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“Scrooges”, “Grinches” and “Nice” organizations - CWA List of Christmas friendly retailers
Catholic News Agency ^ | December 9, 2005

Posted on 12/10/2005 7:00:21 AM PST by NYer

Washington DC, Dec. 09, 2005 (CNA) - Intervening in the heated debate about the mention of Christmas on the public square, Concerned Women for America (CWA) presented a first Christmas list showing which businesses are honouring the Reason for the Season (the birth of Jesus), which ones are not, and which have mixed records.

It first lists the corporation ‘Nice’ or friendly to the Original Christmas tradition.  This year Macy's joins the NICE list because it has returned the explicit mention of Christmas and Merry Christmas to its stores and its ads. L.L. Bean, on the other hand, just barely escapes the Grinch list and gets a middle rating because, while its first seasonal catalogue says Christmas 2005, all subsequent catalogues say Holiday 2005, culminating in the Best of Holiday 2005 (surrounded by Christmas items).

"More and more retailers are realizing, too late, that Christian consumers now understand that the constant use of 'happy holidays' and 'holiday' is grating and insulting," said Robert Knight, director of CWA's Culture & Family Institute. "It's an act of cultural cowardice and even an overt attack on Christmas and ultimately the Christian faith.

"When something is clearly about Christmas itself, it is dishonest to ban the very mention of Christmas on the grounds that it might offend a handful of people. This is a nation where surveys show 96 percent of the population celebrates Christmas. There is no survey showing that people of other faiths are insulted when the majority celebrate Christmas or wish anyone a 'Merry Christmas.'

"The tyranny of a tiny minority of Grinches to veto any mention of Christmas must stop," Knight concluded. "We are very encouraged that some major retailers like Macy's are starting to get it and hope that more will join them."

Following is a highlight of the whole list, set into three categories: ‘Nice’, ‘Somewhat Nice, somewhat naughty’and ‘Scrooges.’

NICE

 Macy’s, Chick-fil-A,Kroger, IHOP, Saks Off Fifth Avenue, Kay Jewelers, Capital One, Hobby Lobby, In-N-Out Burger

SOMEWHAT NICE, SOMEWHAT NAUGHTY

Walgreens, Wal-Mart, L.L. Bean, Sears, Lowe’s


 SCROOGES

Target, Office Max, Kmart, Staples, Home Depot, Best Buy, Kohlâs, BJ's, SC Johnson, Verizon, Radio Shack, Zales, Outback, Lexus, Old Navy, Cingular, Reckitt Benckiser, Pier 1, Red Lobster, Office Depot, Gillette, Applebee’s, Burlington Coat, Dell, Milton-Bradley, U.S. Postal Service, Costco


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events; Philosophy; US: District of Columbia
KEYWORDS: applebees; bestbuy; bjs; burlingtoncoat; chickfila; christmas; cingular; costco; cwa; dell; gillette; holiday; homedepot; ihop; kmart; kohls; kroger; lexus; llbean; lowes; macys; merrychristmas; officedepot; officemax; oldnavy; outback; pier1; radioshack; redlobster; retail; retailers; sears; shopping; staples; target; usps; verizon; walgreens; walmart; waronchristmas; zales
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To: doug from upland

I'll be a'testin' Target out for the Christmas standard in a few days and will let you know!

The "Happy Holidays" thing has just gone way too far by most of these national-brand retailers. They really deserve to lose business and be humiliated by consumers for denying the very word of Christmas along with associations, as if it was something to be ashamed of.

What's actually shameful is their blatant omission of this important experience of Christmas.


21 posted on 12/11/2005 3:05:36 AM PST by MillerCreek
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To: mnehrling

Yes, I understand (thanks for your levelling comments), but, there is (also) nothing inherently WRONG with saying or putting in print, "Merry Christmas" or even "Christmas" as a word, a concept, a celebration along with all associated symbols and stories and such.

Retailers who have insisted on the "no mention of the word, 'Christmas'" policy are displaying a high degree of shame and negativity about the Season, the word itself...and that's what's disturbing to my view as a consumer.

