I would like express my deep appreciation for your recent actions. It was, after all, high time that someone pointed out to the rest of the world that the ‘Holiday season’ is really all about Jesus and, therefore, should be named after him.

In the motion that you passed earlier this week, you stated that "the holiday originated from the birth of Jesus Christ",  and that in Oxford, henceforth , the entire month of December will be known as the Christmas season. I could not agree with you more.

So what if leading theologians and historians have argued that the actual date assigned to the birth of our Lord has its origin in the ancient solar feast of Natalis Invicti. So what if this rite was  performed on December 25^th by the Romans to celebrated the birth of their “Invincible Sun God”? Pure coincidence, I say. Anyway, one should not put too much faith in rags like the Catholic Encyclopaedia. All that wine during mass must have affected their brains. I trust that you agree.

Or what about those eggheads who claim that the Christians simply took over the ancient Roman feast called the Saturnalia, which just happened to fall around the same time that we celebrate Christmas? They obviously have never been to Nova Scotia, or they would surely know that such theories are pure hogwash.

When it comes to the origins of Christmas, I am sure we can put faith in your Deputy Mayor, the learned Mr. Leonard Allen. No doubt he researched the matter carefully before he brought forward that brilliant motion of his. You must consider yourself fortunate to have such an eminent scholar serve on your city council. Geniuses like that are hard to find. Here in Halifax we just have plain old politicians.

In any case, why should we stop calling ‘Christmas’ Christmas? Next thing you know, they’ll rename Easter too. What, after all, is the difference? No more wishing anyone a “Happy Easter”, since the same historians claim that it, too, coincides with Passover and some other ancient heathen celebrations. I don’t know about you, but I don’t fancy going around yelling “Happy Bunny Holiday” at everyone in sight.

Then there is that “Reading Week” they have at those Universities (now there’s a waste of good tax payer’s money )?  Soon, someone will claim that it discriminates against all those students who cannot read for one reason or another. Those p.c. freaks will make them call it “Binge Drinking Week” or something like that. Where will it all end?

I, for one, have had enough of all this change, and am planning on spending my Christmas holidays with you in Oxford. And since - as I am sure your learned Mr. Allen has already pointed out - the word’s linguistic root stems from the Old English term Cristes Maesse, (the Mass of Christ), I am looking forward to seeing you all in Church . Until then, you’ll find me at Wal-Mart, buying heaps and heaps of stuff , just as our Lord Jesus would have wanted me to do.

Yours Truly

Frank