Nativity and State: Old Time Religion.

Proving that, as I have long suspected, Colorado is one of the odder states in our union: Denver City Hall once gain trots out it's century-old nativity scene - because tradition is harder to break than the law.

"It doesn't affect my life one way or the other," he said.

Denverite Alisha Wetstine, 31, grew up visiting the manger at Christmastime, as did her mother. Her own 2- and 5-year-olds could take it or leave it, she said, "as long as they replaced it with something shiny."

Wetstine, meantime, expressed concern that the baby's looking sick.

"He's skinnier than I remember him," she said. "And sort of funny looking, actually."

"It's beautiful artistically and all," added Willie Hayes, 51, a Denver paralegal. "But I'm pretty sure it shouldn't be here legally. A religious shrine has no business on city land."

U.S. and Colorado Supreme Court rulings actually allow nativity scenes on government property if decorations also include figures such as a Santa Claus, reindeer and toy soldiers.

Those decisions have always mystified me — like telling your kids it's OK to burp really loudly at the dinner table, as long as they fart too.