CHICAGO -- The show: the syndicated Seattle-based, Gen-X-oriented "Street Talk." The topic being discussed in earnest: Should Christians stop celebrating Christmas?

Some callers to the Saturday-night show joined the host* in bemoaning not just the usual culprits--Santa and his reindeer, holiday stress and bloated commercial excess--but even more sacrosant areas: church Christmas pageants and the very idea of celebrating Christmas at all. [*don't know his name, and too late to check.:) ]

Christians should "try and find new and creative ways to share the Gospel with people who just aren't listening to our old stories," the show's host urged his listeners.

The third-to-last caller to the show, who identified himself as Brendan from Seattle, said he hadn't kept Christmas for 15 years and that it was "just another day" for him. He said it troubled him that "there are so many new pagans around [Seattle], and so many of them know the pagan origins of Christmas. And they kind of chide the Christians 'cause they know something that a lot of Christians themselves don't know."

When the host mentioned that Christmas apologists often defend the holiday as an tool of evangelism, the caller replied with a chuckle: "I never hear about anyone getting saved at Christmas. There's always so [many] other things going on." Christ placed the emphasis on his death, not his birth, Brendan said.

Lastly, Brendan spoke of a Texan who had recently visited Brendan's church in the Seattle area. "I'd never met him before, but it turns out he hasn't been observing Christmas either, for the same reasons. I believe there is a small movement underfoot."

Lastly, Brendan spoke of a Texan who had recently visited Brendan's church in the Seattle area. "I'd never met him before, but it turns out he hasn't been observing Christmas either, for the same reasons. I believe there is a small movement underfoot."

The last caller to get on the air--a Catholic lady who sounded distressed at the direction the show had taken--protested: "You said something negative about the Catholic Church, and I'm Catholic, and I can tell you that Christmas is part of a liturgical year that was established in the early centuries. ... The litugical year is not based on paganism. There are a billion of us that will be going to Mass Sunday at Christ-mass--which means it's a mass, Christ-MASS--and we will be join--"

The host cut her off in mid-word, since time was running out. He also emphasized that he did indeed have problems with the Catholic Church, but he still loved Catholics.

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