Bill O’Reilly: The War On Christmas Is Over, And We Won

Bill O’Reilly is declaring victory on the War on Christmas.

For years, the conservative television host has taken up the fight against organizations he termed “politically correct” that pushed for employees or schools to take Christmas out of the holiday season. He reported on schools banning use of the word Christmas in seasonal celebrations and stores that demanded employees say only “Happy Holidays” rather than “Merry Christmas.”

But this year the tide has turned, O’Reilly said.

“This is the only year we have not had a store that commanded its employees not to say ‘Merry Christmas,'” Bill O’Reilly said on Late Night with Seth Myers Wednesday evening. “It’s over. We won.”

“Anybody can say Merry Christmas if they want,” O’Reilly said, adding, “They don’t have to.”

In the past several years, Bill O’Reilly had taken apart what he called “Secular Progressives” who opposed public displays of the holiday’s Christian roots.

In a 2012 episode of The O’Reilly Factor, he stated the following.

“Let’s take it step-by-step. No one tells you a person could possibly see a secular display of Christmas as an imposition of religion. When the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree here in New York City was lighted last night no one threw themselves to the ground screaming about Jesus. That did not happen. New York City police did not round up the onlookers and force them into Saint Patrick’s Cathedral a block away. Nothing religious happened at the tree lighting. It was just a fun occasion.”

O’Reilly added that the United States was founded on Judeo-Christian philosophy, and that past presidents were not afraid to acknowledge the reason for the holiday.

“In 1927, President Calvin Coolidge made my point when he sent this Christmas message to the American people, quote, ‘Christmas is not a time or a season but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy is to have the real spirit of Christmas. If we think on these things there will be born in us a savior and over us will shine a star sending its gleam of hope to the world,’ unquote.”

With the War on Christmas now over, Bill O’Reilly will have some extra time to fill his shows around the holiday Christmas season.

[Image via Fox News]