Going to the mailbox near Christmas is lots of fun. You often find it stuffed with cards, gifts, and photos from faraway loved ones. But one family in Newtown, Massachusetts got an unpleasant surprise in their mailbox last week when they became the shocked recipients of the meanest Christmas letter ever.
Dear Neighbors:
while we have held our peace in years past we have decided that we cannot let another holiday season go by without bringing a few things to your attention:
1. Not everybody in the neighborhood is Christian and many people do not wish to see such a flagrant display of your beliefs. Imagine if everybody in the neighborhood decided to turn their fronts lawn into an expression of their beliefs.
2. You may think your display is harmless fun but you need to realize that your beliefs are in direct contradiction with those of others. Imagine how you would feel if you had to drive past an anti-Christian lawn display every day!
3. All religious matters aside, your decorations themselves are beyond tasteless. They are cheap, tacky, and kitschy and are a terrible eyesore on the neighborhood.
4. Christmas was still more than six weeks away when you began putting out your decorations. Why on earth do you feel the need to have them out so long?
You are, of course, free to worship as you believe, free to celebrate as you please, and free to have bad taste, but please have the good sense to do those things in the privacy of your own home.
Sincerely,
your neighbors
I’ve written a lot about the continuity of traditions. Well, this lovely tradition was begun by the Hunter family’s beloved late patriarch, William Hunter, who was a Cambridge firefighter. He began the tradition about 40 years ago and his daughters, Kristin and KellyHunter, continued it after his death.
“I think dad would be really proud, that it’s still going on. It’s one thing that always brought him joy,” said his daughter, Kristen Hunter.
“I couldn’t believe it. We were in complete shock. If anything, we have had people come to the door and thank us,” said daughter Kelly Hunter.
“I don’t see the problem, you can be whatever you want to be and celebrate it. However, you want to be proud of what you are. We are not bashing anybody for being anything,” said Kelly Hunter.
“We are proud of what we do and we have had so many people stop by and thank us,” said Kelly Hunter.
For some neighbors, the letter has rallied support. On Saturday night, they will gather and sing Christmas carols at the Hunter’s home.
“Love it, we love it,” said neighbor Rick Arnold. “Actually, I don’t have to do my house because everybody looks at their house.” (source)
Somehow, Christianity has become the one religion that everyone is free to bash. Whereas the Jewish faith has the power of AIPAC and the SPLC ready to leap to their defense, and everyone is very sensitive to Islamic beliefs, who listens when Christians complain about being discriminated against? The mainstream media gets all fired up about saying “Happy Holidays” so as not to offend those who celebrate Kwanzaa or Hannukah this time of year, but why is it okay to blatantly bash Christian celebrations? One Texas PTA even went so far as to ban the word “Christmas” and the colors of red and green from an elementary school “winter party” so as to be excruciatingly politically correct.
In a country that purports to have freedom of religion, one thing is clear. The religious freedom only applies to those beliefs that are not Christian. While I am perfectly willing to accept that others may celebrate a different faith than I do, it seems that a double standard applies, because my beliefs are considered “offensive” and “politically incorrect”.
The Christmas season has become open season … on Christianity.
Hi Daisy ! Thanks for your great writing. We have family in MA. Can you tell us where this event was originally reported/published? Shameful. Love your website!!
Hi Christy – the source of the quote is right here:
http://www.wcvb.com/news/local/metro/newton-christmas-lights-display-draws-angry-letter/-/11971628/23522278/-/rpvwmj/-/index.html
Thank you for the kind words!
~ Daisy
Our culture has been under attack for quite sometime. This isn’t the country I was born into.
When I was in sixth grade, it became obvious to me that on Jewish Holidays, the kids who were Jewish went to temple. The kids who were Catholic were at church on the Holy days of obligation. I was in shock when I found out that the US was considered a “Protestant” nation. I would have though either Jewish or Catholic. In addition, in our Winter assemblies, we “celebrated” both Chanukah and Christmas. Accepting other people’s beliefs was normal to me, and still is, but understood that tolerance and acceptance wasn’t always reciprocated.
The average person should get a grip and stop being so manipulated by the media. If you don’t like the kitchy displays, don’t look at them. I am not fond of Christmas decorations, some are nice and other are not, but feel that people have the right to have them. At least the decorations will eventually be put away for next year. There are other downgrades of our culture that wont go away that I must constantly endure. Such is life.
