Precisely because of its history, scope and festivitiy for all ages, it is destructive to attempt to scuttle it. Of course, if sometimes a little over-zealous, fundamentalists are right to see it as destructive to for groups to deliberately attempt to ‘compete’ with it. There can be no question here of anything but an attempt to destroy Christmas itself, and that should be honestly admitted.

The AFA should not be able to ‘monopolise’ anything, let alone a time of year, but should surely be allowed to contribute in a democratic way to the celebration if it so chose. This is quite different from a group attempting to put up a Wiccan display in a place traditionally reserved for a manger scene, for example. Surely the difference is clear.

“There is a stronger link between this time of year and other beliefs/traditions/religions…” Hardly. Everyone knows it as Christmas time and only someone with a mean spirit (or an agenda) would wish to destroy it.

Fortunately, it would be quite futile to attempt to replace Christmas. Most people love the colours and family traditions associated with it. Most even enjoy the carols and songs (even those of us who celebrate Christmas in midsummer belt out “In the deep midwinter” and “Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow” without any silly scruples that there is isn’t a chance in a million that it will).

As my family went around looking at the lights and decorations outside people’s houses on Christmas night, I realised just how impossible it would be to stamp out Christmas, and the wonderful joy that it brings to so many people everywhere.

What I do have an issue with, however, are groups like the AFA attempting to monopolise this time of year as a Christian event. It is not the atheists that are attempting to prevent Christians from celebrating Christmas, but the Christians who are attempting to prevent anyone else from celebrating anything other than Christmas. As Psy pointed out in a comment here, the removal of displays around this time last year was down to the Christian fundamentalists trying to remove other displays.

The point of this post, and it’s clear that it was not lost on you, was that in reality there is no link between December 25th and the birth of Jesus. There is a stronger link between this time of year and other beliefs/traditions/religions, which makes it utterly absurd that groups like the AFA should try and claim this time of year in the name of Christ and attempt to silence those beliefs/traditions/religions that actually have a link to this time of year.

For some reason I feel the need to reiterate this, but if Christians choose to arbitrarily decide on this time of year to celebrate this time of year, then please, go ahead. I won’t try and stop you. But I would expect the same courtesy to be extended to everyone.

Last years edition of Bill O’Reilly’s war on Christmas ended with all displays being banned from Washington state capital grounds except for the park a few blocks away.

This year no one has complained about the atheist participation so they will probably be allowed the privilege of using the park again next year. I also have a friend who wants to put up a Wiccan display next year in order to have her beliefs equally represented.

How do Christians putting up nativity scenes oppress other views? Christians wanting to celebrate their religion in the public square doesn’t impede on anyone else’s views or rights. Saying that is illogical.