Missouri lawmaker files bill making Dec. 25 'Christmas'

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- A Missouri lawmaker wants to officially declare Dec. 25 as "Christmas."

Missouri has 12 holidays, but most don't have an official title in state law. For example, the fourth Thursday in November is a holiday, but you need to consult your calendar to find it's Thanksgiving Day.

Missouri has just four named holidays -- Martin Luther King Day, Lincoln Day, Truman Day and Columbus Day.

A bill filed Thursday by Republican House member Mike Cunningham, of Rogersville, would make "Christmas" the name of the Dec. 25 holiday.

Besides holidays, lawmakers have created a slew of memorial days. But those can be easy to forget because you still have to come to work. They include Law Day on May 1, Jefferson Day on April 13 and Peace Officers Day on May 15.

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