Culture Wars

As the most significant annual cultural event on the planet, it is inevitable that Christmas becomes entangled with social movements, religious arguments, nationalism, constitutional wrangling, and politics. In 1905 in New York City there was opposition from Jewish families to religious ceremonies in public schools at Christmas. After the Second World War, there was a series of court battles in the United States over the First Amendment and the separation of Church and State. The Christmas Tree, or Holiday Tree, and Santa Claus have been objected to in a variety of contexts and places. Special attention is given to concerns about Christmas in Communist and Muslim countries. This chapter examines these conflicts over the last century and concludes that culture wars will likely endure.