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* [29]Culture & Society
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Who says we can't say `Merry Christmas?'

Nobody, that's who. And I ought to know

By: [31]Barry Piatt - December 25, 2022 7:00 am

WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 30: U.S. President Joe Biden and First Lady
Jill Biden participate in the National Christmas Tree lighting on the
Ellipse on November 30, 2022 in Washington, DC. President Calvin
Coolidge participated in the first tree lighting ceremony on the
Ellipse in 1923. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

[32]Iowa Writers 'Collaborative. Linking Iowa readers and writers.
You've seen the memes on social media and heard the loud complaints,
usually coming from the same partisans. It even showed up on Saturday
Night Live's cold open this past weekend - the tired, old,
and false claim that "they," whoever "they" are, but the implication is
always that it's the "libs" and Democrats who are responsible for it --
won't let us say "Merry Christmas" any more.

Donald Trump, as president, even added his own absurd twist to it. He
took credit for bringing "Merry Christmas" back.

To be sure, SNL was mocking both claims. But plenty of people still
believe the Republican falsehood that we can't say "Merry Christmas"
any more, even as they simultaneously believe Trump restored it, while
at the same time also believing we still can't say it.

Whether any of those claims are true or false, of course, is not the
point for those making them. They are just more falsehoods in the
circus parade of falsehoods Republicans have marched around the public
square over the past decade, all of which have a single purpose: to
make their fellow partisans angry and outraged at the "libs" and
Democrats.
To be clear, the Republican narrative about a supposed prohibition
against saying "Merry Christmas" is 100% hogwash.

No one banned saying "Merry Christmas." It is alive and well,
unfettered. It is has never faded.

I ought to know. I've had a front-row seat for the nation's celebration
of Christmas for more than three decades. To a very small degree, I've
even had a hand in helping shape that celebration in the nation's
capital.

During the 1990s, I became a volunteer Master of Ceremonies (MC) at the
nightly musical programs at the National Christmas Tree in Presidents
Park, located in the backyard of the White House. For the last decade
or so, I have recruited, trained, coordinated and supervised all the
other volunteer MCs at those programs, as well.

The nightly programs run for about two weeks following the night the
president officially lights the tree, launching the Christmas season.

By the way, -- yes -- I'm talking about that National Christmas Tree.
The one you see on TV every year when the national recording artists
and Hollywood movie stars, along with the U.S. Marine Band join the
President of the United States for a big show that is often nationally
televised. The one where the president lights up the National Christmas
Tree and gets the Christmas season officially on its way.

That National Christmas Tree.

You'd think if there was a ban on saying "Merry Christmas," that would
be the place to start, right?

So let me tell you what I have seen and heard over the years at these
events to measure it against the claim that saying "Merry Christmas"
has been banned.

The first National Christmas Tree lighting I ever witnessed in person
was in 1975, when President Gerald Ford did the honors. There was a
musical program, he switched on the colorful tree lights, made some
brief remarks, and then welcomed Santa who "surprised" everyone by
dropping in. Then he wished the nation a "Merry Christmas."

Since 1975, I have attended dozens of annual tree lighting ceremonies
with the Presidents who followed Ford into and out of the White House.
Calvin Coolidge was the 30th president of the United States from 1923
to 1929. Credit: Wikipedia.

Presidents have been doing this, by the way, since 1923 when
then-President Calvin Coolidge started the tradition when he strolled
over to a decorated tree on the White House grounds, flipped the
switch, made a very brief speech (they didn't call him Silent Cal for
no reason!) and wished everyone a "Merry Christmas." That tradition
will celebrate its 100th anniversary next year.

Every president since then -- Coolidge through Biden -- has done
exactly the same thing: enjoy the show, flip the switch to light the
tree, deliver brief remarks, and wish the nation a "Merry Christmas."

While the presidents have changed and even the actual trees have
changed, that basic program structure has not significantly changed in
99 years.

Those of us who serve as MCs at the nightly musical programs also
extend "Merry Christmas" greetings to the crowds who visit the tree
each night. No one has ever suggested to me that we shouldn't say
"Merry Christmas," and, in turn, I have never suggested to any of the
MCs that I recruit, train, coordinate and supervise that they shouldn't
say it.

Of course they should say it!

We are standing on a stage in front of the National Christmas Tree.

The air is filled with Christmas music.

Presidents Park is filled with Christmas decorations
and Christmas ornamentations.

The speech the President delivers on the night the tree is first lit is
all about Christmas.

