Seeing as how christmas started as a pagan holiday, and other people celebrate different holidays at the same time of year...it should be all inclusive and called holiday. You can still say Merry Christmas to people. You aren't being denied how to celebrate the holiday in your heart. If something as simple as changing a title to a parade is going to put that much hatred in your heart, at a time when your supposed to spread good cheer and love, you weren't celebrating the holiday the way that it should. No matter what you celebrate, we all are supposed to celebrate with Good Will, Love, and Kindness in our hearts. People need to stop being so snobby about who owns what and actually live up to what they claim to be...Christian, Jewish, or whatever they claim to be!

And while you're at it. Could you please move to a less "heathen" area? Asheville is known for its level of tolerance and unconditional acceptance of our fellow man. Maybe your needs could be better suited somewhere else?

Angela:

How is staying away frm a parade hate?

Have you tried saying Merry Christam in Asheville? If you say it downtown...you run the risk of being cussed by heathens for your troubles.

I'm guessing that you are ignorant that the "Christ" part of Christmas is for the Christ-child. It is called Christmas...not Paganmas or Yuletide.

This is a false argumet. There are only 365 Days a year, and millions of events and celebrations take place on the same day. The pagan belief has been round longer than Christianity...so odds are, no matter what day a Christian Holiday may fall upon...i is already celebrated by Pagans somewhere for whatever reason.

Ginger:

Aheville is known fo it's tolerance? Don't make me laugh!

I have seen how "tolerant" Asheville reacts to a man preaching during a street festival. [You Tube Video] [Local blogger] [Flickr 1]Flickr 2] if you want to see intolerance and hate from the people of Asheville.

Asheville is one of the most intolerant and hateful places around.

Explain to me again how it is hateful to not attend an event that has drifted away from it's original intent? If we Christians were haters...we would go to the event and disrupt it and interfere with the parade instead of just ignoring it.

The smaller town Christmas Parades are better, and still respect the reason for the season [Sylva Christmas Parade...where they play ..gasp...Christmas Songs!!!].

Remeber that Asheville's otto is "Any Way You Like It...As Long As You Are Not A Christian!
Asheville is th City of Hate.