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→Modern-day cultural significance
==Modern-day cultural significance==
==Modern-day cultural significance==
[[File:Santa Claus 1.jpg|right|80px]]
[[File:Santa Claus 1.jpg|right|80px]]
''See also:'' [[War on Christmas]] and [[Atheism and Christmas]]
The tension between religious and secularized Christmas has waxed and waned periodically over the years. The pendulum swung toward secularization in the middle of the twentieth century. One marker was the emergence of songs like ''I'll Be Home For Christmas'' (1943), ''The Christmas Song,'' (1946), and ''Silver Bells'' (1951), which have become a beloved part of Christmas in America despite their lack of any religious content. [[Bing Crosby]], a devout Catholic, initially was reluctant to sing the secular 1942 song ''[[White Christmas]],'' which was to become his biggest hit.<ref>[http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=850892 Still Dreaming of a White Christmas], NPR story</ref>
The tension between religious and secularized Christmas has waxed and waned periodically over the years. The pendulum swung toward secularization in the middle of the twentieth century. One marker was the emergence of songs like ''I'll Be Home For Christmas'' (1943), ''The Christmas Song,'' (1946), and ''Silver Bells'' (1951), which have become a beloved part of Christmas in America despite their lack of any religious content. [[Bing Crosby]], a devout Catholic, initially was reluctant to sing the secular 1942 song ''[[White Christmas]],'' which was to become his biggest hit.<ref>[http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=850892 Still Dreaming of a White Christmas], NPR story</ref>