War on Christmas

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[[File:Santa bandit (3106458516).jpg|thumb|right|250px|Santacon: weaponized]]
{{conspiracynav}}
{{cquote|It was the Yuletide, that men call Christmas though they know in their hearts it is older than [[Bethlehem]] and [[Babylon]], older than Memphis and mankind.|||[[H. P. Lovecraft]]<ref>[[wikisource:en:The Festival (H. P. Lovecraft)|H. P. Lovecraft's "The Festival" on Wikisource]]</ref>}}

The so-called "'''War on [[Christmas]]'''" (or less [[Inflammatory language|sensationally]], the '''Christmas controversy''') is a [[right-wing]] demagogic neologism which refers to real or imagined [[secular]]ist attempts to keep the annual December [[solstice]] holiday shopping season [[Multiculturalism|culturally inclusive]] (which exponents of the term further allege to be part of a larger and deeply sinister effort to undermine [[Christianity]]'s status in the US and/or the [[Western world]] more generally). Setting the standard by which all other [[manufactroversy|manufactroversies]] may be judged, the claim is most famously hawked each and every year by none other than former [[Fox News|Fox News Channel]] contributor [[Bill O'Reilly]].

==Origins==
Few people, even among those who promote this idea, know that its modern-day form started out as a [[conspiracy theory]] promulgated by groups affiliated with the [[John Birch Society]], who termed it the "'''Assault on Christmas'''".<ref>[https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2013/12/war-on-christmas-short-history-101222/ A Short History of the War on Christmas: How everyone from Bill O’Reilly to Jon Stewart became a co-conspirator in an annual farce.] by Daniel Denvir (December 16, 2013) ''Politico''.</ref> In 1959, they released a pamphlet called "There Goes Christmas", in which they claimed there was a [[Red-baiting|new communist plot]] to "take the [[Christ]] out of Christmas" by replacing Christmas decorations with 
[[Judaism|jewish]]
 [[United Nations]] iconography. The Society claimed that this formed part of a larger push to stamp out [[religion]] altogether and to cede American sovereignty to the UN. They urged members to [[boycott]] any stores with "{{wpl|Hanukkah|inappropriate}} decorations".<ref>[http://www.salon.com/2005/11/21/christmas_6/ How the secular humanist grinch didn't steal Christmas: The right-wing crusade against the liberal "war on Christmas" is great for rallying the troops. Too bad the war doesn't exist.] by Michelle Goldberg (November 21, 2005 5:11PM) ''Salon''.</ref>

The JBS itself had developed the idea of a "War on Christmas" from interwar [[antisemitism|antisemitic]] publications, in particular [[Henry Ford]]'s ''The International Jew''. Detecting a part of a [[International Jewish conspiracy|supposed move to take over the world]], the automaker claimed that the [[Jews]] were launching a "war on [[Christianity]]", at one point lamenting, "Last Christmas most people had a hard time finding Christmas cards that indicated in any way that Christmas commemorated Someone's Birth." This was (of course) seen as a plot by Jewish conspirators, who "consider any public expression of Christian character as being derogatory to [their] religion."<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20131220044941/http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2013/12/war-on-christmas-short-history-101222.html#.VFRs2ijqEUU A Short History of the War on Christmas] by Daniel Denvir (December 16, 2013) ''Politico''.</ref> Sound familiar?

=="They ain't makin' Jews like Jesus anymore…"==
[[File:Hermey the elf and Rudolph.jpg|right|thumb|250px|Oy! What a schnoz!]]
[[File:Hanukkah bush.jpg|right|thumb|250px|''Rockin' around the Christmas tree, <br>Have a happy Hanukkah.'']]

[[Ironically]] enough, quite a few of the most popular Christmas songs of the 20th century were written or co-written by Jews.<ref>[https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/14/christmas-hanukkah-songs_n_6311324.html Why Were So Many Beloved Christmas Songs Written By Jewish Musicians?] by Lauren Markoe (February 14, 2024 • 08:05 am ET Updated Dec 14, 2014) ''Huffington Post''.</ref><ref>[http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-arts-and-culture/music/22910/have-yourself-a-jewish-little-christmas A Jewish Christmas Soundtrack: The top 10 Christmas songs written by Jews, from 'Silver Bells' to 'Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow'] by Marc Tracy (December 24, 2012 • 07:00 am ET) ''Tablet''.</ref> For instance:

