Today is the fifth day of the 12 days of Christmas. Some may recognize this day from the famous song “The Twelve Days of Christmas” as the day of “five golden rings.” Others may recognize it as the feast day of St. Thomas of Canterbury, the archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 until his assassination in 1170. As such, Christmas trees are still decorated in people’s houses, city squares, parks, and prominent areas. However, as the Christmas season draws to a close, it is essential to acknowledge and resist the Left’s gradual efforts to diminish it.
In an article written earlier this month, I wrote about Philadelphia’s annual tree lighting ceremony. Instead of calling the coniferous evergreen a Christmas tree, Philadelphia’s mayor’s office and other government officials referred to it as a “holiday tree.” It was an egregious cultural slight against Christians that warrants pushback and resistance, yet many tolerated and allowed it to occur. I contacted the mayor’s office about the terminology, and, as one would expect from Democrats in power, the explanation provided was absurd and, quite frankly, insulting to my intelligence.
In my communication with the mayor’s office, I asked why Philadelphia referred to it as a holiday tree instead of a Christmas tree. I noted that there were “no other holidays in December, or any part of the year, that feature a tree as part of their holiday festivities or traditions.” I bluntly asked, “Why is the city reluctant to call it a Christmas tree?”
This was the response I received from Leah Uko, the city’s deputy director of communications:
“Please note in your reporting that the City is not reluctant for anything, and that is simply how you phrased your questioning.”
“It should also be noted that, in this country, people put up and decorate their trees as early as Thanksgiving or the Saturday after Thanksgiving, and many keep them up through the New Year holiday. This time frame includes several holidays. That’s why it’s referred to as ‘the holiday season.’”
“Nonetheless, there is no explanation to give regarding whether it is a Christmas tree or holiday tree — We want people to enjoy it during a joyful time of the year.”
So, there you have it. It was simply a matter of convenience that the city referred to a Christmas tree as a holiday tree.
And if you believe that, I have a holiday tree to sell you for the fifth day of Christmas. The explanation was absurd and an illogical rationalization. Furthermore, it can be legitimately argued that this city has not done anything for the convenience of any resident since July 4, 1776. Moreover, while it is customary for people to put up their trees before Christmas, they are putting up Christmas trees, not holiday trees. Also, they are putting up Christmas trees to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the reason for the season, if you will. Any mention of Christ was also notably absent from the tree lighting.
It’s even more absurd that Philadelphia’s “Christmas Village” was located directly across the street from the holiday tree. The attraction opened on Thanksgiving Day and operated until Christmas Eve. Therefore, the explanation that it was due to multiple holidays is illogical, based on the standards and precedent set by Philadelphia. The city did not want to call it a Christmas tree for no reason other than it was a Christmas tree, and the Left, which plagues Philadelphia’s government, is too cowardly to do the right thing.
It’s as if they feared rabid, left-wing fanatics would go apoplectic over calling the city’s Christmas tree by its rightful name. And, it was only Christmas that had to endure a name change of its most famous custom and tradition.
For example, Philadelphia has wonderful ceremonies for Hanukkah and Kwanzaa (with the latter being a controversial holiday focused on radical, left-wing, sociopolitical ideology and racial separatism). Nevertheless, having such ceremonies is fine and welcomed. However, during the city’s lighting of the menorah candles, it was not referred to as a “holiday menorah.” It was rightfully referred to as a menorah. Additionally, during Kwanzaa ceremonies in Philadelphia, the lighting of the kinara was not referred to as a “holiday kinara,” but simply as a kinara. Only the Christmas tree lighting received the “holiday” moniker.
I brought this to Uko’s attention in a follow-up email.
“The city hosts a Menorah lighting for Hanukkah and the lighting of the Umoja candle and six other candles as part of the tradition for Kwanzaa’s kinara,” I said. “Both holidays overlap with other seasonal times and holidays, but their tangible items of festivities do not have alternate names. Why not?”
I said many Philadelphians noted that the Christmas tree was the only one “being rebranded.”
And what was the mayor’s office’s response?
PHILADELPHIA DEMOCRATS’ CHRISTOPHOBIC ‘HOLIDAY TREE’ CEREMONY
“We have nothing to add,” Uko said.
It was a political silence that spoke volumes.
