The editor:
I woke up Christmas morning and suddenly realized that it wasn’t Christmas anymore.
I turned on the television and heard about holiday trips, holiday fruitcakes, holiday cards and holiday bonuses, even holiday church services.
I took a sip of holiday eggnog in the glow of my holiday tree, brightly decorated with holiday lights.
It was bizarre. Where had Christmas gone? Finally, I realized the truth. Our beloved day of peace, goodwill and gifts has been hijacked by radio and television newscasters, advertising copywriters as well meaning politically correct people and turned into something called “holiday.” It was an Orwellian Dr. Strangelove takeover of the English language.
Back when I took English in high school and college, instructors always emphasized the importance of using clear, precise words that said what they meant.
They quoted Mark Twain, who advised that writers should “use the right word, not its second cousin.” Holiday is not even in the same family as Christmas.
In this brave new world are we discriminating against Christian history? After all, we continue to call Wednesday and other days of the week by their pagan names. Even January is named for a two-faced Roman God.
My dictionary does not even list holiday as a synonym for Christmas. If someone wants to recommend that another person or event be honored with a special day called “holiday,” that’s fine– but not Dee. 25. That day is already taken. It’s called Christmas.
Tom Woods
Morehead