*{{wpl|Baby, It's Cold Outside|"Baby, It's Cold Outside"}} by {{wpl|Frank Loesser}}
*{{wpl|The Christmas Song|"The Christmas Song"}} ("Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire") by {{wpl|Mel Tormé}} and {{wpl|Robert Wells (songwriter)|Bob Wells}}
*{{wpl|The Christmas Waltz|"The Christmas Waltz"}} by {{wpl|Sammy Cahn}} and {{wpl|Jule Styne}}
*{{wpl|Happy Holiday (song)|"Happy Holiday"}} by {{wpl|Irving Berlin}}
*{{wpl|A Holly Jolly Christmas|"A Holly Jolly Christmas"}} by {{wpl|Johnny Marks}}
*{{wpl|Home for the Holidays (song)|"Home for the Holidays"}} by {{wpl|Robert Allen (songwriter)|Robert Allen}} and {{wpl|Al Stillman}}
*{{wpl|I'll Be Home for Christmas|"I'll Be Home for Christmas"}} by {{wpl|Buck Ram}} and {{wpl|Walter Kent}}
*{{wpl|It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year|"It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year"}} by {{wpl|Edward Pola}} and {{wpl|George Wyle}}
*{{wpl|I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm|"I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm"}} by Irving Berlin
*{{wpl|Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow|"Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow"}} by Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne
*{{wpl|A Marshmallow World|"A Marshmallow World"|,}} lyrics by {{wpl|Carl Sigman}}
*{{wpl|Parade of the Wooden Soldiers|"Parade of the Wooden Soldiers"}} by {{wpl|Leon Jessel}}
*{{wpl|Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree|"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree"}} by Johnny Marks
*{{wpl|Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (song)|"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"}} by Johnny Marks
*{{wpl|Santa Baby|"Santa Baby"}} by Joan Javits and {{wpl|Philip Springer}}
*{{wpl|Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town|"Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town"|,}} music by {{wpl|John Frederick Coots|J. Fred Coots}}
*{{wpl|Silver Bells|"Silver Bells"}} by {{wpl|Jay Livingston}} and {{wpl|Ray Evans}}
*{{wpl|Sleigh Ride|"Sleigh Ride"|,}} lyrics by {{wpl|Mitchell Parrish}}
*{{wpl|We Need a Little Christmas|"We Need a Little Christmas"}} by {{wpl|Jerry Herman}}
*{{wpl|White Christmas (song)|"White Christmas"}} by Irving Berlin
*{{wpl|Winter Wonderland|"Winter Wonderland"|,}} music by {{wpl|Felix Bernard}}
*{{wpl|You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch|"You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch"|,}} music by {{wpl|Albert Hague}} (lyrics by the gentile Dr. Seuss)

Then again, since these tunes focus on the nonreligious aspects of Christmas, those so inclined will eagerly put such authorships forward as "evidence" of a fiendish Jewish plot to secularize the holiday.<ref>[https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/12/9/2210657/-Christmas-Songs-Written-By-Jews-Subvert-Christmas-Says-Christian-Nationalist-Andrew-Torba Popular Christmas Songs Written By Jews Subvert Christmas Says Christian Nationalist Andrew Torba] by Bill Berkowitz (December 9, 2023 • 10:25 am ET) ''Daily Kos''.</ref> Oh, heck! Let's all just sing Christmas songs around the {{wpl|Hanukkah bush||!}} And then we all can sing along to [[Muslim]] Christmas songs!<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIbqcoBuUvI Raef - The Muslim Christmas Song (Deck the Halls Cover)] Awakening Music (Dec 26, 2016) ''YouTube''.</ref><ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/dec/24/muslim-catholic-mary-jesus-islam-christianity I grew up Muslim in a Catholic community – and Mary represented common ground] by Zeyneb Sayılgan (24 Dec 2024 07.00 EST) ''The Guardian''.</ref>

==More recently==
The "War on Christmas" [[meme]] was revived in the 1990s by [[VDARE]] founder, [[paleoconservatism|paleoconservative]], [[white nationalism|white nationalist]], antisemite, and all-around wingnut Peter Brimelow, as part of a larger battle against [[multiculturalism]].<ref>[http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2008/12/09/who-started-the-war-on-christmas.html Who Started the War on Christmas?], ''The Daily Beast''</ref> However, no individual is more responsible for dragging the concept from the right-wing fringe into "mainstream" media culture, and making it into an annual tradition as reliable and inevitable as the holiday season itself, than Bill O'Reilly, who is apparently horrified (yes, ''horrified!'') that [[Wal-Mart]] greeters and other retail workers might wish their customers "Happy Holidays" rather than "Merry Christmas", despite the fact that [[Hypocrisy|''his own website'' sold "holiday ornaments" rather than X-Mas ornaments]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20051202120322/http://mediamatters.org/items/200511300006 Fox betrays Christmas crusade, sells "Holiday" ornaments for your "Holiday tree"], Media Matters</ref>

