By way of relapsed catholic an EXCELLENT article on the Twelve Days of Christmas, the lack of Christmas spirit, and its history.

I grew up with my RCC priest admonishing that this liturgical season was often ignored, much to the apathy of his congregation. My parents, however, made sure that the tree stayed up at least until the Wise Men came. I try to carry on that tradition as well now. The wise men figures are relegated to an out of the way corner of the house until the Sunday when the Star of Bethlehem shows up. Joy is not cut off simply because the next door neighbor drags his stale tree to the curb the day after Christmas. I wonder how many who complain that Christmas has been secularized are the same ones who declare it over the minute December 26 is born? How many congratulate themselves that they are not like those Catholics who cling to their 'unChristian' traditions while stacking up the boxes of ornaments in the attic to moulder for another year?

In all of this, I can only surmise that this 'new' attack upon our faith is something we have brought upon ourselves, and a long time in coming.

Modern suburbs do not have a church in a public square at the center of town. Most don't have a public square at all and the true community center is the shopping mall. While many people complain that lawyers and activists have "taken Christ out of Christmas," the truth is more complex than that. The reality is that almost everyone is skipping the 12-day Christmas season, including church people.

Then again, with the ACLU being the main progenitor of this attack, I also wonder : how many Muslims are members?