Christmas has become a financial burden and the spirit is gone. Retailers were advertising after Halloween instead of Thanksgiving. Taking Merry Christmas out of the holiday has made it just a materialistic holiday instead of the religious it is suppose to be. I grew up in a neighborhood of all religions and we included all in the spirit as they included us. It was a learning experience and I learned to respect others beliefs. Our society has isolated all of that and that is sad. Our politicians are using religion for their benefit to gain power losing the feeling of spirit. Working in hospice I came to the belief that we all have one God but different ways of getting to him. We all feel we are right and I believe no one is wrong.

I was a bit disturbed by your horror at children who believe in "nothing." I didn't grow up in a church going household, and in that house, Christmas isn't really about Jesus. In my house, Christmas is about family. It's about gathering together as many people you love as possible and spending time together for all the time we miss now that we live all over. It's about the joy I can bring my 4 year-old niece with a new toy, and the joy my mom and dad get when my brother takes the redeye from california just to join us. While we all identify as christians, we aren't really church-goers, and yet we're very moral people. We all probably believe something a little different from one another. I resent the notion that if you don't follow an established religion, something is missing. I think that what a person needs is a good family, which is to say a group of people, blood or not, who care about you.

I rarely, if ever, find myself agreeing with anything you say - until this article. The message is clear to me - believe in something. Make a stand, draw a line and stand. Search out the truth (a lifelong journey) be open, aware of others and prepared to change your mind if convinced. Just be ready for ridicule, criticism, and personal attacks by those who believe in nothing.

I find you to be very presumptuous in your opinion of a holiday you don't even share. The spirit of Giving is a teaching tool. Christmas in our home is about the birth of our savior. The wise men came bearing GIFTS for our Lord,because the Word was made Flesh! That is the whole point of Christmas and I guess if you don't get that then you should not celebrate Christmas! As for your opinion about families who don't get along what does that have to do with Christmas? Many people are unhappy all the time no matter what the Day Is! Some people just don't want to be happy and are out of touch with life. Maybe in your parents infinate wisdom they should have taught you the difference between your faith and others. I actually have alot of respect for the Jewish faith,but you need to re-evaluate your own if you are having these "jealous" feelings about mine! What jew in their right mind would decide to exercise"a little sectarian holiday spirit"? Does that mean you also go to dinner and ask the waiter for a piece of ham,but hide it! My gift is my Faith, and I am offended by your arrogant opinion of a holiday that is more important than any other to me. Oh, and if you can find a way to get rid of all the "secular" people more power to you because our world would be a much better place. Happy Chanukah ( I know it was last week!) I have respect for your holiday,how about a little for mine!