The fact that "Happy Holidays" can refer to any of more than a dozen end-of-the-year holidays (see [[War on Christmas#"Happy Holidays" may also refer to…|below]]) never seems to have any real effect on the demagoguery. Neither does the idea that Christmas itself was first made by ''[[Plagiarism|blatantly ripping off]]'' a [[pagan]] holiday (let's hear it for the War on Yule!), or that [[puritan]]ical types have waged a few wars against Christmas themselves ([[War on Christmas#Actual wars on Christmas|see below]]), or that from a liturgical standpoint it's really inappropriate ''for Christians themselves'' to share a Christmas greeting when it's still Advent (i.e., any time prior to sunset on Christmas Eve). So the [[Religious Right]] keeps yammering about it, while the secularists keep making jokes about going along with it.<ref group=note>When, in fact, most secularists really don't mind "Merry Christmas"; as a general rule, it's mostly just a few butthurt egotists who complain every year.</ref> As time passes by, the semi-[[ironic]] "Merry Christmas" greeting is gaining ground, used by some as a kind of meta-statement on the ongoing controversy. (It should be acknowledged that there ''are'', in fact, some non-Christians who do object to the public usage of "Merry Christmas" — and in some cases even "Happy Holidays" — as expressions of Christian cultural hegemony in the West.<ref>[https://goodmenproject.com/featured-content/december-christian-cultural-imperialism-wcz/ December and Christian Cultural Imperialism], ''The Good Men Project''.</ref> However, and whether one agrees with their stance or not, such people aren't remotely close in either number or influence to being the Christmas-destroying juggernaut of right-wingers' fevered imaginations anytime soon.)

Interestingly enough, and in apparent defiance of the best efforts of the sinister anti-Christmas warriors, the proportion of American Christians who feel a religious meaning in Christmas is increasing,<ref>Jeffrey M. Jones (December 24, 2010) [http://www.gallup.com/poll/145367/Christmas-Strongly-Religious-Half-Celebrate.aspx "Christmas Strongly Religious for Half in U.S. Who Celebrate It"]. ''Gallup''.</ref> even as church membership is generally declining in the US as well. This would appear to suggest that the unstated premise that the actual meaning of Christmas rests upon people using the word to sell merchandise is incorrect.

In 2016, then-President-elect [[Donald Trump]] unilaterally declared an end to the War on Christmas, basically by declaring war on everyone who didn't say "Merry Christmas",<ref>[http://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/Donald-Trump-Merry-Christmas-victory-tour-Michigan-10793091.php Trump: 'We're going to start saying Merry Christmas again'] by Amy Graff (Updated 10:13 am, Tuesday, December 13, 2016) ''San Francisco Chronicle''.</ref> although oddly enough Trump himself had previously waged war on Christmas when his management company banned Christmas trees from the lobby of one of his apartment houses in 1981.<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/12/25/when-trump-forbade-a-christmas-tree-and-other-forgotten-stories-from-the-war-on-christmas/ When Trump forbade a Christmas tree — and other forgotten stories from the ‘war on Christmas’] by Avi Selk (December 25, 2017 at 3:50 PM), ''The Washington Post''.</ref>

==Not like it used to be?==
[[File:FirstX-MasPostcard1843.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Let's all get drunk for Christmas, like the [[good old days]]! — the first Christmas card, featuring young children drinking red wine<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/dec/04/first-commercially-printed-christmas-card-up-for-sale First commercially printed Christmas card up for sale: 177-year-old card believed to have gone on sale same year Dickens’ A Christmas Carol was published] (Dec 2020 00.30 EST) ''Associated Press'' via ''The Guardian''.</ref>]]

Many right-wingers misrepresent the history of Christian celebrations in an attempt to claim that Christmas in the past was all about religion, but now is [[Santa Claus|purely secular]] with no mention of [[Jesus]]; for example, in 2017, there were claims that [[Australia]]n schools were "trying to take pictures of Jesus out of Christmas cards".<ref>[https://mycharisma.com/news/schools-take-major-step-to-ban-any-all-references-to-jesus-including-christmas-cards/ Schools Take Major Step to Ban Any, All References to Jesus—Including Christmas Cards], ''Charisma News'', 28 July 2017</ref> In addition to being completely made up, this ignores the fact that the ''very first Christmas card ever made'' had no mention of Christ, the [[nativity]], [[God]], [[angels]], or anything religious. Designed by John Callcott Horsley in 1843, it featured a scene of people drinking [[wine]], including a mother feeding it to her young child, with generic scenes of [[charity]] at either side.<ref>{{w|Christmas card}}</ref><ref>[https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/history-christmas-card-180957487/ The History of the Christmas Card], Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Dec 2015</ref> Most of Christmas tradition was invented in the 19th century by people such as Charles Dickens,<ref>''The Man Who Invented Christmas'', Les Standiford</ref> whose novella ''A Christmas Carol'' focuses on Christmas as a time for charity and spending time with loved ones rather than emphasizing the Christmas message. Largely secular Victorian traditions like roast dinners (also popularized in ''A Christmas Carol''), trees, and cards show the lack of religious significance.

