Our View: Christmas tree about serving residents

Published 12:16 am Sunday, November 13, 2016

There will be no Grinches stealing Christmas — or the Christmas tree — in Winchester.

On Wednesday, the Clark County Fiscal Court unanimously approved a proposal to put up a live Christmas tree in front of the courthouse again this year, something which has not always happened.

With an installation cost of just $265 — and the tree itself actually being donated by former county jailer Bobby Stone — this is a small investment that becomes a big gesture.

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At a time when so many government entities are shying away from the word “Christmas,” it is encouraging to see the fiscal court take a position that clearly reflects the values of the majority of its constituents.

We don’t hear anyone clamoring to take “Christ” out of Christmas here, one of the many reasons to be thankful for living in a close-knit community.

Those who would cry foul, incorrectly pointing out how something like this violates the Constitutional mandates for the separation of church and state, can just move along to some other imaginary offense.

No one is forcing religion on anyone. It is a Christmas tree.

If the tree serves as a reminder that Jesus Christ is the reason for the season, that’s great.

If the tree is just a festive decoration that evokes warm memories of holidays’ past, that is heartwarming to us.

If the tree is just a big collection of wood and branches, then that is OK, too.

The beauty of a Christmas tree is that it can symbolize all those things and more. And thankfully the city of Winchester will have its own again this year.