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John Thomson  

Thomson report

What is all this fuss about a politically correct Christmas?

Look at the people and corporations that have buckled under and refer to only “the holidays”. That big tree in front of NBC at Rockefeller Centre is now a holiday tree, as is the large tree in the City Hall Square in Toronto.

Call it what you will, it’s still a Christmas tree.

It seems this politically correct group now tries to ruin every holiday.
Three that come to mind immediately are Halloween, Thanksgiving and, of course, Christmas.

If we gave into them, what would the holiday season be like? Would we sing? What gifts would we give? How would we decorate? What about Christmas television shows that we’ve watched for years?

Here are all the things I was thinking about as I thought about a politically correct Christmas: the Christmas tree with Christmas lights and decorations, the angel in the star at the top of the tree, Christmas cake, Christmas pudding, Christmas crackers and those dumb hats we all must wear because Grandma said so and Christmas oranges. I suppose we were also politically incorrect in what we called them not that many years ago. I don’t want a politically correct holiday.

Whatever happened to tinsel? It took hours to place it all on the tree and then there were those days we got frustrated and tossed what was left at the tree. The lady in charge didn’t like that move.

I want Christmas. We can’t give in to them. It’s our tradition to celebrate the birth of Christ. Jesus is the reason for the season. For most Canadians, this is a time of celebration. Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Webster, in the big book of everything, defines Christmas as a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Christ and is usually observed by a legal holiday.

For most, Christmas is a time of hope. This past week we saw, for the 45th year, the TV special, “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” That’s right… 45 years ago Charlie Brown first described the commercialization of Christmas. Forty five years ago he placed a red ball on his sorry Christmas tree and lamented, “I’ve killed it!”

Oh well!

No one disputes the fact that there are those who do not celebrate Christmas. They celebrate other holidays or no holidays at all. Our Jewish, East Indian, Chinese and Ukrainian friends celebrate their religious holidays and we have no problem with that. Leave Christmas alone. It’s for families and the kids have a marvelous time and I love it.

That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown!

Merry Christmas to all. Enjoy your family and friends. Give or get a big hug and kiss under the Christmas mistletoe.

“Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.”


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About the Author

John Thomson is the Okanagan's pre-eminent business columnist writing his column, Rumours and Things, for over 24 years. Plugged in to the valley's who's who, John keeps his readers coming back for more with his straight talk and optimistic perspective on where we are headed next.

When John is not writing his column, he runs a sixteen year old think tank called the Executive Roundtable and holds his popular "Thomson Presents" quarterly business speaker seminars.

Have a comment, question, or tip for John? 

E-mail John at
[email protected]
or send him a fax at 250-764-8255.

 



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The views expressed are strictly those of the author and not necessarily those of Castanet. Castanet does not warrant the contents.

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