When I turned on the television this morning, up popped the name “Rankin/Bass” and the “Frosty the Snowman” theme began to play. So, I did what any average, Gen-Xer with a day off would do: snuggle up on the couch and gleefully watch. It was the perfect nostalgic treat for a cold December morning.
I’m happy to report that my inner 8-year-old is still alive and thankful for enduring re-runs. Thinking back on all the wonderful Christmas specials during my childhood made me wonder: Why can’t the “woke” people of today just leave Christmas alone?
Wokeness is now a dominant mindset in American culture. It seems to have produced the absolute opposite of joy and awareness. Wokeness or wokeism has produced divisiveness, destruction, confusion and harm, yet progressives continue to double down on people’s need to “stay woke.” Woke ideas are ruining corporations, schools, the American military, and even Christmas.
Since “woke” people refuse to leave Christmas alone, I have to believe they must despise it. Progressives appear to have an insatiable compulsion to chip away at all the traditional pillars of Christmas. As I’ve pondered it, it’s apparent Christmas is about three primary things – the birth of Jesus Christ, family, and the innocent joy of children. And as much as I can tell, the woke hate all three.
Local Christmas parades are usually full of seasonal fun. I think of floats with high school cheer squads waving to crowds, families lined up singing Christmas carols, and Santa on a firetruck. Santa always travels on a firetruck — at least in Hoover! Christmas parades have always been big, joyful, family fun – until recently. In Prattville, Ala., elected officials recently tried to provide the “gayest and merriest ever” drag queen Christmas float in their Christmas parade. Good grief, Charlie Brown!
Speaking of Prattville, when did their city officials lose their collective minds? There was no implicit or explicit sexuality in any Rankin/Bass Christmas special nor in any Christmas book I ever read as a child. Why should children be subjected to sexual themes now because a mayor and city council members want to denigrate a hometown parade? The citizens of Prattville, Ala., need to push the envelope on why their elected officials were so bent on exposing innocent children to sexualized, gay drag queens on parade floats – that have NOTHING to do with Christmas.
As much as I discuss my religious beliefs, I didn’t grow up in a Christian home. My parents became Christians later in life. Our Christmases were entirely secular – but they were also innocent. The Christmases of my childhood were family get-togethers, Christmas shows, visits to see Santa Claus at the mall, and child-appropriate presents. There was no sexualizing anything about Christmas. Christmas was devoid of the true meaning – the birth of Christ – but it was still magical. I am thankful my kids know the true meaning of Christmas and have had the benefit of magical Christmas mornings. And I’m incredibly thankful that this drag queen, sexualize-everything-nonsense wasn’t touted when they were young.
Another seemingly woke attempt to suck the joy right out of Christmas includes vilifying the greeting “Merry Christmas.” When I was a child in the 1970s, people said “Merry Christmas” freely without fear of recourse. People were not offended by every little “micro-aggression” in the late 1900s. While we have a much more diverse demographic in America in 2024, the normal rule of society has been you come to our country, you assimilate to our culture. We need to return to the sanity of that principle here in America.
Right around the corner is 2025, and it needs to be the year where wokeness comes to die. Truth is truth – even if some don’t believe it. The moral fabric of society based on Judeo-Christian values is real, even if people refuse to submit to it. Wrong is wrong even if some refuse to acknowledge it.
If you would like to get a jump on putting a death nail in wokeness, set up a Nativity, attend a church service, sing some traditional carols, spend time with your nuclear family, shout “Merry Christmas” to people in public at random. Attend a Christmas parade sans drag queens.
I think the woke agenda is on life support. It’s time to cut the cord and plug in some Christmas lights instead.
Kristin Landers is a substitute teacher and freelance writer. Landers’ previous work includes serving as Communications Director for the Alabama Policy Institute and working for Citizens Against a Legalized Lottery (CALL) to defeat legalized gambling in the state of Alabama.
The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of 1819 News. To comment, please send an email with your name and contact information to Commentary@1819News.com.
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