We have a holiday tree as well.

In fact, the solstice is as old as the Earth itself. An evergreen tree is an ideal symbol for it, too.

I've been a commercial driver in the NW for years. Mostly just short day runs delivering. Lately driving a blood collections bus for a blood center and working at the blood drives. The winter weather is always a concern, though it's usually not as bad as you think it might be. I tend to be lucky as well. It's always nice to know you are on the other side and the days are getting longer though.

One day it looked bad. The woman that was our lead was calling our HQ asking to get the blood drive called off. They will do that sometimes, but they insisted we go after talking to me. I saw the road reports and checked the traffic cams. It looked a little dicey but nothing I couldn't handle. I assured the staff, 20 somethings compared to my mid 50's, that I'd go slow and the bus is sure footed. We'd make it no problem. Visibility was supposed to be good.

Like I said, it was a little slow but we made it to the little town 50 or so miles away to do the drive. It turned out it was so bad in every other direction, that schools started two hours late up there. Wicked ice on every other road, bad enough that the DOT guys were having trouble getting the smaller state roads clear. Only our road running south was half-way good for some reason. It pays to be lucky! By the time we left, things had thawed and it was full steam ahead! Our courier was able to make it with the blood to the HQ lab to the north too. One of the only blood drives that day that was not cancelled, something that really kills us that time of year.

I made it back one night when after the blood drive, with just a little daylight it was almost whiteout, and the road closed right behind me. The first hill I came to the state patrol had chip trucks pulled over making them chain up, but they waved me by. I plowed through about 70 miles of blowing snow with The Beach Boys cranked up all the way! I make it every time somehow.

One natural and one artificial. I have generations of ornaments collected over the years that represent people I love, places I’ve traveled and meaniful memories. Neither tree represents the birth of Jesus or Christianity.

I won't kill a tree just to decorate my house. We need them to process carbon dioxide. The ornaments on our tree, too, are multi-generational, with the oldest dating back to both of our grandparents. My late grandparents were born in the 19th century.

We also have many ornaments that were gifts from friends over the years. Each thing hanging on the tree has a story, and we know all of those stories.

One of my very religious relatives once chided me for having a "Christmas Tree." My atheism offends that relative, for some reason I do not understand. I explained the concept of a "Holiday Tree" to her. She couldn't grasp the explanation at all. I feel very sorry for her.

and lights and getting time off or extra pay should be reminded that Christmas is a national holiday. That means it's a holiday for everyone in the nation, Christian and non-Christian alike. If they don't like that, perhaps they should work to get Congress to change that status. Very few seem interested in doing that, for some reason.

...are really pagan symbols anyway.

Then invite them over for next month's sacrifice to Odin.

I was not aware of this variant of the "war on Christmas" meme.

I don't know if there have been any polls on the matter. I suspect it's less common than the Christians who are so offended that non-Christians celebrate other holidays around Christmastime - you know, the ones who fly into a rage if some poor sod of a store clerk says "Happy Holidays" to them, or who go apoplectic if the local pagans put a Solstice display next to the manger scene in the town common. Fortunately for everyone, both are outnumbered by Christians who consider it ridiculous to get angry about such things.

the ethics of real vs. artificial trees. Artificial trees utilize petro products and end up in land fills. That said, people throw out artificial trees too. I like the predictability of the artificial tree for delicate glass ornaments. We take a family hike into the mountains each snowy December to harvest a natural tree as well. We have to get a permit from the Forest Service to do so. It is a great outing. After the holidays, however, the tree is composted at a local facility who accepts trees from the public throughout January. The trees are chipped and shredded into mulch for city parks. Win win.

I'll keep using it until it falls apart, I guess.

Dinosaurs are not.

We all know the definition of the word tree. What of the word holiday?

1500s, earlier haliday (c. 1200), from Old English haligdæg "holy day, consecrated day, religious anniversary; Sabbath," from halig "holy" (see holy) + dæg "day" (see day); in 14c. meaning both "religious festival" and "day of exemption from labor and recreation"...................

https://www.etymonline.com/word/holiday

It is, of course, not surprising that this is so.

This time of year. So, it's an apt word. The solstice was noticed by almost all cultures, and marks a change of seasons. It's no wonder religions hold celebrations at this time.

Those are different words that mean different things.

This is the definition of the word holiday: a day of festivity or recreation when no work is done.

"Well, I can't argue with the facts that decorated trees aren't really Christian, so I'm going to point out you used a word whose roots are religious. You are implicitly acknowledging how important religion was, and is. Jesus lives! Take that, atheist!"

Here's an actual DEFINITION:

http://www.dictionary.com/browse/holiday

Etymologies are useful in understanding how a word began, but are relatively useless in understanding how a word is understood as it is used in real language.

Some "holy days" are holidays, of course, but most are not. Some secular celebrations, such as July 4 and Presidents' Day, are holidays but are not "holy days." Words mean things, but do not always mean what their etymologies explain as their origins.