The nativity is not anti-Jewish. Ashkenazim have little understanding of true Christian belief, and unfortunately, many people who call themselves Christian as well. I find that both develop beliefs from rumors that they were told rather than looking into the matter themselves. The media loves to use this to their advantage.
True Christian belief is currently an anathema at this point in our history.
What the vast majority of people forget, is that Christmas is a combination of pagan religious practices and modern commercial roots. It doesn’t take much to find this information. There are some religious groups who refuse to celebrate the holiday for those reasons. We choose to celebrate the holiday on traditional grounds, eliminating those aspects that are offensive to us, and side stepping others.
Is it a cop out on our standards? Maybe. We have eliminated the offensive, gotten rid of the consumer greed, and keep the celebration sweet and simple. We have a sing along, a nice dinner, exchange thoughtful gifts that may be hand made, and play board games while the grandchildren are running around having a grand time like cousins do.
Life is short. We should keep moving forward, improving and enriching our lives, not being a yenta.
What are the neighbors compensating for? Perhaps they feel jealous not having an ‘exit strategy’… or perhaps not having happiness…
That is why I have a PO Box. No mailbox in front of my house. My opinion is that I would not have the caroling event. It is only going to ‘egg’ it on and may cause more problems down the road. Best thing to do is just talk with them in a nice tone and neighborly way. Be nice and peaceful.
Why do these neighbors care if someone wants a plastic Jewish family on their front lawn? If you are truely an atheist-then no religious symbol has any meaning to you. I find it tres amazing that atheists, Jehova’s Witness, etc never ever volunteer to work Christmas day for the believers. Even the Muslims at work count on “their” day off! I am done with the offended; either be content with your holiday or ignore mine. But I am under NO obligation to make you happy!
Just more selfish behavior from cowards.
And to be politically incorrect-Merry Christmas!!
I live about 15 miles north of Boston.
I still can’t believe those people wrote that letter. I’m not a Christian (I’m a Pagan), but I adore Christmas. The Nativity part doesn’t mean much to me, but I love the decorations, the music, the joy and the spirit of giving and of gathering to see people I love but may not see very often. Oh, and the food. 🙂 (Eat and be merry! It’s a beautiful thing.)
“Imagine if everybody in the neighborhood decided to turn their fronts lawn into an expression of their beliefs”? (sarcasm) Oh, yes, how HORRIBLE that would be.(/sarcasm) Idiots.
As long as the beliefs on display are positive ones (not something that would be considered a visual hate crime), I don’t care if my neighbor wants to have up a lawn display welcoming a visit from the Flying Spaghetti Monster. (As long as they display it for only a reasonable amount of time. More than two months is too much for any holiday, in my opinion.)
That being said, my only complaint about Christmas is when people turn on their Christmas lights the day after Halloween. WAY too early. Get halfway through November first, at least!
Flying Spaghetti Monster…LOL!!! Love it 🙂
‘What the vast majority of people forget, is that Christmas is a combination of pagan religious practices and modern commercial roots.’ Very true, but just try telling that to someone who has a different view point…nothing like stirring up some un-Christ like behavior with a spirited discussion like that!
Depending on your faith or culture, every single Christmas decoration out there has a different symbolic meaning anyway, so what ‘statement’ is this family making that the neighbors find so offensive? What a bunch of passive aggressive Idiots these neighbors are! IMO as long as the lights are off at a decent hour so everybody can get some sleep, to each his own and enjoy the holidays!
these are the same neighbors who called the cops on the man washing his car in his own driveway….
I wonder if the letter had stamps on it and was it in the mailbox. If it had stamps then dine, but without stamps and placed inside of the mailbox is a violation of law.
18 U.S.C. 1725 states: “Whoever knowingly and willfully deposits any mailable matter such as statements of accounts, circulars, sale bills, or other like matter, on which no postage has been paid, in any letter box established, approved, or accepted by the Postal Service for the receipt or delivery of mail matter on any mail route with intent to avoid payment of lawful postage thereon, shall for each such offense be fined under this title”
The fine for the “neighbor” I believe would be 5000USD.