==So what's a war without war profiteers?==
[[Image:Evil starbucks.jpeg|thumb|250px|right|Starbucks waged the War on Christmas in 2015, as proven here. One can view the hidden message by adding just a few lines with a magic marker.]]

The [[American Family Association]] (AFA) issues a yearly list of nationwide retail outlets often owned by huge multinational [[corporation]]s that they say are "for," "marginal on," or "[[Evil Jew|against]]" Christmas. The "for Christmas" companies supposedly use the word "Christmas" instead of "Xmas" <ref group=note>Which is highly amusing, since the "X" in "Xmas" is not a placeholder to "cross out" [[Christ]], but the [[Greek]] letter ''chi'' (χ), which is the first letter of "Christ" in Greek; it's an abbreviation invented ''by Christians'' and used for centuries.{{cn}}</ref> or "Holiday" in their advertising, while the "against Christmas" companies do not.<ref>[http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2009/11/afa-expands-christmas-hit-list.html AFA Expands "Christmas" Hit List (2009)], Joe.My.God.</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20111203024824/http://www.disinfo.com/2011/11/pro-and-anti-christmas-retailers-list Disinformation website (disinfo.com) page on the AFA's 2011 list, with commentary.] (Notice whose online store tops the "for Christmas" list.)</ref> Of course, the AFA doesn't seem to notice that many of the companies on the "for Christmas" list often substitute "Holiday" for "Christmas" in their ads or minimize the number of references to the holidays altogether. This has led to speculation 
from godless, gay, pinko-commies
 that maybe the AFA receives compensation for inclusion on the "for Christmas" list, a claim that the AFA denies.<ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sm3yYDmc4-M Near the end of this YouTube video], AFA spokesman [[Bryan Fischer]] denies to [[Thom Hartmann]] that corporations pay to get on the "for Christmas" list. (However, the best part of the video comes at the very end, when Hartmann calls Fischer a "[[blasphemy|blasphemer]]" for his right-wing take on the [[Metaphor|Parable of the Talents]].)</ref>

==They've messed up our economy!==
In 2008, the ante was raised as a columnist blamed the year's [[banking crisis|economic crisis]] on the War on Christmas. In true ''[[Wall Street Journal]]'' op-ed style, Daniel Henninger said that the push against Christmas is leading us to a ''Mad Max'' type environment.<ref>[http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122714101083742715.html "Wonder Land: Mad Max and the Meltdown"], ''WSJ''</ref>

==The War in politics==
[[File:White House Christmas 2018 (46060476411).jpg|thumb|right|250px|Bloody hell, the war is over and nobody told us!]]

In 2007, even some [[President]]ial candidates took up the war, with [[Mike Huckabee]] claiming he was going to wish the gathered [[Iowa]] [[Republicans]] a "Merry Christmas" in spite of it possibly being "[[Politically incorrect|controversial]]".<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071229201834/http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/CampaignStandard/2007/12/hayes_a_merry_christmas_for_hu.asp "A Merry Christmas for Huckabee"], ''The Weekly Standard''. Oh noes!!!</ref> This was intensified in 2015 and 2016 under [[Donald Trump]].<ref group=note>For example, President-elect Donald Trump [http://edition.cnn.com/2015/11/09/politics/donald-trump-starbucks-boycott-christmas/ suggested] boycotting Starbucks over their private decision to change the style of their Christmas cups (so much for [[small government]]!). Hey, there's even been [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85e7GZrxKso a song written] about Trump's love for Christmas.</ref> Trump's wife, First Lady Melania Trump, officially declared the war over in 2018, when she told her then-friend on the phone:

{{cquote|Who gives a fuck about the Christmas stuff and decorations? I say that I'm working on Christmas and planning for the Christmas and they said, 'Oh, [[Whataboutism|what about]] the [[U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement#Family separation policy and child detention centers|children that they were separated]]?' Give me a fucking break.<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/10/02/melania-trump-tapes-christmas-border/ Tapes reveal Melania Trump appearing to downplay child separation policy, bemoaning Christmas decorations] by Jaclyn Peiser (Oct. 2, 2020 at 3:45 a.m. PDT) ''The Washington Post''.</ref>}}

=="Happy Holidays" may also refer to…==
[[File:IrishPubChristmas1.jpg|thumb|right|250px|One fine sentiment]]

