A 25-foot blue spruce tree is doing more than just lighting up College Avenue -- it's creating some holiday controversy in the Undergraduate Student Government (USG).

Town Sen. A.J. Fluehr is concerned that the tree at College Avenue and Allen Street is called a "holiday tree," not a Christmas tree.

"They were trying to pretend that the tree has nothing to do with Christmas; it's overly PC," he said.

After reading that the tree was called a holiday tree, Fluehr sponsored a Senate resolution asking the Downtown Improvement District (DID) to rename it.

The resolution passed Tuesday night.

Fluehr said the resolution was inspired by the White House's renaming of its holiday tree, and the fact that it was being called a holiday tree struck him as offensive.

DID sponsors the tree every year and works with the State College Borough Council to decorate, said Teresa Sparacino, DID's executive director.

Sparacino said that the tree does not have an official title, and it is part of the annual Christmas decorations in the borough.

"It's a Christmas tree, it's a holiday tree, it's whatever it is to anyone," she said.

Sparacino said they would have no problem with naming it a Christmas tree.

"If they want us to name it a Christmas tree, we would be happy to name it that," she said.

However, Fluehr said it is called a holiday tree in their brochure and all of their materials.

He said there was a holiday tree in Old Main in 2001, according to a press release from that year.

"This isn't something new," Fluehr said.

Penn State spokesman Tysen Kendig said there is a Christmas tree in Old Main, and it shouldn't be offensive to anyone.

He said the university is open and accepting of all religions, and he doesn't see a compelling reason to change the name of a particular religion's holiday symbol.

"There are other symbols for other religions on campus that we would accept on campus and not try to change the name for perceived PC," he said.

Nick Johnston (junior-hotel and restaurant and institutional management) said the Allen Street tree should be called a Christmas tree.

"A Christmas tree is the icon for the Christmas holiday, and it's a tradition and it always has been," he said.

He said he doesn't think calling it a Christmas tree is offensive to anyone.

"They're just calling it what it is," he said.

Fluehr said he has received many e-mail messages in support of calling the tree a Christmas tree.

"For the most part, students I've talked to have been surprised it was renamed to a holiday tree," he said.

Greg Hobbs (sophomore-horticulture) said he really doesn't care what they call it.

"It's still a Christmas tree to me," he said.

Sarah Helble (freshman-Earth science) said that if people who get offended want to call it a holiday tree, then they should.

"It's a matter of personal preference," she said.