Christmas, Community vs CommerceBrought to You by the Word Holiday

So, patriots of Parker, grab your cocoa, or whatever non-denominational winter beverage they allow us to have now, because your town has seemed to join the “War on Christmas.” The beloved Parker Christmas Parade, a tradition that’s brought joy, music, and more red and green than a Hallmark movie, has been canceled. The official reason? “Funding and volunteers.” The cost was $57,000.

According to the Downtown Business Alliance, they just “don’t have the budget.” But don’t worry, folks, there’s a replacement! It’s not a Christmas Parade anymore; it’s a Holiday Market. Because nothing says “small-town Christmas” like a booth selling candles labeled “Winter Solstice Spirit.” So ask yourself, "Why Holiday Market and not a Christmas Market?" Let me explain....

You have to love the language gymnastics here. Once upon a time, Parker celebrated Christmas. People lined the streets with their kids, waved at floats, and watched Santa roll in like a rockstar on a sleigh. But now, we can’t have that.Someone might be offended by the word Christmas. So, instead, we’re getting a “Holiday Market” that “focuses on supporting Parker businesses.”

Now, don’t get me wrong, supporting local businesses is great. But let’s not pretend this is the same thing. A parade is community. A market is commerce. And replacing one with the other isn’t just logistical…it’s ideological. It’s a slow cultural bleed. One more small town trading faith and tradition for “inclusivity and the all-mighty dollar,” until we’re all celebrating something so watered-down it stands for nothing at all.

The irony? The same town that can spend taxpayer money like drunken sailors can’t scrape together $57,000 to keep a decades-old tradition alive. Maybe the Town Council could have pitched in a fraction of what they spend each Town Council meeting. Of course, they say it might come back someday, if enough “community groups” can raise money and volunteer.

So, enjoy your Holiday Market, Parker. Bask in the inclusive glow of nondenominational joy.

Merry Christmas, Parker.

Yes, I said it!