Last Thursday, Interim Principal John Ritchie decided that the decorations had to be taken down. In doing so, he struck a chord with many in the WHS community, ourselves included.

For many of us, holiday decorations bring excitement and fond memories. For some others, decorations have the opposite effect.

Despite the way some people interpreted them, the WHS holiday decorations were a genuine effort to bring holiday spirit, not just Christmas spirit. Delaney’s advisory tried to be inclusive with Hanukkah decorations and religiously neutral twinkling lights. The decorations did not endorse Christianity or any other religion. There were snowmen stockings, ornaments, snowflakes, lights, red and green streamers and various other secular decorations. There were no nativity scenes, crosses or angels. There was no direct connection to Christianity or Jesus.

WHS’s holiday lights were a good natured, harmless act to get people into the holiday spirit. Before hanging up the decorations, Delaney’s advisory had a thorough discussion about how to make an appropriate secular holiday display, given the religious diversity at WHS. Delaney said that his advisory did not want to “engage in the ‘tyranny of Christmas’ debate.” Delaney also got permission from Assistant Principal Allison Mizoguchi to set up the display. Delaney went through the proper process for putting up the holiday decorations and did so without notions of Christmas endorsement.

Regardless of the majority’s opinion, Ritchie recognized that the decorations made some people uncomfortable. In order to protect himself and avoid conflict, Richie made his decision that, “A public school can’t be a place for subtle promotion of any one religion or even all religions.” Ritchie did the practical thing and maintained that religion and public school do not mix.

Although Richie made the right decision, it was inconsistent with what administration allowed other advisories to do.

“A whole bunch of the advisory initiatives were Christmas-themed like ours,” Delaney rightfully pointed out. “The language program got gifts, wrapped them and gave them to children in Boston, and a kid went in dressed like Santa Claus.”

Other advisories decorated Christmas cookies and gingerbread houses. These projects were suggested to the advisories and done for the good of the community.

“The whole community service day is planned for when it is because it’s consistent with the holiday spirit of giving,” Delaney said.

Another inconsistency, which ironically took place on the same day as Richie’s decision, was “The Messiah” hosted by the Walden Forum. “The Messiah” is one of the most religious musical pieces, and Honors orchestra students are required to perform it for a major component of their second quarter grade.

Richie later came up with a compromise to make WHS a “Winter Wonderland.” In his second memo on this issue sent to WHS faculty, he announced his decision to let the students replace any Christmas and Hanukkah decorations with snowmen, snowflakes and more twinkly lights.

In an ideal world, this issue and compromise would not have been necessary. People should let others celebrate their own religion and not ruin that celebration. Just because you don’t celebrate a holiday doesn’t mean you have to deprive people of doing so. People are becoming way too concerned with being politically correct and are being overly sensitive. If you don’t like the decorations, then you don’t have to make a big deal out of it.

If someone tells you “Merry Christmas,” say thank you. If someone tells you “Happy Hanukkah,” say thank you. If someone tells you “Happy Kwanzaa,” say thank you. Regardless of your religion, accept the warm gesture of kindness and say thank you. This season is supposed to be a time of giving thanks. Don’t preoccupy yourself with being politically correct.

Have a very Merry Christmas everyone.