Retailers are calling it ‘Christmas’ again

Houston Chronical ^ | Nov. 26, 2011 | Kate Shellnutt

[BobL]

Walgreens is the latest store to return to explicit references to Christmas, switching its position a day after some Christian groups threatened to boycott over its generic holiday wording.

The American Family Association and the Liberty Counsel—Christian groups that maintain lists of “naughty” and “nice” retailers based on which stores reference Christmas—applauded Walgreens’ switch, along with several other big stores who are coming off the naughty list for the first time in years.

[eyedigress]

I just got my Cabela’s catalog and the word Christmas is at least twice as large as their name. They have some fun gifts for the hunter world.

[BobL]

“No atheists in the foxhole.”

That was my point. Faith starts meaning a lot more when life don’t all fall into place.

[hinckley buzzard]

One small step for Walgreen's...one giant leap for America.

[hinckley buzzard]

Thanks for the heads up. I'll make a point not to shop there. Ever.

[raccoonradio]

Bought some boxed Christmas cards today from Walgreen’s and made sure they said Christmas or were religious in nature.

Even if you’re not Christian or all that religious, face it:
Dec 25 is Christmas. It is not “....holiday”. Don’t take the word away. “Oh, it might offend people.” Guess what: people celebrate Christmas even if they’re not Christian. Even atheists do, exchanging gifts, etc. “Oh, just say Happy Holidays”. Naw, I say Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, Happy New Year, there, we’re all covered.

How about if some people were offended by a certain
holiday in January and forced us to take the name out?
That’s right, we’d be pressured to not call it Martin
Luther King Jr Day because some people are offended. How
would that go over? Same thing here. (btw, tick off your
liberal friends and point out that MLK Jr was a member
of the anti-slavery party. He was a registered Republican.)

And if we don’t stick up for the C-word, what happens to these songs?

I’m Dreaming Of A White...Holiday
Rockin’ Around the Holiday Tree
We Need A Little Holiday, Right This Very Minute (from Mame)
It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like...Holiday.

Don’t laugh, in many schools they change the name to
“Winter Festival” (even Christian churches use the name
“Holiday Festival” when they hold a certain event though who knows, maybe they include Chanukah too) and
non-controversial songs like Jingle Bells get substituted
for those that mention the C-word.

Oh, and here’s one more and how it would sound if the PC Police get ahold of it. Elvis (or Ernest Tubb) if you please.

I’ll, a- have, uh-a, Blue...Holiday...without you.

[raccoonradio]

http://wods.radio.com/

WODS, “Boston’s...holiday...station”

Their competition:

http://www.wror.com/

“Boston’s Favorite Christmas Songs”

[RightGeek]

Good news

[redhead]

Tractor Supply Company"

Ah, yes! The DADDY toy store! We could never drive past one. We always had to stop. LOL!

[Not gonna take it anymore]

Well good for the ones who have made the nice list.

Don’t know how to break it to the naughty ones but, I DON’T buy holiday gifts.

[patriot08]

.

Stores to boycott:

77kids – “An American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. brand. Web site: home page “Get Up + Glow” theme. “Holiday Lookbook” guide with subtitle “Makin’ It Bright This Party Season” populates to numerous click-throughs with “Christmas” not mentioned anywhere on site. “Christmas” search produced 0 items. American Eagle traditionally “Christmas” unfriendly.” Contact stores Contact web site

aerie – An American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. brand. Web site: “Merry Aerie Gifts” on home page donned with very skimpy lingerie model. “aerie Wishlist.” “Christmas” search revealed only one brief item (pun intended). Company unusually “Christmas” unfriendly. Contact stores Contact web site

American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. –Naughty for four years over egregious disregard for “Christmas.” Web site: Company profits off colors, sights and symbols of “Christmas” but exclusive of “Christmas.” “Live to Give, Love to Get,” “Holiday Wishlist” and “AE Gift Guide” on home page. Search yielded no “Christmas” items. Entire site purged of “Christmas” references. Contact stores Contact web site

Athleta – A Gap, Inc. brand. Web site: Winter snow theme but does not mention “Christmas.” Search yielded no “Christmas” items. Company does not promote “Christmas” in stores or other advertisements. Contact page

Banana Republic – A Gap, Inc. brand. Web site: use of “Christmas” colors and symbols but no mention of “Christmas.” “A Gifted Holiday” section on home page links to “Celebrate the Season.” “Holiday Looks” link on home page also links to “Celebrate the Season.” Company purged “Christmas” in stores or other advertisements. Contact page

EB Games powered by GameStop – Manager explained in 2010 GameStop’s philosophy that the company supports “ ... many religious holidays such as Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Yule, and other holidays. GameStop does not discriminate against any religion ....” In contrast, “Christmas” is silent and neglected on their home page as well as throughout the site. A “Christmas” search revealed only ten manufacturer-labeled “Christmas” items. Contact web site

Gap – Naughty for six years over flagrant disregard for “Christmas.” Web site: “the GIVE JOY Shopping Event,” “GIFT me” and “Shop Perfect Holiday Presents” on home page. Search revealed only two secular items listed under “Christmas.” Printed ads in popular magazines “I Want Candy.” Company purged “Christmas” in stores or other advertisements. Contact Gap to politely explain why your Christmas dollars are spent at competitors who embrace “Christmas.”

