May 23, 2013
December 1, 2005
What’s in a name? A lot when it comes to a Christmas tree. And while the debate on what to call it is lighting up in big cities like Washington D.C. and Boston, News 12 found a so-called holiday tree in Augusta.
O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree, your leaves are so unchanging. But your name, that’s another story. This week, after so much controversy, the names of evergreens in Boston and the US capital were changed from holiday tree to Christmas tree.
“By taking away Christmas from a tree you’ve turned a symbol and it loses it’s value,” said Larry Napier.
“A holiday tree would make more sense,” said Jessica Crocker.
But to the mixed opinions of students, the towering fur at Augusta State University remains a holiday tree.
“We wanted to really try and embrace all the diversity that we are,” said Joyce Jones, Dean of Students, ASU.
Though the pastor of First Baptist Church, Greg DeLoach, is in favor of the Christmas tree name, he reminds his congregation to look beyond this symbol.
“The church has to remember the Christmas tree is not the most important symbol for the faint,” DeLoach said.
So is a Christmas tree by any other name as sweet? Maybe.
“We’re all going to call it our own thing anyway,” one student said.
