Terrebonne Parish, La. ? Emboldened by their Election Day successes, some Christian conservatives around the country are trying to put more Christ into Christmas.

In Terrebonne Parish, La., an organization is petitioning to add “Merry Christmas” to the red-lighted “Season’s Greetings” sign on the main government building and is selling yard signs that read, “We believe in God. Merry Christmas.” And a Raleigh, N.C., church recently paid $7,600 for a full-page newspaper ad urging Christians to spend their money only with merchants who include the greeting “Merry Christmas” in ads.

“There is a revival taking place in our nation that is causing Christian and right-minded people to say, ‘Wait a minute. We’ve gone too far,”‘ says the Rev. Patrick Wooden Sr., pastor of the Raleigh church. “We’re not going to allow the country to continue this downward spiral to the left.”

In California, a group called the Committee to Save Merry Christmas is boycotting Macy’s and its corporate parent, Federated Department Stores, accusing them of replacing “Merry Christmas” signs with ones wishing shoppers “Season’s Greetings” or “Happy Holidays.” The organization cites “the recent presidential election showing political correctness is offending millions of Americans.”

While people expect the annual tussle over the separation of church and state, the “keep the Christ in Christmas” contingent is particularly agitated this year over what its members see as a troubling trend on Main Street: Target stores banning Salvation Army bell ringers; major corporations renaming the office Christmas bash the “end of the year” party.

“I think it is part of a growing movement of people with more traditional values, which make up the majority of people in this country, saying enough is enough,” said Greg Scott, a spokesman for the Arizona-based Alliance Defense Fund.

The push from the religious right troubles Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

“I think it’s fair to say it’s a mistaken notion that they have a mandate to put more nativity scenes up because George Bush was elected,” he said.