I'm in Oldham at the moment at my parents.
There are a couple of lights in the town centre, and that's it.
When I was young, they used to have amazing lights and multiple trees and a big turning on the lights ceremony.
There isn't even a tree this year.
There was, however, a lovely lit up sign for Eid this year.
But they can't offend the Muslim populationn by having Merry Christmas anywhere.

It's very sad.

I'm personally of the opinion that we should try to celebrate all the big Religious festivals. Have lights and things for them all!

Oldham's got a massive Muslim community, which is why people came from around the country to march in the BNP riots.

I didn't realise it was done by businesses, I remember it always used to be the council.

I think the objection is to the attempt to NOt make it Christian. Commerialisation is fine... PC isn't.

And I agree.

I remember- when the DOme went up in 2000, the "religious zone" was paid for by two brothers- multi-millionaires and Hindu.
When asked would their influence reflect a Hindu bias, or more probably a multi-denominational approach, one looked surprised and basically said... "This nation's culture is Christian; why be ashamed of it?"

Bottom line- NO ONE in their right mind is gonna say 'Hey, Ramadam is offensive- stop celebrating it!', or would they say the same about Passover etc.

It's a Christian celebration- end of story. If folks wanna commercialise it- OK. Not the point of the celebration, but feel free to have fun.
My take- Christians should be happy that one of their celebrations is universally shared as 'the season of goodwill'.
:)

Of course... hey that was the early Christians GREAT marketing ploy- nick everyones idea.
Choose December 25th as it is three days after THE festival of Sol Invinticus (Dec.22nd) allowing a three day celebration- and nick as much off the cult as Mithras aspossible (including deity being born in a stable of a virgin mother).
Lets be precise here- it was only Sol Invictus and Mithras whose celebrations they nicked (being as Constantine demanded compatability between the three Imperial religions)- that loads celebrated the Winter Soltice was par of the course. Indeed, I reckon if the two other dominant cults had of NOT celebrated Dec 22nd chances are neither would the early Christians. They followed orders like good little Romans (hence why the birthdate of jesus went from early jan to mid December).

And as for Santa being in in Coke over Pepsi? Well, if they had have had their act tiogether, he could be wearing blue! Mind you, Odin and St. Nick would be fleeced in court... after all, neither did the whole 'giving kids presents' routine (you know with raindeer, 'twas the night before Xmas, Dasher, dancer, comet, cupid etc). St. Nick is also no longer a sinat if I remember right. He was demoted once I do know that... not to sure if he was reinstated. St. Nick also NEVER gave pressize to kiddies either- he once found a child who had been abused to death by its father and brought te child back to life- hence he is linked to kids.

Santa is PURE commercialism- not even vaguely X-ian- which is cool. Wotan/Odin/Pagaism gets one HELL of a last laugh. Indeed, one COULD argue that Wotan/Odin succesfully hi-jacked the Christian festival for a canny peice oif marketing... turn the tables on the X-ians.

The shrimps thing is all about context. The food laws section of the Old Testament is basically "how not to wipe out a wandering tribe through food poisoning". That's why those laws are explicitly repealed later on in the New Testament.

Not JUST shrimp.
All shellfish.
No refrigeration. God in his wisdom said 'don't eat anything that carries around its own toilet'- it was a practical law which according to the Talmud was a commandment from God. made forbidden so as to remind an unruly bunch NOT to eat it (like many other commandments- which are so fekkin' pragmatic you gotta wonder- "hey guys- don't eat shellfish... and don't shag each others wives... oh and stop killing each other...").
Polyester is forbidden. So is any garment made of two differant types of cloth. It's the sign of a prostitute.
The hamburger is not quite right. Something about meat and how its cooked.
Also- If I remember right you are not allowed to eat meat from any animal with bruised testicles. To do so is an abomination. So you are suppose to give each cow/pig/sheep a quick goolie/udder check. Nor are you allowed to bruise testicles of animals. Big sin that. Not one I can say I have ever committed.
Other rules people forget:
-Women with periods MUST live outside society. So must men with dandruff.
-The ONLY way to pick up chicks is by the Tent of Righteousness.. unless...
-You are off the Tribe of Benjamin. In which case you can, on one day of the year, go to a special place where lots of young virgins will go to bathe- take a good look and ANY you can kidnap on that day is yours! How cool is that?
-Slavery is NOT an abomination in the eyes of the Lord. Phew!
:)

The whole point being- dickwad Christians who justify their bigotry by using selected extracts from the old testament are not only full of it- they are actually NOT Christians. Nope. They are something, but Jesus wouldn't drop his trousers to take a shit on those twats!

What's even funnier- I go to church and say this to their faces.
There are SOME advantages to actually reading the Bible and then studying Chruch history.

I got to pop someones bubble the other day...
Bigoted Kid:
"Sir, but God said being gay was wrong. After all, he created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve"
Me:
"True- but then THEY created Caine and Able- they were growing boys... i wonder what they did to relieve the tension?"
Bigoted Kid:
"Well... they... er... oh yeah. Never thought of that!"

(grin)
The lesson being:
Pithy Glib One Liners Based on Reading Only One Section of Genesis WILL Get Your Ass Whupped!

Lisa: Hey, I thought Krusty was Jewish.
Bart: Christmas is a time when people of all religions come together to worship Jesus Christ.