That tandem of a baby in a manger and “a man in a red suit,” AKA Santa, has struck again! There were all of these nice people just wanting to live their lives without peace, joy and love, and that “infamous” duo tried to put a crimp in the style of these folks! That duo keeps appearing around this time of year, and insinuating itself into other people’s lives.  Some organizations have come to the rescue of those who are “offended” by the duo.  

According to this New York Post article, the guy in a red suit, has been banned in favor of a guy in a white suit. Is this color bias or hue discrimination? Does Santa have a suit with merit, to go along with his suit of red? Isn’t ironic that an organization, founded on the belief of that baby in a manger, is now “repositioning,” read running away from its roots? At least the gutting of Santa brought together a Catholic, Bill Donohue, and a Jew, Ed Bobrow,  in pointing out the fallacy of the repositioned YMCA. If Mr. Bobrow had no problem portraying Santa, why does the YMCA? Maybe Taylor Patterson’s summation that “the Y is well intended, but misguided,” is spot on.  Should Santa  change to a blue suit and sing “I’ll have a blue Christmas”?

This Santa thinks that he could have a suit with merit, against Macy’s. He told adults who sat on his lap a “naughty” joke? The bigger question for me is which grownups want to sit on Santa’s lap? Maybe the firing and scrutiny have been misdirected. Was it like this in the Roman Empire as it was crumbling? Santa, you consider leaving the North Pole and doing the “American thing” – suing to reclaim your red suit!

If I ever hear anyone accusing our federal government of not vigorously enforcing laws, or protecting secrets (except for diplomatic cables), I will scold that person (unless he or she pokes a hole, big as the WikiLeaks hole in the secret cables) in my argument! The Feds are on the case – of a “small-town bank in Oklahoma!” The Feds made that small-town bank remove all religious signs and symbols. Maybe the bank employees should have camouflaged those signs and symbols as diplomatic cables!

“Staff,” who has so far remained unidentified, placed a crèche at the St. George Ferry Terminal. You guessed it. Baby Jesus was ousted. First there was no room at that famous inn. Now there was no room at the Terminal. I wonder if there is any room at a Motel 6. I wonder if that “staff” is seeking new employment. The article ends on a good note both for the man in the red suit and the baby in a manger:

"Pro-Christmas" advocates appear to have public opinion on their side. A recent Rasmussen poll showed that people prefer to be greeted with "Merry Christmas" over "Happy Holidays," 69 to 24 percent.

Those who are opposed to the “Christmas duo,” will have to work harder at tossing them out of establishments, and out of the hearts of that 69%. The detractors have less than two weeks remaining for 2010. That is a lot of hearts, hearths and homes to change. Good luck and Merry Christmas with “Operation Offense!”

By the way, both Santa and Baby Jesus are welcome in the home of Ms. Christmas, any time of year. As a matter of fact, I am thinking of keeping up the Christmas tree and the stocking – just in case. Yes, I am past the age of believing in the physical presence of Santa, but no one gets between me and my stocking set up for Santa to drop in or drop by. He can come down the chimney, burst through the door, whatever works! As for Baby Jesus, He permanently lives in my heart.

So far I have been poking fun at the detractors of Christmas, but truthfully, I should thank them for doing such a wonderful job of giving publicity to Christmas. Right on cue, around the last week of November, early December, they come out, offense blaring, and remind us – time to help Santa get together the gifts for the kids, and help the stores get going on making their profits for the year. Should we try an experiment and ban Christmas for a year? Nah – no can do. “Commerce” would have to kiss its bottom line goodbye.  

Those suffering from “Christmas-itis” are going to find that their ailment is incurable. They are out-jollied, and out-gifted! I attended a Christmas concert at Grace Community church, and the pastor, Dr. John MacArthur, reminded the congregation that there are more songs written for the Christmas season than for any other time of year. I had not even thought of that. He is right. And the songs are splendiferous! Which other time of year can boast the magnificence of songs such as “O Holy Night,” When A Child Is Born,” “Joy To The World,” “The Hallelujah Chorus,” and on and on? Who but the terminally unhappy can resist words such as these?

Joy to the World , the Lord is come!
And Heaven and nature sing,….

While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy, …..

Even nature got in on the act! Yet another duo teamed up on this, in the persons of Isaac Watts and George Frideric Handel. Are we going to ban those two also? Speaking of Handel and his Messiah oratorio – that was not created for the season called “holiday.” That magnificent music, which no one will ever eclipse, was composed in honor of? Yep – good guess – the babe in the manger. Listen to Il Divo, Celine Dion, Andrea Bocelli, Josh Groban, to name just a few, sing “O Holy Night,” and tell me that they are singing “holiday” songs. They are gloriously singing a carol dedicated to the One and Only, Lord of Lords, King of Kings – you know – that babe in a manger.

Which other time of year brings out the spirit of giving as does this one? When you are desperately ill, who do you want to see? Let’s ask Matthew Mickelson Butman.  When I first began reading the story of this child who has a death sentence hanging over him, I was ready to do my imitation of a waterfall, with the point of exit being my eyes – my fancy way of saying that I was prepared to bawl my eyes out. I did not. How could I after reading the following?

Despite his dire condition, Matthew manages to project a positive spirit, evinced by his current goals: meet Santa and amass a monumental amount of cards from around the world.

To cap off his wish quest, Matthew met a Texas-drawling Santa Claus last week. While most kids present Santa with a list of must-haves, Matthew turned the tables, presenting Santa with a sack-full of gifts for needy children.

Cards for Matthew can be addressed to Matthew Mickelson Butman, PO Box 1865, Wylie, TX, 75089.

Matthew is a December baby. He wanted to see one of the two famous symbols of Christmas. He did. He saw Santa. He did not see “Holiday Man,” in the spirit of the “Holiday.” I am going to mail a Christmas card to Matthew so that he can see that he received a card from a woman who is proud and blessed to carry the moniker of “Christmas.”

Many have been up in arms about the ones who have been offended by the merriment and joy surrounding them. I am taking a different approach. In the spirit of the season, I am going to extend the hand of friendship to the offended ones and encourage them to rest up for 2011, and to please resume the “publicity campaign.” “Offendees,” the stores and other establishments with wise leadership will thank you for providing publicity without being given a retainer’s fee! Isn’t life grand? You are giving something for nothing! Good job!

Didn’t  I just state, that the “offendees” are performing a valuable service? Yes they are. That Chase Bank in Texas that had its donated tree chopped down, then saw a replacement tree put back up. The second tree was put back up in the spirit of “commerce.” It is so ironic how commerce can wipe away the stain of “offense.”

My friend Susan just sent a link about the OK bank situation.  The Feds buckled, or is that blinked?  That “small-town” bank in Oklahoma gets to keep its religious themed Christmas decorations. Why do I think that the “guy in the red suit” slipped or forced himself down a chimney and “persuaded” those recalcitrant officials? Nah – Santa does not have to “persuade.” It was simply “the hundreds of people from across the country” who sprang into action, with a couple of legislators thrown in the mix, that forced the Feds to see the (Christmas) light! O Holy Night!  It is not good to mess with a bank “founded 112 years ago,” and which operates on “Christian principles.” For the uninitiated, that means that customers don’t have to check their wallets when they do business with that bank.  

Now maybe the Feds can return to printing more money to hold off China taking over the US, instead of over regulating small community banks, whose customers are pleased with the bank’s operation – the really important stuff?  I will return to the Feds and that overburdened printing press, in the coming year. For now, we are celebrating Christmas!

Merry Christmas Ya’ll!