"What a friend we have in Jesus," . . . Christ almighty what a pal.

Here in the unseasonably warm midwest, we have our own little annual controversy. The Wisconsin state tree (a 35 ft. fir standing (temporarily) in the rotunda of the state capitol, is officially referred to as the "Holiday Tree." Much to the dismay of the hardcore "its-my-holiday-and-don't-you-mess-with-it" crowd, the Freedom From Religion Foundation was successful in their fight to avoid the religious connotation of the original name. They petitoned under the state Constitution's free exercise clause for the right to display a banner with their secular message along side the tree. As a compromise, the name was changed and the banner hund elsewhere in the capitol.

Now, however, we have an anual battle over whether or not the ornaments (sent in by school kids from all over the state) that may have religious messages ("God bless America" and the like) can adorn the branches. This year, the FFRF lost their complaint, and all the little kids' stuff, religious-themed or not, is on display. Next year, . . who knows.

Me, I just hearken back to the real reason for the season, Solstice. The Christians were Johnny-come-latelys, anyway. If the Pagan celebration had been on July 4th, that's when we'd be exchanging enormously expensive and unnecessary gifts.

And, as for Santa, wasn't Clement Moore ("The Night Before Christmas") working for Montgomery Ward's catalog marketing department when he wrote that thing? And they say its not commerical . . . .