Three Victories For Christmas Traditionalists

The victories for Christmas traditionalists, that is the subject of this evening's "Talking Points Memo."

All over the country, the Christmas controversy is being talked about and counterattacks are underway to blunt the diminishment of the Christmas season.

As we reported, a number of retail companies will no longer use the words `Merry Christmas'. Some school districts have banned Christmas songs. And the ACLU is threatening a number of lawsuits against towns that allow Christmas displays on public property.

But now the backlash has begun. The Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert has directed that the decorated tree in front of the Capitol be called a Christmas tree. Someone, and that person remains elusive, changed the name to the holiday tree. Hastert has now changed it back.

In Boston, someone — and that person remains elusive — do you sense a pattern here — ordered the traditional Christmas tree on the common to be called the holiday tree. But Boston Mayor Tom Menino says no, it will be called a Christmas tree, the way it's always been called a Christmas tree.

In Encinitas, California, north of San Diego, the traditional Christmas parade was changed to a holiday parade. Again, nobody will say who did that. But Encinitas Mayor Dan Dalinger has changed it back to the Christmas parade.

In response, the Leucadia town council, the Bernese Mountain Doll Club, the Girls Scouts Co-service unit and one Jewish congregation say they will boycott the Christmas parade in Encinitas because they are offended by the word `Christmas'. And I don't know about you, but I will miss the Bernese Dog Club.

Also, the American Family Association reports that its campaign of encouraging retail companies to use Christmas in advertising has resulted in the Lowe's stores renaming holiday trees as Christmas trees. Well, good for the AFA.

This Christmas madness will not stop until traditional Americans hold the anti-Christmas forces accountable. If you do that, Christmas will return to the marketplace and to the public square. If you do nothing, the Christmas tradition will diminish to be replaced by the winter holiday tradition.

Believe me when I tell you, the secular progressive forces that are driving the anti-Christmas agenda hate "The Factor" for exposing it. So do many CEOs who avoided the banishment of Christmas. They can't stand us.

But in the true spirit of Christmas, we forgive them and wish them the very best. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night. And that's "The Memo."

The Most Ridiculous Item of the Day

You know, this is the time of the year when many Americans think about heading down to Florida for some warm weather and sunshine. But it's always something, you know?

In central Florida, big bobcat — there he is — is running around Brevard County, eating swans and pets. The cat has plenty of company in the wildlife area. As we reported, big lizards are swimming around the Gulf Coast. You saw one. There's a boa constrictor. Plenty of them in the Everglades. And we don't even want to think about what's crawling around South Beach.

Ridiculous? Not to me. Just makes Florida more interesting. Bobcats, boa constrictors, lizards.

—You can catch Bill O'Reilly's "Talking Points Memo" and "Most Ridiculous Item" weeknights at 8 and 11 p.m. ET on the FOX News Channel. Send your comments to: oreilly@foxnews.com