The Christian practice of giving gifts imitating the three wise men who gifted the Christ child at his birth, is a fine source of inspiration for those governments who profess Christian values and are not hampered by conflicting opinions on whether it is proper for an elected representative of a government to give out baskets to those who most obviously need it.
If the act of gift giving is frowned upon as promoting a Christian tradition then the Christmas practice of giving government workers Christmas bonuses should likewise be abolished. It is foolish to imply that simply because one chooses to fill xmas hampers with gifts at Christmas that makes it a form of promoting Christian values. It is also a silly attempt to impose conflicting values of demanding Christian charity from the government and of resenting it when it is given.
Christmas hampers filled with gifts and passed out for Xmas Hampers doesn’t hamper any one’s idea of religion and is a very courteous and un Scrooge like act of spreading cheer to people who might otherwise feel left out and forsaken during Christmas.
The fact is that if giving out Christmas Hampers at Christmas is promoting Christian beliefs, those who are averse to such promotion should decline not only their Christmas bonus but their Christmas holiday as well. Perhaps, we should also re work the schools attendance calendar and not give students and teachers a Christmas week or two off or call it Winter Break.