{{collist|2|
*[[Discordianism|Afflux]]
*Agnostica<ref>[http://www.agnostica.com/ Agnostica.com]</ref>
*Alban Arthuan
*Baxter Day<ref group=note>A holiday celebrated by Buster and his mom on ''Arthur''.</ref>
*Beethoven's Birthday<ref group=note>Celebrated on 16 December by {{wpl|Schroeder (Peanuts)|Schroeder}} in the ''Peanuts'' comic strip by Charles M. Schulz. {{wpl|Ludwig van Beethoven}} was [[Baptism|baptized]] on 17 December 1770 but his true date of birth is unknown.</ref>
*Black Friday
*Boxing Day
*Bug Nollig<ref group=note>A holiday celebrated by the insect society of Ballybug in ''Lu & the Bally Bunch''.</ref>
*Buy Nothing Day
*Candlenights
*Cave Christmas<ref group=note>From the episode, "The Night Before Cave Christmas" in the ''Super Mario World'' animated series. It's celebrated in the middle of August, however.</ref>
*Chinese New Year (occasionally)
*Chalica
*Chrimbus
*Chrismahanukwanzakah
*Chrismukkah
*Constitution Day<ref group=note>[[Taiwan]]'s Constitution Day is celebrated on December 25. This is because the first president of Taiwan, [[Chiang Kai-shek]], was Christian and wanted an excuse to make Christmas a public holiday in a predominantly [[Buddhism|Buddhist]]/[[Taoism|Taoist]] society.</ref>
*Conventions occurring in December/January
*The Crystal Feast<ref group=note>Brought up in one line from the ''Doctor Who'' episode "A Christmas Carol".</ref>
*Cyber Monday
*Decemberween
*[[Dianetics]] [[Scientology|Day]]
*Dies Natalis Solis Invicti
*Dongzhi Festival (Chinese winter solstice festival)
*[[Eastern Orthodox Church|Eastern Orthodox]] Christmas (observed on January 7)
*Eid al-Adha ([[Islam]]ic New Year)<ref group=note>Eid al-Adha has coincided with Christmas in the past and will do again in the future. Since Islamic holidays are on a lunar calendar, however, its date progresses backwards through the Gregorian calendar. In 2026, it will start on the evening of May 26 and end on the evening of May 30. In 2027, it will start on the evening of May 17 and end on the evening of May 20. In some locations, the date depends on the sighting of the new moon with the naked eye.</ref>
*Epiphany
*Festivus
*The Feast of Frith<ref group=note>Celebrated in an animated adaptation of ''Watership Down'', and not in the original book.</ref>
*Freeza Day (or Frieza Day)<ref>[http://teamfourstar.fandom.com/wiki/DragonBall_Z_Abridged_Special:_Plan_to_Eradicate_Christmas DragonBall Z Abridged Special: Plan to Eradicate Christmas] Team Four Star Wiki</ref>
*Friendsgiving
*[[Guy Fawkes]] Night
*[[Halloween]]
*[[Jewish holidays#Hanukkah|Hanukkah]]<ref group=note>Due to the Hebrew calendar being luni-solar, the date "wanders" through the month of December and sometimes November.</ref>
*Hearth's Warming Eve
*Hogswatch
*Holiday ([[Pastafarianism]])
*HumanLight<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20131213043043/http://humanlight.njhn.org/wp/ Official HumanLight website]</ref>
*Inti Raymi
*The Kongo Bongo Festival of Lights<ref group=note>Celebrated in an episode of ''Donkey Kong Country''.</ref>
*Kuzmas
*[[Kwanzaa]]
*Lenaea
*Life Day
*The Long Night
*Merlinpeen
*{{wpl|Monkey Day}}
*[[Isaac Newton|Newtonmas]], a.k.a: Grav-mass
*New Year's Eve
*New Year's Day (also celebrated on the first of April, by fools)
*Nickmas<ref group=note>What Nickelodeon called Christmas in 2002 to get around this whole shitstorm.</ref>
*Nittel Nacht
*The Primary Gifting Period<ref group=note>This is [[UK]] retailer-speak for the period ending closing time on 24 December, starting at an indeterminate point in time which seems to be getting earlier with each successive year. You can identify when a store is in "PGP layout" by referring to the "Seasonal" aisle. PGP layout begins when the store's Seasonal section makes the first of two switches to Christmas paraphernalia — the second switch is a return to Christmas goods after [[Halloween]]. Until Bill Bailey popularised the term, it was considered [[jargon]], but is now proof positive of "Political correctness gone mad!!!!", with [[Law of exclamation|four exclamation marks and everything]].</ref>
*{{wpl|Jinnah's Birthday|Quaid-e-Azam-Day}}
*[[Ramadan]]<ref group=note>The Islamic holy month of Ramadan has coincided with Christmastime in the past and will do again in the future. Like Eid al-Adha, however, its date progresses backwards through the Gregorian calendar. In 2026, it will last from the evening of February 17 until the evening of March 19. In 2027, it will last from the evening of February 7 until the evening of March 8. In some locations, the date depends on the sighting of the new moon with the naked eye.</ref>
*Saint Stephen's Day
*Saturnalia
*Second Rite of Belial
*Solstice (winter in the northern hemisphere, summer in the southern)
*Starlight Night<ref group=note>Celebrated by robo-penguins in an episode of ''Cyberchase''. That's right, Baxter Day isn't the only holiday from a [[PBS]] show listed here.</ref>
*[[Thanksgiving]] (in some places), or National Day of Mourning for [[Native American]]s
*Twelfth Night
*Winter-een-mas
*Wintervaltide
*Xmas
*Yaldā
*Yule (or Jul)
*[[Esperanto|Zamenhof]] Day ({{wpl|Zamenhof Day|yes, it's a real thing}})<ref group=note>However, some people prefer to call it "''Esperanta Literatura Tago''" or Esperanto Literature Day.</ref>
}}

