The United States Postal Service Joins the War on Christmas
COMMENTARY | As the holiday/Christmas season approaches, so also does the War on Christmas, which this year seems to have the United States Postal Service joining its ranks. Its new lineup of holiday stamps actually snubs Christmas.
According to the Washington Times:
“Where’s Christmas? As one social media commentator rapidly noticed, a recent U.S. Postal Service advertisement to sell ‘holiday stamps’ curiously omitted a Christmas or Christian-themed message, yet included portrayals of Hanukkah and Kwanzaa.”
To be sure there is a stamp that shows a gingerbread house that might be taken to be a Christmas stamp. Bizpacreview reports that the USPS is doing some damage control, pointing out that it previously issued stamps depicting Santa and the Madonna and Christ Child. But the fact remains that the ad, depicting the official lineup of holiday stamps, specifically mentions Hanukkah, a real Jewish holiday, and Kwanzaa, a made up holiday celebrated by some African Americans, while not mentioning Christmas.
The takeaway from all of this is that there seems to be a widening gap between the attitudes of the elites and the American people over a variety of issues, including how we approach the favorite holiday for the vast majority of the latter. It is alright to be inclusive by honoring holidays celebrated by minority groups. But that inclusiveness seems to feature exclusion of Christmas, that wonderful day of gift giving, feasting, and caroling celebrating the birth of the founder of one of the world’s great religions, whom billions of people regard as the son of God. Strangely a lot of people in decision making positions seem to find the whole idea of Christmas somewhat embarrassing.
A long term solution, besides a lot of pushback and complaining, is unclear. The people who want to banish Christmas are nothing if not relentless. Whether it involves a law suit to stop Christmas displays in public places or a move to banish religious oriented carols from schools, the war on Christmas proceeds apace. It will be a long war with an uncertain outcome.