They plaster "Halloween" all over the place, for example, and yet recoil if/when someone says "Merry Christmas" and the like.

It indicates some other policy, unstated but obvious, that is not at all minor.

So, because of that, I think it's important for Christians and those who do not feel shame at the mention of Christmas to act accordingly. This is one effort to respond by refusing to patronize that I support.

Now, if I could only find an alternative to COSTCO...


22 posted on 12/11/2005 3:12:01 AM PST by MillerCreek
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To: The Ghost of FReepers Past

"inclusiveness."

I disagree.

I think we need to use their weapons against them.


23 posted on 12/11/2005 3:12:24 AM PST by Chickensoup (Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas! Merry Chri)
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To: mnehrling

Good point. Will do.

Appreciate the additions to the "nice" list. Thanks.


24 posted on 12/11/2005 7:17:57 AM PST by milford421
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To: The Ghost of FReepers Past

"but I think you would do even better if you didn't use liberal terminology like "inclusiveness." Maybe just thank them for not being ashamed of the holiday that brings them so much business."

Good point. I will take your suggestion.


25 posted on 12/11/2005 7:18:50 AM PST by milford421
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To: NYer

"It seems people are getting serious about this. Good!"

Certainly is good.





26 posted on 12/11/2005 7:19:34 AM PST by milford421
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To: Chickensoup

Just be careful when you use their terminology that you are not inadvertently embracing their application of it.


27 posted on 12/11/2005 10:21:47 AM PST by The Ghost of FReepers Past (Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at His footstool; He is holy. Ps 99:5)
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To: NYer

I read about the flap with Wal-Mart a few weeks ago. And yeah, the Walton family has personally donated to abortion groups. However, the Wal-Mart stores here in CT all have the Salvation Army in front greeting people with "Merry Christmas." And inside, 'Ave Maria' and other Christian musics are playing. I guess this is why the CWA gave them a 'naughty and nice'.


28 posted on 12/11/2005 1:49:45 PM PST by right-wingin_It
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To: mnehrling
There was a most clear and definite collusion amongst some retailers to drop the Merry Christmas and religious acknowledgement of Christmas - THIS was the year where they thought they could do it. I mean, what are the odds that all these companies would attempt to do it in the same year?

I suspect some of these progressive-leaning retailers wanted to do it for awhile now. They figured the time was right this year and did not expect much public backlash. Meanwhile another category of retailers, who perhaps caught wind of their plans, decided to implement the same policies so they wern't left out as the only ones doing it (you know, ACLU intimidation related)

29 posted on 12/11/2005 2:16:45 PM PST by right-wingin_It
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To: NYer
From the article: "[A] first Christmas list showing which businesses are honouring the Reason for the Season (the birth of Jesus), which ones are not, and which have mixed records. "

"It first lists the corporations ‘Nice’ or friendly to the Original Christmas tradition."

What kind of tripe is this? Guess what -- the "reason for the season" (a cutesy hint that the article and the "list" are nothing more than adolescent idiocy) has nothing to do with retail sales or shopping at malls.

For crying out loud people, go to church (unless, of course, you're a member of one of the "big box" churches that decided to close on Christmas day, a rather ironic twist to this year's bashing of businesses for not honoring the "true spirit of Christmas").

Business is business. Retail stores will do whatever is necessary to attract the most customers -- whether that's posting "happy holidays" signs or "Merry Christmas" signs. I hate to break it to you, but they really don't give a flip about your religious convictions. They just want your money.

The very notion that you're going to find the "original Christmas tradition" or "the reason for the season" in a Target or a Walmart or any other retail store is so patently ridiculous it's embarrassing to even see it on this forum.

30 posted on 12/11/2005 2:38:29 PM PST by atlaw
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To: right-wingin_It
There was a most clear and definite collusion amongst some retailers to drop the Merry Christmas and religious acknowledgement of Christmas - THIS was the year where they thought they could do it.

Oh brother. A conspiracy amongst retailers that is designed, I suppose, to lessen their sales. Get a grip.