==Weapons used in the war==
{{collist|2|
*Debauchery
*Holly
*Ivy
*
Intercontinental Ballistic
 Mistletoe
*Mummery
*Yule logs
*Gift exchanges
*Decorated evergreen trees (these are unbiblical)<ref>[http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/jer/10.html Jeremiah 10] [[RationalWiki:Annotated Bible/Jeremiah#Jeremiah 10:2|Jeremiah 10]]</ref>
*[[Magic]]al reindeer
*[[Alcohol]]
*Plastic, life-size [[Santa]]s 
*Flesh and blood, alcoholic Santas ({{wpl|SantaCon}})
*Strings of colored lights
*Wreaths
*Tanks
*Last-years' fruitcake, now weaponized, not to be confused with:
**[[:Category:Food|Food]], often in extraordinarily large quantities
*Roving gangs of musically-inclined, jovial songsters
*Christmas tree fires
*Eggnog, also weaponized
}}
<gallery>
File:Leaf miner holly - 2003-04-05 - Andy Mabbett.jpg|Holly with leaf miner damage: {{wpl|evolutionary arms race}}
File:Karl Witkowski- Under the Mistletoe.jpg|Kissing under mistletoe
File:Yulelog.jpg|Yule log
File:White elephant gift exchange.jpg|White elephant gift exchange
File:HK TST night Harbour City front entrance indoor stairs interior Xmas trees Nov-2013.JPG|Decorated evergreen trees
File:Lighted Santa Reindeer.jpg|Magical reindeer
File:Kongens Bryghus christmas beer 1896.jpg|Christmas [[beer]] from 1896
File:Blow up Santa claus.jpg|Plastic Santa
File:13-12-16 Christmas house decoration.jpg|Christmas lights
File:Christmas wreath Corks.JPG|Christmas wreath
File:Christmas tank (3157247376).jpg|Christmas tank
File:Fruitcake.jpg|Fruitcake, a crime against humanity
File:Santacon photo - Tompkins Square.jpg|Anti-alcoholic Santa poster
File:St Albans Mummers production of St George and the Dragon, Boxing Day 2015-6.jpg|Mummers on Boxing Day
File:Christmas tree farm fire.jpg|Christmas tree farm fire
File:Eggnog2.jpg|Weaponized eggnog
File:Angry birds with matches.jpg|Torches without pitchforks
File:Santa Claus pointing gun at the viewer detail, "Hands up!" - Will Crawford. LCCN2011649408 (cropped).jpg|"Hands up!" by Will Crawford (''Puck'' magazine, 1912 December 11)
File:Santa Claus Conquers the Martians 1.jpg|''Santa Claus Conquers the Martians'' — Z-grade extraterrestrial Christmas war
</gallery>

==Actual wars on Christmas==
[[File:Washington Crossing the Delaware by Emanuel Leutze, MMA-NYC, 1851.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Fighting for our right to war on Christmas]]

In a twist that breaks an [[irony meter]] or two, in many of the times that a war has actually been declared on Christmas, it was ''Christians'' who were the ones warring against it.

