Of Santa Hats and Political Correctness

The other day, I went to play a video in VLC Media Player, an excellent open-source alternative to other media players like Windows Media Player. The icon for this app is a traffic cone. I noticed that this particular time I opened VLC, the traffic cone was wearing a Santa hat! I thought it was a nice, Christmasy touch, so I went online to see if other VLC users noticed this. I did notice mostly positive responses to the Santa hat “Easter egg” (or in this case, Christmas present). I did, however, notice posts like these:

Christmas Icon? How to remove for non christians?
I am seeing a santa hat icon now on my media viewer. Not being Christian and not celebrating Christian holidays I'm wondering how I can remove that? I would not want to believe that VLC has positioned itself as a Christians only project. Is there a way to disable this if a user finds it offensive to his differing beliefs?
- rwhelan, VLC forums, http://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=69360

Re: Santa hat icon?
For those of us that do not celebrate Christmas (or Easter, and as such do not always enjoy "Easter Eggs"), is there a way to remove the offending icon?
- realityiseverywhere, VLC forums, http://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=53998&start=0#p177675

The only solution that is offered is to download the source code, remove the Easter egg code, and recompile the program. There was one reply to the second post, which I tend to agree with.

Re: Santa hat icon?
:shock: Offensive are you serious?! Has it gotten to the point where a Santa hat offends people? I mean seriously. My family celebrates Christmas and Easter but are not offended by the Menorah on display in my neighbors window. I'm not offended by The people at the corner gas station fasting for Ramadan or celebrating R'as as-Sana the Muslim New Year. Besides Santa has nothing to do with Jesus and Christianity. I'm sick of people of stirring the pot with all this holiday this is offensive that is offensive to somebody somewhere. It's bull and needs to stop :x
- cpyles07, VLC forums, http://forum.videolan.org/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=53998&start=0#p177975

I couldn't agree more. Apparently, some people are so zealous about their own beliefs, that they take offense when they see others celebrating different beliefs. Not only do they want to take Christ out of Christmas (as so many retail stores have already done), they want to take Christmas out of Christmas!

As many people know, I am a Christian, and I celebrate Christmas. I take no offense at menorahs displayed in public, or postage stamps wishing people a happy Eid ul-Fitr. What I am slightly offended by is people or organizations who have taken any references to Christmas, and either replaced them or renamed them.

The federal holiday of Christmas is again under siege this year by secular forces that want to wipe out any public display of America's Judeo-Christian traditions. And what a problematic situation this has become, especially for big business. Sears and Kmart will absolutely not mention the word "Christmas" in ads this year. Wal-Mart will not either, along with scores of other retail stores. The reason these operations give for avoiding the C-word? They don't want to offend anyone by mentioning a holiday they might not celebrate.

These stores believe "Happy Holidays" is more "inclusive." (I'm sure some Americans don't believe in any holidays; what about them?) Frankly, the executives who have banished Christmas from their advertising are insane. By doing that, they are offending tens of millions of traditional Americans who respect the Christmas season and want it called exactly what it is - Christmas.

…There is a huge backlash brewing on this Christmas deal. Judging from reaction to my reporting on TV and radio, millions of Americans have had enough of denigrating the birth of Jesus.…

Eighty-five percent of Americans call themselves Christians, and many of them are not happy with "Happy Holidays" as the imposed greeting of the season. Federated Department Stores (Macy's, Bloomingdale's and others) learned its lesson last year when it pushed the "Merry Christmas" greeting out the door and sales suffered.

…Most Christians are more than happy to acknowledge Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Happy Winter Time or whatever. Use them all, and to all a good night.

But no. The incredibly dense Grinches that run many American companies are so infected with political correctness, so afraid somebody might complain about the word "Christmas," that they throw the Baby Jesus out with the bath water.

Well, humbug. You do that — I'm shopping elsewhere.

Three wise men once came bearing gifts to honor a baby who would grow up to bring a great message to the world. If corporate chieftains are not wise enough to honor that message as well, they don't deserve any Christmas cheer. Simple as that.

- Bill O'Reilly, "Boycott 'Holiday' Stores," New York Post, December 3, 2005.

I have stated my position a few times, and there many who agree with me. However, there are still a few sticks in the mud that need to be corrected. A couple of years ago, I made a few spoofs of the MTA's "See something, say something" TV ads. The ads all began with the phrase, "Last year 1,944 New Yorkers saw something and said something." My twist was either an effect that this "seeing something, and saying something" caused, or a description of what was seen and said, as is the case here.


Christmas isn't just a holiday, it's a celebration. Merry Christmas, everyone!