Christmas trees 'make non-Christians feel excluded'

This is the kind of research that the Canadian tax payer pays for - for some idiot named Michael Schmitt to inform us stupid, gullible people (through legitimate research involving a whole 134 people), that it would be better for everyone if Christmas would be toned down as non-Christians feel less self assured when there's Christmas tree in the room. Wow! A tree covered with lights, tinsel and decorations is so “threatening” especially if we “really do value respecting and including diversity”. Hey Michael - in your honor I've posted a huge picture of a scary Christmas tree - hope you don't feel too intimidated by it. Sorry to disappoint you but I won't be rushing out to take my tree down at home - we love intimidating those pesky non-believers.

Researchers at Simon Fraser University in Canada, found non-Christians feel less self-assured and have fewer positive feelings if a Christmas tree was in the room.

The scientists conducted the study using 77 Christians and 57 non-believers, including Buddhists and Sikhs.

The participants did not know the survey was about Christmas, and were asked to fill in questions about themselves both when a 12-inch Christmas tree was in the room and when it was not.

"Non-celebrators" reported fewer positive feelings and less self-assurance in the Christmas room. Christians were mostly cheered by the tree.

Christians, however, did report feeling more guilt when a tree was in the room, which, claim the researchers, suggests the holidays can be stressful.

Michael Schmitt, a social psychologist behind the research, decided to carry out the study after controversy over whether Christmas should be celebrated in public in case it offends non-Christians.

He said: "Simply having this 12-inch Christmas tree in the room with them made them feel less included in the university as a whole, which to me is a pretty powerful effect from one 12-inch Christmas tree in one psychology lab.

"I don't think it's really going to undermine anyone's experience of Christmas to tone it down.

"We're not suggesting 'no Christmas' or 'no Christmas displays at all,' but in contexts where we really do value respecting and including diversity in terms of religion, the safest option is not to have these kinds of displays.

"I understand why it might feel threatening to people.

"But I think if people do care about making a whole range of different kinds of people feel included and respected, then we can make some small changes that would go a long way toward creating a more multicultural or inclusive society."

The researchers published their results in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology.

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