*In [[England]], the [[Puritan]] government of [[Oliver Cromwell]] banned Christmas celebrations. This led to pro-Christmas rioting in several cities, in which rioters defied Cromwell by decking the halls with boughs of holly.<ref>[http://www.historytoday.com/chris-durston/lords-misrule-puritan-war-christmas-1642-60 Lords of Misrule: The Puritan War on Christmas 1642-60], ''History Today''</ref>
*[[Scotland]], with its strong [[Calvinist]] tradition, also ignored or minimised Christmas. Although it was popular before the 1560 [[Protestant Reformation]], the celebration was banned by law in 1640 (e.g. fishermen in Aberdeen were forced to set out on their boats on Christmas Day).<ref>Hastings, Max ''Montrose: The King's Champion''</ref> This was partly repealed in 1686, and then the ban introduced again in 1690 (when the Protestant King William came to the throne) until 1712. New Year (which has no religious significance) was the big winter holiday, while the [[Church of Scotland]] didn't regard Christmas as important; it wasn't even made a day off work until 1958.<ref>{{wpa|Christmas in Scotland}}</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20171112061411/http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/christmas-and-new-year-traditions-in-scotland-1-3226062 "Christmas and New Year traditions in Scotland"], Scotsman, 24 December 2013</ref> This position is still maintained the small ultra-Calvinist [[Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland]].<ref>[https://www.fpchurch.org.uk/about-us/how-we-worship/no-christian-festivals/should-christians-celebrate-christmas/ Should Christians celebrate Christmas?]</ref>
*In [[Massachusetts]], Christmas was completely banned for 22 years, from 1659 until 1681, only being legalized again when King James II appointed an [[Anglican]] governor to the colony who could rule by decree. Christmas did not become popular there until the 1850s.<ref>Nissenbaum, Stephen (1996). ''The Battle for Christmas''. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 0-679-41223-9.</ref>
*[[George Washington]]'s famous crossing of the [[Delaware]] took place on the night of December 25, 1776, with the hope of catching the Hessian soldiers garrisoned in Trenton, [[New Jersey]] off guard in the morning as they were still in bed nursing [[hangover]]s. The Continental forces presumably weren't celebrating Christmas as they were busy loading boats. After the [[American Revolution|Revolutionary War]], celebrating Christmas fell out of style in America as "too [[British]]".<ref>Andrews, Peter (1975). ''Christmas in Colonial and Early America''. USA: World Book Encyclopedia, Inc. ISBN 0-716-62001-4.</ref>
*Observation of Christmas in the British Isles was in decline during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Christmas had fallen under a cloud of official public disfavor as a result of the [[Industrial Revolution]], along with most other festivals that had the potential to encourage public gatherings of the lower classes for alcohol-fueled revelry. The factory owning classes found this threatening. It took Charles Dickens's ''A Christmas Carol'' to revive the holiday, which, as the story suggests, was being increasingly neglected by the [[capitalist]] class. And it did so by promoting a new style of family-centered observance as opposed to mass public gatherings.<ref>Hutton, Ronald (1996). ''The Stations of the Sun: A History of the Ritual Year in Britain''. London: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-198-20570-8.</ref>
*Even today, certain [[fundamentalist Christianity|fundamentalist Christian]]s regard Christmas ([[Stopped clock|not entirely inaccurately]]) as an unbiblical holiday of [[pagan]] (and/or [[Anti-Catholicism|papist]]) origin. The [[Jehovah's Witnesses]] and [[Herbert W. Armstrong]] are well-known for this. For similar reasons, [[Jack Chick]] states that Christians are not supposed to celebrate Christ's birth in at least one of his comic book tracts, and argues that teaching children about [[Santa Claus]] will lead to them rejecting Christ once they realize Santa is a [[fairy tale]].<ref>[https://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/1033/1033_01.asp ''Fairy Tales?''] by [[Jack Chick]]</ref> Other fundamentalist types, such as the [[Independent Baptist]]s and [[Pentecostal]]s, tend to de-emphasize the celebration of Christmas relative to mainline [[church]]es even when they don't reject it outright. Some Christian fundamentalists have also been known to picket Santa Claus in malls (or even to point out that Santa is an anagram of [[Satan]]), refer to Christmas trees as "[[Baal]] bushes", and the like.
*In November 2018, a religious education teacher in Pickering, North Yorkshire, UK, declared that their school was banning Christmas because the holiday was too commercialised and not sufficiently focused on Jesus. The ban was later reversed, but may have been a stunt to get the kids to think more deeply about baby Jesus in the manger. In any case, it was another instance of Christians (temporarily) banning Christmas.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-46444498 Christmas cheer at Lady Lumley's School after ban lifted], [[BBC]], 5 December 2018</ref>
*In the [[Soviet Union]], Christmas (AKA the ''Rozhdestvo'', as it's called in Russian) was abolished as a religious holiday and replaced with New Year, which is still much more popular than Christmas in [[Russia]] (and much of the rest of the former USSR) to this day.<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/opinions/2002/12/25/santas-russia/b0c8dcf5-95f3-4b6b-bec1-252c34ad165d/ Santa's Russia], ''The Washington Post''</ref>
*The historic town of Bethlehem in the West Bank of [[Palestine]], where Christians celebrate Jesus' birth, cancelled Christmas in 2023 and 2024 due to the ongoing war in Gaza between [[Israel]] and [[Hamas]].<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/dec/25/no-room-for-the-people-of-gaza-the-persecution-mirrors-that-of-jesus-birth-says-popes-patriarch ‘Sorrow and silence’ in Bethlehem as Christmas festivities are cancelled: The streets are usually thronged with tourists and pilgrims but this year the town is mourning the dead of the Gaza war] by Bethan McKernan (25 Dec 2023 11.00 EST) ''The Guardian''.</ref>

==Actual peace on Christmas==
[[File:Wn21-33.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Artist's depiction of the 1914 Christmas Truce]]

The Christmas Truce of 1914 was a relatively widespread phenomenon that occurred in the trenches of [[World War One]]. However, the high commands of all sides involved quickly quashed this display of brotherly love, adding another brief page to the War on Christmas.

