By Reagan Steele – Business & Economic Policy Writer

California’s oil mineral and royalty owners just stepped into the holiday season with a message that has Sacramento scrambling for a response. NARO California released a Christmas-themed reminder pointing out a simple and unavoidable fact. Nearly every part of Christmas depends on petroleum.

Christmas lights. Artificial trees. Wrapping paper and tape. Ornaments. Toys. Electronics. The Santa suit. Even the paraffin wax in candles. All of them come from petroleum based materials. It is a point both obvious and rarely acknowledged. While California officials talk about phasing out oil and environmental groups demand an immediate shutdown of fossil fuels, the practical reality is that oil is woven into the fabric of modern life. Christmas is simply the most colorful example.

Why does this matter. Because the groups driving California’s energy policy openly admit their goal is to eliminate oil and gas completely. They say the world must stop developing fossil fuels now. Their mission is to keep it in the ground. They argue that our climate cannot afford any new fossil fuel development and call on federal leaders to end all oil and gas leasing. They campaign aggressively to block oil infrastructure across the country and oppose the expansion of fossil fuels in every form.

These groups have enormous influence over California lawmakers. Their ideology shapes the direction of the state’s energy policy. The result is a political environment where the state works to restrict in-state production while increasing dependence on foreign imports. That dependence is not hypothetical. The California Energy Commission warned that the state now imports more than 75 percent of its crude oil. It also cautioned that gasoline imports may rise to 25 to 35 percent by the summer of 2026 and up to 50 percent in Northern California after planned refinery closures. The Commission stated that this creates a genuine risk of fuel shortages and price volatility.

The crisis is not far away. It is already on the calendar.

This is why NARO California’s graphic matters. It cuts through the rhetoric. It shows everyday Californians what environmental organizations refuse to acknowledge. Oil is not merely something used in a gas tank. It is embedded in modern life. It is in the clothing people wear to stay warm. It is in the toys children open on Christmas morning. It is in the candles, decorations, electronics, luggage, kitchen items, and countless products that make up the holiday season.

The message is simple. If California leaders want to keep it in the ground, they are choosing a path that disconnects the state from reality and ties its residents to unpredictable foreign imports. Meanwhile, the same families who enjoy a petroleum powered Christmas will face higher costs, tighter supplies, and more instability because of decisions made in Sacramento.

The only question now is whether California is willing to correct course before the situation reaches the breaking point. Or will Gavin Newsom continue to steer California like the hair gelled captain of a solar paneled Titanic headed straight toward an iceberg of his party’s own making?