This week, The Express reported on the city council meeting where the council approved the nativity scene now displayed in Triangle Park. It’s a beautiful addition, and we’re fortunate to have a wonderful view of it from our office. We feel blessed.

On the same day, we shared our opinion on the meeting itself. While we won’t revisit the topic in depth today, one question raised during that meeting has stayed with us: “Where are they?”

As a longstanding part of this community — serving Clinton County for over 140 years — The Express holds a unique position. We’re not just a local business; we are, in many ways, the local business, deeply connected to other businesses, officials and residents. Our staff are active in civic groups, merchants’ associations and the broader community. Simply put, we understand this city intimately — we don’t just cover it, we are a part of it.

That’s why we feel compelled to share something that might surprise some: many local businesses are run by non-Christians. For those less involved in the city’s day-to-day life, this may be unexpected. But it’s true — and worth discussing.

Running a business often involves a kind of performative theater. Business owners must mold themselves to serve their customers, meeting even the most challenging interactions with patience and kindness. They create an environment that feels inclusive and welcoming — because their livelihood depends on it.

Retail workers may cringe, but many of you have likely heard the phrase, “the customer is always right.” Whether that is actually true or not, it is oftentimes the mindset that business owners must take.

When business owner Aly Di Costanzo mentioned knowing hundreds of non-Christian community members, someone asked, “Where are they?”

The real answer, unspoken during the meeting, is that many are too afraid to openly defend themselves, and the increasingly divided nature of our society amplifies this fear.

This is especially true for business owners, as identifying as non-Christian can harm their business — doubly so in a small, rural community where success often hinges on maintaining goodwill and operating on thin margins.

Most local businesses rely on the holiday season to stay afloat, often running at a loss for much of the year. While Christmas has become heavily commercialized, for these businesses, it’s essential for survival. They must at least perform Christmas to keep their doors open.

We’re glad so many community members showed up to support the nativity — it’s a testament to democracy in action.

However, bear in mind that Christmas will thrive in our community with or without a nativity scene.

A 2020 report from the Association of Religion Data Archives on religious adherents in Clinton County found a total of 12,613 religious individuals, mostly Protestants (either mainline or evangelical).

Even assuming that sum is undercounted, in a county with 37,450 residents, again as of 2020, charitably, half of the population does not identify as Christian.

Plenty of those people still celebrate Christmas, whether they celebrate Christ or not.

For the good Christians in our midst, keep in mind that faith transcends material objects.

But our local businesses don’t have the luxury of transcending the material. When another shop closes its doors — the closure of Unkel Joe’s Woodshed is still fresh in many minds, especially in the holiday shopping season — the question will be: “Where were you?”