What is left of Christmas?

"At the end of 2006, a year in which the atheist fight-back against resurgent religion finally began again, we should celebrate a nakedly materialist Christmas with glee, not guilt", writes Johann Hari. "There were winter festivals with trees and gifts on these islands long before a non-virgin gave birth in a Bethlehem stable, and there will be one long after the Judaeo-Christian God has joined Zeus, Baal and Odin in the cemetery for forgotten deities. ... This year there has been an attempt by the right-wing press to import into Britain the hilarious Fox News hysteria that claims 'the left is waging war on Christmas', as if we were wannabe Grinches tearing down tinsel. That's not true ...There's no need to change the name to 'Winterval' - just encourage people to carry on as they are, shunning the churches and turning Brent Cross, the Arndale [Shopping Centres] and (most importantly) the arms of their loved ones into their substitutes."

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