The Tyranny of the Christmas Tree. How is that, you might ask?

The whole subject is tyranny and power gone mad. If you have children and are at least nominally Christian, can you get away with not getting one? It is the Center of Attention, the very Focal Point of the season.

When Christmas is over, there is an important lesson for the kiddies. The Hallowed Tree, just days before glistening with tinsel, lights, and sparkling gem-like ornaments, is now stripped of its finery and thrown out on the cold curb like some pagan drunk whose nasty behavior will no longer be tolerated, a deflowered virgin in a society which sells it to the highest bidder.

Given this, why are you surprised that the kiddies are in tearing their expensive plastic toys to pieces, giving their dollies buzz cuts, and generally creating Christmas mayhem. You may be blaming that on all the sugar treats you are force feeding them at meals and in-between meals, but don't kid yourself. Throwing out the Tree serves as a valuable lesson to them of the transitory nature of life and how little value anything really has.

The Tree had its fifteen minutes of fame, its Queen For A Day day. It's a tosser.

You may think children don't really absorb the end of Christmas in that way, that the idea of planned obsolescence can't really be expressed in that way. What about Divorced Dogs and the Trophy Wife?

Well, maybe not. But think about what buying a small living tree that can be replanted somewhere might say.

Buying an artificial tree also says something. It may not be as pleasant as a real tree, but the kids will see that you keep and cherish things and bring them out to celebrate them again and again.

On the other hand, there is the Tyranny of those who don't like Christmas for religious or any other reasons. This would be OK, but some of those opposers are very aggressive in letting you know their wrath will be wreaked about this subject and seem to ooze threats if so much as a carol is lilting and lofting in the air.

Christmas, that most cuddly and forgiving of holidays, is loved because no one dies and everyone, in theory, gets presents and food.