If There Is A War On Christmas, I Think Christmas Is Winning

The holiday time is here, Montana. It's time to hang the stockings, decorate the house, bake the sugar cookies, wrap the presents, and, if you have kids, move the Elf On The Shelf.

It is also time to hear about how there is a "War on Christmas."

One might think that the "War on Christmas" is a recent culture war. A culture war hyped up and amplified by Bill O’Reilly back in 2004. In reality, the people claiming there is a war on Christmas is nothing new; in fact, the Puritans were the first to ban Christmas back in the 17th century.

Henry Ford, in the 1920s, published a newsletter called the International Jew, and in one newsletter stated, “Last Christmas, most people had a hard time finding Christmas cards that indicated in any way that Christmas commemorated someone’s birth.… People sometimes ask why three million Jews can control the affairs of 100 million Americans." Nothing like a dose of antisemitism to justify your belief, huh?

The thing is, there has never really been a war on Christmas. We have said, "Happy Holidays" and "Season's Greetings" for over a century. The first known use of it came in 1863, which was published in the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Even presidents, including Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush, and Dwight D. Eisenhower, used those greetings when giving gifts or cards.

The reason I included "I think Christmas is winning" in the title is because it is impossible to stop into any store and not see shelves and shelves of Christmas decor and gifts. Plenty still have "Merry Christmas" written on them as well. I have never had anyone attack me or tell me to say, "Happy Holidays," when I have said, "Merry Christmas," to them.

So, if there really is a "War on Christmas," it should be on the gross consumerism that comes at this time of year, not worrying about what we say to each other to wish them well during the winter months.