In Cincinnati, Ohio a U.S. District Judge in December 1999 threw out a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of observing Dec. 25 as a federal holiday. The ruling stated that Christmas is celebrated by non-Christians as well as Christians. Susan Dlott said in her dismissal of the lawsuit that just as Christians observe Christmas as a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, non-Christians celebrate the occasion to welcome the arrival of Santa Claus.

Therefore, she said, Christmas cannot be regarded as a holiday that establishes one religious faith above all oth…