The day after Thanksgiving means more than just wall-to-wall shopping for many families. It is also the day that the Christmas decorations are spread throughout the house. For many households, these decorations may stay up until mid-February.

A battle is raging between municipalities and certain Christian religious groups over the use of the word “holiday” rather than “Christmas.” In Nashville, the tree disposal service refers to the used trees as “holiday trees.” This prompted unknown persons to deface the signs with green and white bumper-stickers with the word “Christmas” printed on them.

A city in Colorado is catching flak for the “Annual Holiday Tree Lighting” ceremony in the town square for the same reason. Ads on television often avoid the word “Christmas” to make the season seem more appealing to a broader base of people.

The primary concern of opponents to this “politically correct” approach to the season is that it devalues the “true meaning” and gives way to “rampant, shameful commercialization.”

We see it more as a matter of tradition. The majority of Americans, regardless of their religious beliefs, recognize a decorated tree as a “Christmas tree.” That should be the guiding reason for the name. In this time of politically correctness, we just have to wonder when the university plans on lighting the ceremonial menorah, or erecting a festivus pole.