secularization - NewBostonPost

First Amendment

Christmas controversy as American tradition, 2015 edition

Each holiday season, it seems Americans find themselves immersed in what some commentators describe as a "War on Christmas." From bans of Christmas trees in some public squares to viral videos decrying "secular" red Starbucks cups, the debate has become a holiday tradition all its own.

Harvard University

A German scholar reflects on the fading influence of religion on Christmas in Europe

In European countries such as Germany, Christmas is celebrated with fervor even as Europeans debate how much to emphasize the holiday's religious significance. But the conflict is complex. Much derives from a long-running debate over dividing church and state, said Alexander Görlach, the founder and editor-in-chief of "

NewBostonPost

Scrooge in schools could teach many lessons

"Merry Christmas!" was popularized in Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, the familiar tale of Scrooge, a heartless, penny-pinching rich businessman bereft of Christmas spirit. Scrooge sees the error of his ways when, on Christmas Eve, he is haunted by the ghost of his former partner, Jacob Marley,