How paradox life can be!

Once upon a time, there was a small boy who believed in Christmas Spirit. Be it Pere Noel or Saint Nicholas or Santa Claus or Father Christmas, no matter of which name this Holy Man was called, you see this Holy Man is an International Figure who travels to all the countries and nations of the world - no matter of race, color, religion or even politics - stll this little boy believed in Him.

Year after year, our little boy was eagerly waiting for the Holy Man to visit him and bring him gifts on Christmas Eve. He was a good boy all year round, so he was looking forward to the Holy Man’s visit.

Our little boy believed in Christmas Spirit and Christmas. He also loved all the Christmas traditions and was eager to learn about other countries’ traditions as well.

Our little boy was showing respect to other religions, to other traditions, to other customs, no matter of their origin. Our little boy also had many friends from all over the world. From China to Russia, from Kuwait to France, from United States to Australia, from Japan to India, from Saudi Arabia and Israel to Philippines and Somalia to Mozabique and Palestine. He was so happy and proud of his friendships all over the world.

Our little boy one day became unhappy. He read that instead of people wishing “Merry Christmas” they wished “Happy Holidays”. He also read that somewhere in the world people started to remove Christmas Trees from their homes. He wondered: Do they remove them from their hearts and souls too?

From the Associated Press comes this story. A story which can happen only in America. Believe it or not, it’s 100% true and it did happen.

Airport removes Christmas trees to avoid suit

Mini-trees appear amid spat over request menorah be added to display

The official Christmas trees are still down at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, but a few little trees have popped up at airline counters.

An employee at Frontier Airlines took up a collection on Monday and bought a few foot-tall trees for the counter.

The initiative followed a decision by airport officials to remove its nine Christmas trees instead of adding a giant Jewish menorah to the holiday display as a rabbi had requested.

Maintenance workers boxed up the trees during the graveyard shift early Saturday, when airport bosses believed few people would notice.

“We decided to take the trees down because we didn’t want to be exclusive,” said airport spokeswoman Terri-Ann Betancourt. “We’re trying to be thoughtful and respectful, and will review policies after the first of the year.”

Rabbi Elazar Bogomilsky, who made his request weeks ago, said he was appalled by the decision. He had hired a lawyer and threatened to sue if the Port of Seattle didn’t add the menorah next to the trees, which had been festooned with red ribbons and bows.

“Everyone should have their spirit of the holiday. For many people the trees are the spirit of the holidays, and adding a menorah adds light to the season,” said Bogomilsky, who works in Seattle at the regional headquarters for Chabad Lubavitch, a Jewish education foundation.

After consulting with lawyers, port staff believed that adding the menorah would have required adding symbols for other religions and cultures in the Northwest. The holidays are the busiest season at the airport, Betancourt said, and staff didn’t have time to play cultural anthropologists.

Hanukkah begins this Friday at sundown.

“They’ve darkened the hall instead of turning the lights up,” said Bogomilsky’s lawyer, Harvey Grad. “There is a concern here that the Jewish community will be portrayed as the Grinch.”

Above news article © 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.