If you thought that Christmas was getting to commercial, you’re joining a long line of people who have thought the same thing. Now, however, the New York Times notes the belief that Christmas is a traditional festival may go back no farther than the 1920s.

The Puritans, for example, outlawed the celebration of Christmas as a quasi-pagan feast and the modern idea of gift-giving and Santa Claus as a jolly fat guy in a red suit may not go back further than the 19th century. The real issue, Adam Cohen hints, is that conservatives are beating up the issue for political point-scoring and really don’t much care about any Christmas traditions.

In any case, the fact that major corporations are using “holidays” as a generic substitute for “Christmas” only puts them in a long line of people and companies that have had trouble figuring out how to treat Christmas.

Any shopper in a mall or supermarket will know that the Christmas spirit has hardly disappeared and that we are now in the month when Christmas carols replace Muzak.

And for the record, Stephens Media which owns this blog will be celebrating “holiday events” this month, including the “employee party” some Saturday night soon.