Christmas battles waged to last minute

Keep the prayers going!!

Just days before Christmas, a public-interest legal group is pressing officials at three public schools and at a retirement community to allow celebration of the holiday.
The Arizona-based Alliance Defense Fund wrote a public housing official in Wisconsin demanding the residents of a retirement community be allowed to continue their 15-year tradition of decorating their home for Christmas after the manager reportedly required removal of any religiously themed decorations.
"It's ridiculous that we're even debating whether it's okay to say 'Merry Christmas' or put up Christmas decorations in public facilities," said ADF Senior Counsel Gary McCaleb.
Responding to criticism of the many legal threats and court cases, McCaleb declared, "The attack on Christmas is not a myth."
"These situations and countless others demonstrate that the fear, intimidation, and disinformation generated by the ACLU and its allies have taken their toll on America," he said.
ADF said attorneys have sent letters to officials involved in the following situations:
In Maple Shade, N.J., the Maple Shade School District has a policy against the display of religiously themed items in its holiday decorations.
In Lindenhurst, N.Y., the Lindenhurst Union Free School District agreed with the decision of the principal of Alleghany Avenue Elementary School to reject a nativity scene donated by a parent to a multicultural display in the school's office area. The display already included a display or decoration for Kwanzaa, a menorah, a Star of David and a decorated tree ().
In Freehold, N.J., Adelphia School officials replaced the words "Merry Christmas" with "Happy Holiday" in the song "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" in its Dec. 21 "King Wenceslaus" concert.
In Monona, Wisc., the manager of a retirement community that received some government grant money ordered the removal or covering of any religious Christmas decorations, such as those that depicted a nativity scene, angels or the words "Merry Christmas."
Residents restored their religious decorations after reportedly being told by the foundation that owns the building and by the office of U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold that they should ignore the order and display their decorations. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development that administers the government grants has not yet responded.