The Marines did a surprise about-face on that Bible-bloviating Bob Seger doll.  According to The Seattle Post Intelligencer, Bill Grein, VP of the Toys for Tots program caved because the Marines "realized it's a lot less time-consuming to find homes for the dolls than it is to answer media and complaints."  

Today another victory for "Merry Christmas" came in the form of this year's Blue Spruce, an annual gift to Boston from Nova Scotia, which a big sign on The Common declares is a CHRISTMAS TREE, not, in case anyone was getting any funny ideas, a "holiday tree." 

It was not as glorious a victory as it might have been, though.  The Globe (which called it an "x-mas tree," by the way) reported: "A crane trying to lift the spruce into position sank in the mud. Officials decided that the ground was too soft and put off the tree raising until early next week." 

Which was a bummer, since in keeping with the "keeping the 'Christ' in Christmas" theme, Santa Claus was on hand for the festivities.