into the city of you will find a real manger scene complete with sheep and Magi, but you must hurry, for the ACLU has already gone to the governor and seeks an injunction for the display of religious belief.

And the shepherds came in haste and found Mary and Joseph and the baby lying in a manger and the ACLU clamored and banging on the doors to break up the religious act, but Mary kept all these things and pondered the thought of the ACLU hounding the baby all the days of his life...

From our house to yours, a very merry Christmas and the happiest and most prosperous of new years.