… by News2 faith and ethics videojournalist Jamey Tucker:

But then again, there’s nothing Christian or even religious about the Christmas tree. Is there? Its roots are in paganism. A tree is nothing more than a traditional Christmas symbol. Saying a Christmas tree represents the birth of Jesus is like saying a bunny represents the crucifixion.

I’m all for the public display of religious symbols. Faith is a fundamental part of our freedoms in America. Put up a menorrah. Put up a winter solstice plaque. Put up a Christmas tree. We shouldn’t be offended by seeing these symbols.

I agree, and Jamey’s words remind me of author Robert Fulghum’s advice in his book All I Ever Really Needed to Know I Learned In Kindergarten:

Share everything. Play fair. Don’t hit people. Put things back where you found them. Clean up your own mess. Don’t take things that aren’t yours. Say you are sorry when you hurt somebody. Wash your hands before you eat. Flush. Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you. Live a balanced life. Learn some and think some and draw some and paint and sing and dance and play and work everyday.

Take a nap every afternoon. When you go out in the world, watch for traffic, hold hands, and stick together.

Thanks for the good reminder for all of us, Jamey, that maybe we shouldn’t take things quite so seriously. (Psst…don’t tell anyone that Fulghum is a Unitarian. That will really freak the War on Christmas crowd out. They love buying and reading his book until they discover the truth.)

The Christmas trees are back at the Seattle airport. I’m glad to see that cooler heads have prevailed in what had become a silly and sensationalized situation.

A key element in moving forward will be to work with [Rabbi Elazar Bogomilsky] and other members of the community to develop a plan for next year’s holiday decorations at the airport,” the [Port of Seattle commission] statement said…

“We are not going to be the instrument by which the port holds Christmas hostage,” [Bogomilsky's lawyer, Harvey Grad] said, emphasizing the rabbi never sought removal of the trees, but addition of the menorah.

The rabbi had received “all kinds of calls and emails,” many of them “odious,” Grad said, adding he was “trying to figure out how this is consistent with the spirit of Christmas.”

I’m glad that everyone involved appears to have looked for a reasonable solution to this dilemma, even if it was a bit late in coming. I agree with Mr. Grad, too: Why are we so quick to defend Christmas and react in anger when it is “threatened,” yet so quick to abandon the values (generosity, goodwill, hope and love) that it celebrates? Christmas is not a defenseless child, as Jesus was in the manger. It can be a reminder that we belong to something much greater than ourselves and that reaching out with compassion and kindness is the best way to live.

A few years ago, I heard a story on NPR entitled, “Volunteering on the wrong day.” It explained how well-intentioned people inadvertently make the holidays tougher on nonprofit organizations, especially soup kitchens and homeless missions, by donating their time on Thanksgiving or Christmas. Instead of receiving much-needed help, the organizations have to try to find responsibilities for the volunteers because available hands heavily outweigh the amount of work to be done.

Jeffrey at The Gathering raised an interesting and related question recently: The Christmas Spirit–Why Not All Year? I don’t know the answer, but I do think the challenge is for us as individuals to look for ways to help others out of sincere desire, not just because the calendar suggests that it’s the right thing to do. Soup kitchens are often desperate for help and for financial support in July, not in December.

Many people remember people in need and good causes when the holiday season reminds us. There’s nothing wrong with that, and I’m not suggesting we stop promoting that element of Christmas. Maybe the concept of Christmas in July, which is generally more punchline than passion, can teach us something: Help when the need is there, not when it’s convenient.