Garmin – Web site: “Garmin Gift Guide” and “holiday gifts” on home page. “Christmas” search revealed 549 links to dated company blog posts on prior years’ advertisements for cash and car promotions. “Christmas” neglected throughout site. Contact page

J. Crew Outfitters – Web site: “The Mini-er The Merrier” on home page. “Gift Guide” link on home page populated “Shop the Very Merry Gift Guide.” “Christmas” search revealed five clothing articles with scant connections to “Christmas.” No other mention of “Christmas.” Although J. Crew uses “Christmas” colors and symbols to profit off “Christmas” shoppers, the company does not appear to promote “Christmas.” Contact email

Old Navy – Old Navy – A Gap, Inc. brand. Web site: “Extended Holiday Store,” and “Gift Guide” tabs on home page populates to “merry mall” and “Holiday Dressy.” “Christmas” search revealed four secular items with no mention of “Christmas.” Company does not promote “Christmas” in stores or in other advertisements. Contact email

Piperlime – A Gap, Inc. brand. Web site: “Let the holiday madness begin” and “Gift Shop” on home page. No mention of “Christmas” anywhere on site. Search redirected to page promoting women’s shoes. Company does not promote “Christmas” in stores or other advertisements. Contact email

Plow & Hearth – Web site: “Holiday Lighting,” “Happy Holidays” and “Gift Registry” are dominant themes on home page. Shoppers must scroll to the very bottom of the web page for a tiny little “Christmas Gifts” site-wide link. “Christmas” search yielded 27 “Christmas” items actually labeled “Christmas.” In contrast, online and printed Catalog “Plow & Hearth Holiday 2011” does not mention “Christmas” until page 19. Liberty Counsel commends Plow & Hearth for their progress toward acknowledgement of “Christmas” in lieu of their 2010 neglect of the “Christmas” Season but the organization still profits from “Christmas” sights, colors and symbols yet marginalizes “Christmas” at best. Contact Plow & Hearth to explain their competitors embrace “Christmas” as the focus of the “Christmas Season.” Contact page

Polo Ralph Lauren – Web site: “Christmas” colors and symbols prominently displayed with “Holiday Favorites” on home page. No mention of “Christmas” anywhere on site. “Christmas” search revealed site’s keyword to 16 non-“Christmas” items. Organization profits off “Christmas” images but omits actual references to “Christmas.” Contact email http://www.ralphlauren.com/helpdesk/index.jsp?display=store&subdisplay=contact&ab=footer_emailus

Radio Shack – Web site: “Holiday Gifts in a Snap.” “Christmas” literally purged on web site, printed and circular ads. TV Commercial: very distasteful with no allusion to “Christmas.” Contact page

Sprint – Web site: “Christmas” does not exist at Sprint. “Christmas” search revealed blog comments relative to customer care and holiday hours. Contact email page

Staples – Web site: “Holiday Center” ” on home page. Search for “Christmas” redirects to “Holiday Center” that populates “Amazing Holiday Deals” and encouragement to “Send Holiday Cheer.” “Merry Christmas” cards labeled “Holiday Cards.” “Christmas” unfriendly. Contact page

Tractor Supply Company – Web site: “Holiday Shipping” and “Christmas” décor but no mention of “Christmas” on home page “Deck the Stalls” and “Holiday” themed gift card. “Christmas” search revealed manufacturer-labeled “Christmas” items. Contact email

[stevio]

Thanks for that list. Also surprised about Tractor Supply.

[patriot08]

You’re welcome. :)

[Luke21]

Major League Baseball sends out “Holiday 2011” merchandise brochures. Mine went immediately to the trash.

[nkycincinnatikid]

“Tractor Supply?”
Laundering all that drug money requires that every market be utilized.
Rust never sleeps.

[Conscience of a Conservative]

Thanks for that list. Also surprised about Tractor Supply.

I just went on to Tractor Supply's website, and I think LC may have gotten it wrong, or at least jumped the gun. Their website still has a big "Thanksgiving Sale" theme. I don't think it's fair to label them as anti-Christmas because they haven't gotten around to Christmas advertising yet. It's still November, after all.

[sten]

I won’t be buying much this year. not because of finances, but because I’d rather 0failure and crew fail even harder

meanwhile, to fix the country... we need people that start talking about realistic spending levels. basic math gives the answer:

previous_year_tax_revenues - interest_on_debt = $2 trillion - 5% * $15 trillion = $1.25 trillion

any spending above $1.25 trillion means the debt will continue to rise. considering they’ve been spending $5 trillion for the last 2 years, and they can’t get $150 billion in cuts... the debt will continue to rise. until... 0bamacare goes into effect in 14 months... adding an additional $2 trillion in federal spending per year

without moving back to these spending levels, the country is done

[DNA.2012]

Good for the American Family Association. What is The Liberty Council?

[BobL]

“Good for the American Family Association. What is The Liberty Council?”

You got me...but I do remember someone posting this info every Christmas. Likely it was the Liberty Council.

[Revolting cat!]

If it’s true as one member here asserted a couple of hours ago that there are over 30 million illegals in this country (and every assertion I read on FR must be true, because if I dare to question it, they’ll call me stupid!), and most of the 30 million, we all know, are Catholic from South of the border, than this change among the retailers may be a nod toward them as a significant force in the society. Thank God for the illegals then.

[jjm2111]

“Which holiday is that?”

I do that often. It’s fun to see the puzzled looks.