Chicopee "holiday tree" now a "Christmas tree"

CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) - From now on, the tree at Chicopee City Hall is officially a Christmas tree.

The City Council passed an ordinance sponsored by Councilor Gerry Roy on Wednesday night, which changes the description of the City's tree.

The move comes after some complaints that at the annual tree lighting, the tree was called a “holiday tree.”

The resolution passed the chamber with unanimous support.

The choice of names for decorations has become a subject of controversy in recent years. In Rhode Island, for instance, the annual tree lighting at the State House was held in an impromptu manner this year, as Gov. Lincoln Chafee prefers the term “holiday tree.” Last year, Christmas carolers, who were not part of the scheduled program, showed up at the tree lighting in protest of the name change.

Indeed, backlash against the movement toward giving all things seasonal a “holiday” label has resulted in several companies and organizations to switch back to terms like “Christmas tree” and “Christmas gifts.”