[[John Lennon]] and [[Yoko Ono]] declared the [[Vietnam War]] over in 1971 with their song "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)".<ref>{{wpa|Happy Xmas (War Is Over)}}</ref> Unfortunately, the war lasted until 1975.

==Easter: The next battlefield==
Following the [[COVID-19]] [[pandemic]] and many statewide social-distancing orders against public gatherings, some churches have resisted having internet church services in favor of in-person services, declaring a "war on [[Easter]]".<ref name=claiborne>[https://religionnews.com/2020/04/04/how-the-war-on-christmas-became-the-war-on-easter/ How the war on Christmas became the war on Easter] by Shane Claiborne (April 4, 2020) ''Religion News''.</ref> Reverend Rodney Howard-Browne of [[Florida]] was arrested for unlawful assembly;<ref name=claiborne/> his previous claim to fame was giving away AR-15s at his church and encouraging congregants to bring their guns to church.<ref name=claiborne/> Pastor Tony Spell of [[Louisiana]] was also charged with misdemeanors for holding an in-person church gathering.<ref name=claiborne/>

==War on Thanksgiving?==
In 2019 and 2020, some figures on the right, including then-President Trump, claimed that [[Thanksgiving]] was being targeted by liberals for banishment and/or renaming due to its alleged associations with white [[colonialism]] and the [[Native American genocides|genocide of Native Americans]].<ref name=stewart>[https://www.vox.com/explainers/2019/11/27/20985579/trump-rally-change-thanksgiving-name-liberals-fox-news-florida War on Thanksgiving: Trump falsely says liberals want to rename holiday] by Emily Stewart (November 27, 2019) ''Vox''.]</ref><ref name=field>[http://bostonreview.net/politics/jonathan-beecher-field-war-on-thanksgiving Is There a War on Thanksgiving?] by Jonathan Beecher Field (November 24, 2020) ''Boston Review''.</ref> This despite Thanksgiving being a celebration of the first colonists and the Native Americans being amicable neighbors.

==Other countries==
Just like in the US, right-wingers in Germany are enraged by an alleged culture war before each Christmas, complaining about the renaming of {{wpl|Christmas market|Christmas Markets}} to Winter Markets or Santa Claus chocolate figures to Zipfelmann ("Pointed Hat Guy"). Needless to say, the complaints are as baseless as those of their US counterparts.<ref name=Focus>[https://www.focus.de/finanzen/news/so-hohl-wie-eine-schokoladenfigur-frau-schimpft-auf-penny-wegen-zipfelmaennern-supermarkt-kontert-schlagfertig_id_5140895.html So hohl wie eine Schokoladenfigur]</ref><ref name=WAZ>[https://www.waz.de/lokales/essen/article401532375/essen-wieso-es-wintermaerkte-statt-weihnachtsmaerkten-gibt.html Wieso es Wintermaerkte statt Weihnachtsmaerkte gibt]</ref>

==See also==
*[[Freedom From Religion Foundation]]
*[[Moral panic]]
*[[Conservative correctness]]
*[[War on Science]]
*[[Kirk Cameron]], specifically his awful film ''[[Saving Christmas]]'', which did very well at the {{wpl|35th Golden Raspberry Awards|2014 Razzie Awards}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20131217080858/http://www.waronxmas.info/ War on Christmas Official Dispatches] Aggregated headlines and satirical rebuttals
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20101220033407/http://aclu.procon.org/view.answers.php?questionID=000688 Wingnuts vs. ACLU debate]
*[[Fox News|Faux News]] has an [https://web.archive.org/web/20131215030304/http://nation.foxnews.com/2013/12/12/war-christmas interactive map] showing the "battles" in the WoC.
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20131216132929/http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/2013/12/16/christmas-controversy-religion/ Controversy over public religious Christmas displays in America is fueled by differing beliefs regarding Christmas and American history], London School of Economics
*[http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/12/23/the-war-on-christmas-or-how-to-build-mass-support-for-right-wing-ideology/ "The War on Christmas, or How to Build Mass Support for Right Wing Ideology"] An article that traces the intellectual roots of the war on Christmas in the conservative movement.
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbZo4x0NbbI "The War on Christmas: A Measured Response"] by [[Hbomberguy]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note|2|80%}}

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

[[Category:Antisemitism]]
[[Category:Atheophobia]]
[[Category:Blasphemy (probably)]]
[[Category:Christianity]]
[[Category:Christmas]]
[[Category:Conspiracy theories]]
[[Category:Conspiracy theorist scapegoats]]
[[Category:Media hysteria]]
[[Category:Moral panics]]
[[Category:Propaganda]]

Categories: Antisemitism, Atheophobia, Blasphemy (probably), Christianity, Christmas, Conspiracy theories, Conspiracy theorist scapegoats, Media hysteria, Moral panics, Propaganda