Oops, I just offended my Jehovah's Witness supervisor, who is of the belief that holidays are "Holy Days" and offensive. I try so hard to be politically correct.

This is the season where autumn gives way to winter. Is that secular enough for everyone?

Now I've offended the religious wingnuts who want to boycott retailers whose advertisements fail to say "Merry Christmas." What's going on here?

For thousands of years and in many cultures, human beings have responded to the ever-darkening days of the cold season with actions that affirm light and warmth and love. The day of the winter solstice is the turning point and around this time of the astronomical year, people have always acknowledged the human need for light and warmth by some kind of special actions.

Obviously, the light is not that of enlightenment and love. Not this year, anyway.