And yet the Republican anger and outrage factory persists with the
falsehood that "Merry Christmas" has somehow been banned.

As I said earlier -- it seems to me that if the government was going to
ban "Merry Christmas," the National Christmas Tree is where it would
start. There is no sign of it here, and there never has been.

I remember the night, Dec. 22, 1963, when I was a fifth grader growing
up in Van Meter, Iowa, and I first discovered we had a National
Christmas Tree. It was before supper, and I was watching the CBS
Evening News with Walter Cronkite. Mid-newscast, Cronkite switched to a
live broadcast from the National Christmas Tree in Washington, D.C. The
lighting of the tree had special significance that year, because it
also marked the end of the 30-day national mourning period following
the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

When the new president, who America was still getting to know --
President Lyndon B. Johnson - turned the switch to light the tree, I
was absolutely mesmerized. (And we had a black and white TV!)

I promised myself right then, that one day I would see the National
Christmas Tree in person, maybe even personally witness a president
light it up.

Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that one day I would not only
do that multiple times, but I would also actually be a part of the
National Christmas Tree festivities, even in a small way.

Something else I never imagined: that a bunch of "bah-humbug"
politicians one day would see Christmas not as a joyous time to
celebrate the birth of Christ, with peace on Earth and good will to our
fellow men and women, but would instead view it as just one more
cudgel, an opportunity to weaponize Christmas with falsehoods to divide
us and make their followers angry and outraged.

And that one of those "bah-humbug," cudgel-wielding politicians would
be a President of the United States and many of his followers.

To those who continue to spread the falsehood that we can't say "Merry
Christmas," I say, please. Knock it off. Just stop.

Instead, have yourself a Merry Christmas!

This column was originally published by [33]Barry Piatt on Politics:
-Behind the Curtain. It is republished here via the [34]Iowa Writers'
Collaborative.

X

Who says we can't say `Merry Christmas?'

by Barry Piatt, [35]Florida Phoenix
December 25, 2022

<h1>Who says we can't say `Merry Christmas?'</h1>___________
by Barry Piatt, <a href="https://floridaphoenix.com">Flor
<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/wp-content/uplo
Donald Trump, as president, even added his own absurd twi
To be sure, SNL was mocking both claims. But plenty of pe
Whether any of those claims are true or false, of course,
<div class="subscription-widget-wrap">______________________
<div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe">____________
<div class="preamble">To be clear, the Republican narrative
</div>______________________________________________________
</div>______________________________________________________
No one banned saying "Merry Christmas." It is alive and w
I ought to know. I've had a front-row seat for the nation
During the 1990s, I became a volunteer Master of Ceremoni
The nightly programs run for about two weeks following th
By the way, -- yes -- I'm talking about that
That National Christmas Tree._______________
You'd think if there was a ban on saying "Merry Christmas
So let me tell you what I have seen and heard over the ye
The first National Christmas Tree lighting I ever witness
Since 1975, I have attended dozens of annual tree lightin
<figure><a href="http://floridaphoenix.com/wp-content/upload
Presidents have been doing this, by the way, since 1923 w
Every president since then -- Coolidge through Biden -- h
While the presidents have changed and even the actual tre
Those of us who serve as MCs at the nightly musical progr
Of course they should say it!_______________
We are standing on a stage in front of the National C
The air is filled with Christmas music._____
Presidents Park is filled with Christmas decorat
The speech the President delivers on the night the tree i
And yet the Republican anger and outrage factory persists
As I said earlier -- it seems to me that if the governmen
I remember the night, Dec. 22, 1963, when I was a fifth g
When the new president, who America was still getting to
I promised myself right then, that one day I would see th
Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that one day I w
Something else I never imagined: that a bunch of "bah-hum
And that one of those "bah-humbug," cudgel-wielding polit
To those who continue to spread the falsehood that we can
Instead, have yourself a Merry Christmas!____________
This column was originally published by <a href="http
<style> figure, .tipContainer, .socContainer, .subscribeShor
____________________________________________________________
<a href="https://floridaphoenix.com">Florida Phoenix</a>
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Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative
Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. We ask that you edit only for style or
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Barry Piatt
[38]

Barry Piatt

Barry Piatt has had a front row seat for state and national government
and politics for over 50 years, working first as a political reporter
in Iowa, and later as a senior advisor for members of the U.S. House
and Senate and candidates for U.S. president. His blog, Barry Piatt on
Politics: -Behind the Curtain, is on Substack.
[39]MORE FROM AUTHOR

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