What happened to Christmas?

My Christmas Tree is now a "Holiday Tree" and my work Christmas party was called a "Year end gathering" - What happened to Christmas?

In doing some research I came across some interesting statistics.

Over the years:

• Three out of four employers no longer put up Christmas decorations in the workplace for fear of offending political correctness policing


• The royal mail has removed any Christian references from its Christmas stamps
  
• Some places have banned children from sitting on Santa's lap ( FYI Nana’s comment to this was “poor little bastards can’t even enjoy the holidays anymore”)


• The Red Cross banned Christmas nativity decorations from its UK charity shops in case of offending customers of other faiths

I do agree that Christmas has been drawn away from it's true meaning and become more commercialized but it's up to each individual on how they choose to celebrate. Through the years we continue traditions and new ones are added but these days with PC knocking down the door traditions are becoming short lived or distorted.

There are many pressures pushing us towards a Non-denominational Christmas holiday but supports such as the American Center for Law and Justice work to protect religious and constitutional freedoms stating: "It is important to note that nothing in the US Constitution prohibits students in public schools from exercising their constitutional right to express their religious beliefs - especially during the Christmas season. And, there are constitutional ways to celebrate Christmas in the public square as well." Not to say that I don't realize we are living in a continually growing diversified community but we need to create a common understanding for holidays celebrated and respect them as well as the people that believe in them. A Christmas without hope is not Christmas at all.

Here's a great version of a politically correct Christmas card greeting if you are interested:

"Best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non-addictive, gender neutral, winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most joyous traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, but with respect for the religious persuasion of others who choose to practice their own religion as well as those who choose not to practice a religion at all."

...I'll stick to the good old "Merry Christmas" thank you very much!