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For the past few years, Christmas time in Florida’s capitol has been a little divisive when it comes to Holiday displays. As Matt Galka tells us, flare ups in the past have caused one group to cancel their nativity scene at the state house.

Outside of Florida’s Capitol on Monday – a wreath laying ceremony for Veterans. A reminder of service and sacrifice during the holidays, but inside, no signs of the holiday season.

There are no holiday displays in the capitol rotunda yet and only a couple of applications. In years past there’s been a traditional nativity scene, which spawned everything from a Seinfeld inspired “festivus pole” display to the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

The Florida Prayer Network says the divisiveness, including a Satanic Temple diorama, is the reason they won’t be putting up their nativity scene this year.

The Satanic Temple display will also not be going up.  When it was put in the rotunda last year, self-proclaimed Catholic Warrior Susan Hemeryck tried to destroy it. This is what she said then:

“When Satan comes into the halls of my town I can’t let that go without a fight, I hope nobody can let that go without a fight.”

She faced charges before they were dropped. When reached by phone, Hemeryck said that not putting up a nativity is giving in to the other groups.

“You don’t back down to bullies. Isis are terrorists, and Hitler was a terrorist, and the Satanists are spiritual terrorists. And it’s never a good idea to back down to bullies,” said Hemeryck.

There are only two applications for displays as of Monday.  The festivus pole – this time with an LGBT twist – and a menorah.

The Florida Cabinet will be presented with Florida Grown Christmas trees Tuesday morning before the cabinet meeting.