Reform Judaism magazine has an interesting article this month, discussing Christmas' influence on America's Jewish community. It describes a wide range of responses, but I thought this one fit the season best:

"Today, thousands upon thousands of American Jews have become vested in Christmas through the doing of mitzvot -- volunteering in soup kitchens and hospitals, visiting the homebound, preparing or delivering Christmas meals, buying Christmas presents for the poor, or substituting for colleagues at work. Increasingly, volunteerism has become an established means of combining the Jewish values of tikkun olam, repairing the world, with the Christmas message of bringing joy to the world.

Who would have imagined that this once-feared holiday would become an occasion for many American Jews to affirm their identity with confidence and pride, both as Americans and as Jews?"

A: Anyone who believed that a bit of tolerance and some imagination would produce much better results than trying to marginalize a wonderful holiday. Merry Christmas, boychicks n maidels!