The Grinch who tried to steal Christmas

While it wasn't a Grinch who tried to steal Christmas in Alpena this week, two separate incidents sure dampened the Christmas spirit for some around town.

First, a nativity display at ServiceMaster was vandalized when someone intentionally drove over and destroyed a portion of it. Second, the top half of a pine tree in front of the Alpena Eagles Club on M-32 was chopped off.

"They took the center right out of the center tree. They took enough off for a Christmas tree," said Eagles Secretary Dan Newhouse said. "I can't believe people."

Neither can I sometimes. ServiceMaster Randy Shupert is equally as frustrated about the nativity display.

"I have a feeling if it was a Santa Claus display, it would still be there," Shupert said. "It was pretty well flattened. It feels like an attack on Christmas and Christianity."

Despite the frustration, Shupert and wife Kathy are insistent the true meaning of Christmas needs shared this year.

"We're going to duct tape it up and put it back together, and maybe even add some pieces to it," Shupert said. "Maybe someone thinks it is not politically correct to display a nativity scene and that we should be taught a lesson, but this is who we are."

I applaud that attitude and spirit. If the Grinch who tried to steal Christmas happens to be reading this, I offer this message: "Merry Christmas."