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December Dilemma Watch 2007

posted by hrossi | 12:03pm Wednesday November 28, 2007

With environmental consciousness rising nationwide, it’s not surprising that one bone of contention this holiday season is how December has become a hotbed of consumerism and consumption. Green-minded bloggers and organizations are stepping up in hopes of convincing people that a meaningful holiday can’t be bought, and shouldn’t harm the planet.
Hardly anyone is suggesting that gift-giving and celebrating be eschewed altogether, but green, earthy ideas abound. The blog Sew, Mama, Sew is featuring a number of ideas for handmade holiday gifts, at least 2,000 people participated in “Buy Nothing Day” on the day after Thanksgiving, the VictoriaE blog offers “eco links” for environmentally-friendly gift options, and the blog Care2 offers ideas for handmade wrapping paper, as does DIY Network.

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All is Calm, All is Bright
As I bring this year's December Dilemma Watch to a close, I have to say that 2007 will not go down as a banner year in the history of the Christmas wars. There were no freedom-of-religion (or freedom-from-religion) lawsuits that grabbed national headlines, no flood of boycotts of major retailers be

posted 10:23:43am Dec. 24, 2007 | read full post »

No Christ in Christmas? Impossible!
Yesterday, CNN.com published this column by commentator Roland Wilson, in which he makes the argument that Americans should "return to traditional values, and end this ridiculous charade" of stripping Christmas of its religious meaning. To longtime observers of the December Dilemma, Wilson's essay a

posted 10:58:44am Dec. 21, 2007 | read full post »

Not Until His Birthday, Please
This week, at least 12 residents of Santa Clarita, California discovered something missing from the nativity scenes they had put up in their front yards--the baby Jesus. In place of the baby, according to Los Angeles' KNBC News, the thieves left a note that read, "Do not worry for baby Jesus is not

posted 10:30:24am Dec. 21, 2007 | read full post »

The Vatican's Nativity Switch
According to Catholic World News, the Vatican has changed its tradition of erecting a Nativity scene of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph in a manger in Bethlehem, instead putting up a scene of the holy family in their home in Nazareth. The Vatican has put up a creche since Pope John Paul II instituted the t

posted 10:00:08am Dec. 21, 2007 | read full post »

Mike Huckabee's Christmas Message
Gov. Mike Huckabee, the ordained Southern Baptist preacher who continues to rise in the Republican presidential primary polls, has a new ad out that aims directly for the pro-Christmas set. People shouldn't be bombarded during this time of year with political ads, Huckabee says while wearing a red

posted 10:35:00am Dec. 19, 2007 | read full post »

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