For me, it started in 1991. I’ve been a volunteer Story Lady and puppeteer in so many libraries (both school and public) in every state we’ve resided (several to say the least). That year the public library asked me to do their Christmas Program, however, the library board had a new policy: no mention of God allowed. What? I felt my constitutional rights were breeched. Not only a FREEDOM OF SPEECH infringement, but how do you do a Christmas program without Christ? What hypocritical fraud. We always provided beautiful Nativity costumes for the children who with puppet animals and puppet wise men acted out the true story, but not this year. We could not even sing a song about the baby whose birth we were to celebrate!
“You don’t want a Christmas program,” I said. “You just want an X-mas program!” Well, we gave them one with a talking X-mas tree, Santa, his wife, elves, and reindeer puppets. Even had my Sweetheart dress as Santa to hand out surprises, but that was the last time I volunteered at that library. When they cut out God, they cut out me!