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My Back Pages: Christmas : Christmas..... the very name evokes memories of family, good times, and magic in the air. I need to step away from all of the politics of th...

Christmas..... the very name evokes memories of family, good times, and magic in the air. I need to step away from all of the politics of this time that we live in. All the strident arguments about wars on the holiday, and what we should use as a greeting, and get down to what I feel about the holiday itself.   I think that it is a magical time for families that celebrate it, especially children. It has become both a religious holiday, and a children's holiday over the last couple of centuries. For a child, the thought of the Santa Claus coming to bring all good children gifts is nothing short of magic. Oh, they will sing the Christmas Carols, and think of the Christ child in the manger, but on the eve and the morning of that special day, it's all about the wonder and the magic of the children's Christmas. I remember being so excited that I could not sleep. Just the thought of that jolly gentleman coming to bring me toys and other gifts was enough to render me an insomn

..One More Thing .. Heading Home For The Holidays I had my rant yesterday about the use of the greeting 'Happy Holidays', but there is one more thing that has been eating away at my soul for some time now. It's the increasing political correctness when it comes to this season.. especially in the schools. Children are no long allowed to sing Holiday song. Let's be frank here, they are no longer allowed to sing Christmas Songs. Teachers are not allowed to mention Santa Claus to the children because it corrupt some children who's families do not practice the tradition. As if this mythical purveyor of good will could corrupt a child.On the streets of the towns and villages, there are complaints lodged, protests organized, and, in some cases, lawsuits filed over religious displays on public property. I think that this has just gone way too far. It causes discord and resentment between the different religions and does no one any good at all. Rememb

My Back Pages: Merry Christmas?... Happy Holidays?....... I Think... : Our Chanukah, Christmas, Kwanza Winter Solstice Tree We have arrived at what is proclaimed to be "The Most Wonderful Time Of T...

Our Chanukah, Christmas, Kwanza Winter Solstice Tree We have arrived at what is proclaimed to be "The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year" and yet, all I can see is anger, controversy and hatred. What was once a time that I looked forward to, from when I was a very small boy, right through my 50s, has turned into a nightmare. I see a bunch of hateful people declaring that there is a war on Christmas, and firing up all the hate and resentment that they can agains anyone who would dare not celebrate the birth of the Christ. The Ice Queen from Alaska screeches about it, supposedly wrote a book about it. O'Reilly, Hannity, and that drug addict, Limbaugh, use their bully pulpits to rail about this imagined war every hour of every day. People are getting assaulted for saying Happy Holidays, instead of Merry Christmas. Friends stop being friends, non Christians are being marginalized, and the season has turned from one of Peace On Earth, Good Will Toward All Men and Women,