Could’ve missed it, but . . .

For my money, nothing new or revelationary has been said for at least 25 years about such issues as abortion, gun control, creationism-evolution, “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays,” the infield fly rule, icing the puck, offside in soccer or how deucedly simple it is to teach anyone to hit 100 percent at the free-throw line.

That’s not likely to change.

So, though it’s been said many times, many ways, Merry Christmas to you – all of you, friend or foe, Jayhawk, Wildcat or Tiger, pro-South Lawrence Trafficway or con!

There’s also a need to recognize, respect and celebrate Hannukah, Ramadan, Kwanzaa, and similar occasions of faith. But lordy, I quickly get into hot water with some purists because there must be 70 ways to spell Hannukah. You dare sign a card “Merry Xmas” and some born-again may show up at the door to deliver personally, hopefully not violently, a lump of coal Santa has dictated for your stocking. “You’ve taken the Christ out of Christmas!” the messenger is likely to shout. Nuts, pal; what about the spirit?

It’s hard for most of us to regard controversial Rodney King as a major philosopher. But he provided a gem about the human experience we need a lot more of, year-around. After one of his shameful beatings by police, he tearfully asked: “Can’t we just get along?”

We can; too often we don’t, as individuals, communities, nations and religious entities. Which brings me back to the season at hand. You know, the old bit about peace on earth due to people of good will? Doesn’t make any difference to me if people use Christmas or any other “holiday” to spread more of such stuff among us – I’ll take all of that I can get at Christmas, Easter, Independence Day . . . if “Happy Holidays” floats your boat better than “Merry Christmas,” let the good times roll.

Whether they came down from the mountain with Moses or had to be moved from some courthouse steps to a church, nobody has come up with a greater code of conduct than the Big Ten – the commandments, not the sports league. When you practice such preachment with liberal doses of The Golden Rule, and REALLY work at treating others how you want to be treated, you become a real winner.

How about all of us busting a gut to walk that line, from today on?

I have a marvelous friend who in her tenderest years got caught up in the notion that Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny and Jesus Christ were somehow kith and kin. When she found out there was no flesh-and-blood Santa and no egg-hiding Rabbit, she decided, at about age 7, there was no Jesus, either.

The good news is she’s spent her years since looking for No. 3, day after day, Sunday after Sunday. She hasn’t solved the puzzle, but she keeps looking for the namesake of the current holiday. Best of all, she’s lived the kind of productive life for 80 years that leaves the door wide open to finding him or reasonable facsimiles.

That’s a solid approach to citizenship, right? We should all be so “pious.”

Wherever you pass the collection plate, catch the spirit of what we’ve been celebrating lately and inject the Big Ten and Golden Rule into your daily 2006 behavior. I think it was Maya Angelou who said life consists of love, hate, laughter and tears. If you bat .501 or better in the first and third categories, the world will be no worse for your presence.

So political correctness be damned: “Hang a shining star upon the highest bough/and have yourself a merry little Christmas NOW!”