Texas is, apparently, winning the war on Christmas.
It's been a scandal-free holiday season, which surprises groups that annually gear up to fight for Christians that express their beliefs during Christmas, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
"The past few years, we've seen several cases," Jonathan Saenz, who heads Texas Values, tells Newsradio 1200 WOAI. "We haven't heard any cases in Texas this year, and we're very encouraged by that."
For over a decade, there have been debates about government overreach during the holiday season. It persists today even on the campaign trail. When President Donald Trump was still a candidate, he spoke at a rally in Wisconsin, in front of a line of Christmas trees.
"When I started 18 months ago, I told my first crowd in Wisconsin that we are going to come back here some day and we are going to say ‘Merry Christmas’ again," he said at the time. "So, Merry Christmas everyone. Happy New Year, but Merry Christmas."
Saenz credits the president, as well as Texas Governor Greg Abbott, for the progress in protecting religious freedom. The Texas Legislature in 2015 approved what was called the "Merry Christmas Law,' which forbade any government employees, from teachers to police officers, to be punished for saying 'Merry Christmas' or erecting Christmas-themed displays.
"We see these issues come up in other parts of the country, but it seems that Texas is winning the war on Christmas."
In the nation’s capital, Washington’s Metro bus service rejected the Catholic Church's ads, which were timed for Christmas. They did not show Jesus or mention either Christmas or the church. Instead, they showed three shepherds and two lambs.
Saenz credits the lack of religious freedom cases with the ongoing education efforts. Last year, they successfully defended a Killeen middle school nurse, who put up a poster, featuring words and pictures from a Charlie Brown Christmas.
"We're seeing more Christmas and less controversy."