Good will toward men?

With the festive season fast approaching, the question once again arises - who is it for? Some years ago, Birmingham decided to call it "Winterval" and was roundly criticised for doing so. I couldn't understand why then, and I still can't. Christmas is Christmas - nothing can change that, and Christians will celebrate it as such, but does that mean that only they are entitled to have a good time? What about those of other faiths, or indeed those of no faith? Are they supposed to stay indoors and hide themselves away? The Winterval idea was an attempt to make the point that this is a time of good cheer for all who want to take part - each in their own way, and according to their own beliefs, or non-beliefs. Those who insist that it's Christmas or nothing would exclude all those who hold views different from their own - hardly a Christian attitude - and perhaps they should be reminded that it was originally a pagan festival anyway.