I suspect some of these progressive-leaning retailers wanted to do it for awhile now. They figured the time was right this year and did not expect much public backlash.

I'm willing to venture a guess that retailers are actually catering to a big backlash base of customers who are both flabbergasted by, and a little pissed off at, the morons who insist that "happy holidays" is an insult and that the "true meaning of Christmas" can be found on the racks of plastic piffle in a discount store.

31 posted on 12/11/2005 2:59:04 PM PST by atlaw
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To: NYer
Just outside the local supermarket today, there was a Salvation Army bell ringer. When I dropped some change into the pot, he wished me a "Happy Holiday". A woman crossing the parking lot shot him a glare and said . . . "it's 'Merry Christmas', not 'Happy Holiday'". It seems people are getting serious about this. Good!

My, my. It's come to this, has it. Glaring at the infidels, and announcing that "everybody better celebrate the holidays my way or shut the hell up." The Christmas spirit lives.

32 posted on 12/11/2005 3:15:30 PM PST by atlaw
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To: milford421
On the Border, Friday's, Olive Garden? - Alternatives to Outback, Applebees, RedLobster -

This one doesn't make sense to me, since Olive Garden and Red Lobster have the same parent company.

And you couldn't pay me to step into a Friday's.
33 posted on 12/11/2005 3:22:15 PM PST by birbear (Admit it. you clicked on the "I have already previewed" button without actually previewing the post.)
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To: right-wingin_It
THIS was the year where they thought they could do it. I mean, what are the odds that all these companies would attempt to do it in the same year?

Actually, this has been happening for over a decade, it's only this year that it has received the national attention to the extent that 'X-Mas' did in 89. If you check Archive.org and look at most retailer's sites in December as far as archive has it, you will see they have been fairly consistent with Happy Holidays versus Christmas.
34 posted on 12/11/2005 4:00:59 PM PST by mnehring (Peace Activism is an Oxymoron.)
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To: atlaw

Thanks, I think I just found my new tag line!!


35 posted on 12/11/2005 4:01:57 PM PST by mnehring ("Everybody better celebrate the holidays my way or shut the hell up." The Christmas spirit lives.)
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To: doug from upland
http://www.target.com/salvationarmy

Somewhat of a change but not sure if they are allowing the bell ringers back yet.
36 posted on 12/11/2005 4:30:12 PM PST by pepperhead (Kennedy's float, Mary Jo's don't!)
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To: atlaw
Let me first establish to you that I'm not talking about bout where the true meaning of Christmas can be found (that's on some other thread). Now, this IS a POLITICAL blogsite, is it not? The politics of the day happens to be that retailers have altered their policies regarding Christmas greetings, displays, and advertisements. It's also pretty common now to see corporations supporting anti-Christian and anti-family causes and organizations. The question is whether or not these changes made in the retail stores are part of this broader trend. That's the discussion and I don't think my view is unbalanced.

The bottom line is those "morons" you mention happen to have a point here about whats going on politically. Deal with it.

37 posted on 12/11/2005 8:34:55 PM PST by right-wingin_It
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To: mnehrling

And I was pissed off in '89 too...so what.


38 posted on 12/11/2005 8:37:24 PM PST by right-wingin_It
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To: mnehrling
Actually, this has been happening for over a decade, it's only this year that it has received the national attention to the extent that 'X-Mas' did in 89. If you check Archive.org and look at most retailer's sites in December as far as archive has it, you will see they have been fairly consistent with Happy Holidays versus Christmas.

And I was pissed off in '89 too...so what.

39 posted on 12/11/2005 8:38:17 PM PST by right-wingin_It
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To: birbear

"This one doesn't make sense to me, since Olive Garden and Red Lobster have the same parent company."

Another poster pointed out that different stores have different policies. The poster stated that the restaurants visited wished customers Merry Christmas, and displayed Christmas signs. My own personal experience with both eateries has been positive.



40 posted on 12/12/2005 3:08:52 AM PST by milford421
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