-Senior Home Bans Christmas Tree Then Reverses its Decision?

(Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer- Daily News)

This is a story about a ‘grinch’ company that almost stole Christmas. In this case a community Christmas tree. It was a battle in the ‘war on Christmas’ but at least there is a good ending.

The word was out, the company who owned and managed a senior home in Newhall, California was going to take away a Christmas tree from a bunch of senior citizens for being ‘too religious’? It was all over the news yesterday. I heard about it on at least three radio talk shows and saw it on the TV and then it went ‘viral’ on the Internet. Mind you, this is not a government home but a privately owned senior apartment building.

Here’s the original story from the LA Daily News.

After a major national uproar with hundreds of phone calls and letters flooding into the offices of the offending company, the management decided that it was all just a huge misunderstanding. Now the tree can stay.

Here’s a link to the updated story from the Daily News.

Response: Just goes to show that some battles can be won when obvious injustices are at play.  Legally it was well within the owners power to ban the Christmas tree and holiday decorations of all types if they chose to. But why? Because it was ‘too religious’? It was a ridiculous excuse. Not only that, it was a decision that was going to hurt people needlessly and  during the Christmas and holiday season when most are trying to reach out and make things better for folks.

The picture of the seniors in front of the potentially banned tree said it all and pulled the heart strings of thousands. This story was all about people and treating them right during the Christmas season. It was all a great ‘misunderstanding’ alright. The company had no idea of the firestorm that would follow and in the end the ‘Grinch’ who tried to steal Christmas changed his mind once more.  It gives one hope for this Christmas season- Merry Christmas.            *Top