Do you care about Xmas displays?

[leftyladyfrommo]

I could just care less. If people want to put up religious displays that's just fine with me. I'm also fine with just Happy Holidays or whatever.

I can see not putting up religious displays on govt. property - that just makes sense. But other than that I don't find any of the Xmas displays to be offensive.

Well, maybe houses with too much going on and a lot of loud music - that would be offensive to me.

[Brickbat]

1. Only on public property.

[leftyladyfrommo]

3. I don't even care about that.

As long as it's not on the courthouse steps I don't care.

I like all the lights and stuff at Xmas.

[Flashmann]

2. I could just care less

Same here....Much as I try........Don't care either way...

[arcane1]

4. Here in SF they decorate city hall and Union Square with trees, lights, snow, etc

and I have no problem with it.

[Solly Mack]

5. I love going around town at night and seeing *homes* decorated.

Some people are creative and some are just so outlandish it feels like I'm rubbernecking.

I'm hardcore for the separation of church/state.

[onehandle]

6. I like it. Public or Private. Who cares?

If people have a problem with it, they should go picket the White House. They have a bunch of Christmas trees, Menorahs, etc on that public property.

Or, you could go do something that would make a difference in the world.

[FSogol]

9. Same here. Love seeing lights and decorations.

The huge Indian population, one county over from me, puts up Christmas lights at different times of the the year for Diwali and some other festivals. It looks great.

[onehandle]

10. That sounds great too.

I don't see such displays as religious. I see them as pretty and cultural.

[liberal_at_heart]

16. I think the difference is the Hindu population isn't out to dominate the other holidays

There is a sense of resentment between the right wing fundamental Christians and the non religious people in this country. I have told my dad many times before that Christians might find more acceptance in the public square if they were open to allowing other religions and other beliefs or non beliefs in the public square. The problem is they don't want that. They don't want to recognize Solstice. They'll recognize Hanukkah but only with the understanding that Christmas is the more important traditional American holiday. They certainly don't want to allow Good without God in the public square. The right wing Christians do tend to leave the Hindus alone. We have a Hindu temple in our community and they decorate their temple during Diwali as well. I think right wing Christians leave them alone because they don't try to challenge Christians dominance in the public square.

[FSogol]

20. RW Fundamental Christians are a tiny (abeit noisy) fraction of the Christian Church.

Last night I attended my son's Holiday Concert at the public high school. They played some jazz tunes and a medley of Christmas songs. They was no outrage or hysteria.

[liberal_at_heart]

21. They are the ones trying to put prayer back into school

and keep children from learning about sex ed and writing laws that hurt womens' reproducitve rights. They may be a small fraction but they are dangerous. I think it would be great if we could celebrate all of the holidays out in the open together. My favorite holiday in December in the Winter Solstice. I enjoyed putting a pile of presents under the tree for the kids during Christmas when they were small. They are older now. It's still fun to give them presents but it's not as magical as when they were kids.

[vilify]

7. I have zero problem with it regardless where it is.

[jberryhill]

8. My neighbors Diwali celebration was a blast

But I'm still not a Hindu. I guess I'll survive another year.

[liberal_at_heart]

11. I'm probably a little sensitive to it but that's because my father

is hard core evangelical and believes there is a war on Christmas. It gets on my nerves. And it also bothers me that the same neighbors who won't put a stitch of decorations out for Halloween will all of a sudden go all out crazy on Christmas decorations. Halloween is dead around here. No trick or treaters and no decorations. They certainly seemed to kill Halloween pretty successfully but someone says Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas and all hell breaks loose. None of it really makes any sense to me anymore. People are just ridiculous these days.

[onethatcares]

12. don't matter to me,

as long as whoever is putting whatever up is not costing me any amount of money.

If a group wants to pay to put something holidayish on public property, they should pay a rent, obtain insurance and clean up within 5 days of the end of the holiday or face a fine.

See, I'm easy.

[newfie11]

13. Nope I don't care nt

[Bandit]

14. Xmas lights and Xmas trees on Public Property is fine with me but a Nativity scene, only on Private

Property. As long as my taxes are invloved I do not wish to support ANY religion in ANY manner...I will give my money to Charities I trust and approve of even if they happen to be religious, but I don't want the Government (us) to be doing that in my name...

[murielm99]

15. Yes, a Clark Griswold house is offensive.

We have one in our small community. Mostly, I just laugh at it. The people are actually nice, they just go overboard.

Otherwise, I don't care where Christmas imagery is displayed. I don't worry about it being on government property, either. We need to pick our battles with the government.

Actually, I love Christmas. I don't care if it is the religious side of it, or the secular side, I enjoy it enormously. I love making a nice holiday for my family and friends.

[RobinA]

18. I Love

Clark Griswold houses.

In reference to the OP, I don't care as long as any religion is allowed to put something up when the time comes. I don't even mind a nativity in the public park, and I'm a non-theist. I look at religious stuff in a more metaphorical than literal way. I do draw the line at the courthouse and and police station when it comes to religious stuff. All religion should be kept far, far away from any law. Tasteful Yule things at court are not a problem for me. Winter solstice happens everywhere in the northern hemisphere.

[nolabear]

17. Love, love, love lights. And I get the charm of other stuff though I wouldn't do it.

Those big old blowup displays are delightful to kids so I'm down with that. And anything that lights the dark winter and says "I'm here, I'm a person, and I love this season" is fine by me.

[Speck Tater]

19. I'm an atheist who celebrates Christmas.

As an atheist I'm thoroughly ashamed of loudmouthed obnoxious atheists who have a hizzy fit over the symbols of our cultural mythology.

Putting up Santa is putting up a mythological figure. I have no problem with that.

Putting up a nativity scene is putting up a mythological figure. I have no problem with that.

It's all just culturally shared mythology. The fact that some people believe in Santa can't spoil Christmas for me. The fact that some people believe in Jesus can't spoil it for me either. Other people taking mythology literally is their business.

I respect what the mythological Santa stands for.
I respect what the mythological Jesus stands for.
I respect our shared cultural myths rather than whining like a baby about them.

Shared mythology brings us together as a people.