Early Look At War On Christmas (Lowe's Blames "Proofing Error"-Others Improve)

American Family Association/Loews/Home Depot /Others Web Sites ^ | 11-13-07 | AFA/Self

[icwhatudo]

After the AFA contacted Loews Home Improvement about some issues with its use of the term Christmas (or lack thereof) Loews responded:

"Lowe's has contacted the AFA and assures us that it is proudly committed to selling Christmas trees this year, as it has done for more than 60 years. The company apologized for the confusion created in its 2007 holiday catalog when it headlined the page of Christmas trees "family trees." The error was not caught before the publication was distributed, and Lowe's says it is disappointed in the breakdown in its proofing process.

Lowe's assures us that they refer to trees as Christmas trees in this season's television and magazine ads and in its advertising flyers. The company says it is redoubling its efforts to proof its catalogs in the future to prevent this issue from recurring.

We appreciate Lowe's for listening to its customers and responding appropriately to our concerns."

[icwhatudo]

Wondering what "holidays" Loews has decorations for? Lets take a look:

Loews website search field is on upper left:

Enter the word Holiday and....175 results found for "Holiday"
Enter the word Christmas and....175 results found for "Christmas"
Enter the word Kwanza and....0 results found for "Kwanza"
Enter the word Hanukkah and....0 results found for "Hanukkah"
Enter the word Ramadan and....0 results found for "Ramadan"
Enter the word Thanksgiving and....0 results found for "Thanksgiving"
Enter the word New Years and....0 results found for "New Years"

------------------------

Loews competition HOME DEPOT apparently had no trouble with "proofing errors" and features "Christmas" trees front and center on its home page. Home Depot also makes use of the term "holiday" for decorations but then they actually do offer other holiday decorations unlike Loews. One thing forcing the issue for many companies is that GE is calling their artificial trees "Christmas trees" on large attached tags and prerecorded display advertisements.

BEST BUY this year has ditched the term "holiday" and simply gone with what they consider the big three: Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanza on their signs and gift cards.

TARGET is apparently honoring their promise and actually uses the term Christmas on the front cover of their latest catalog.

WALMART also seems more willing than before to use the term Christmas by calling its entire decoration department "The Christmas Shop".

[Slapshot68]

CYA, nothing more. I’ll bet they’re redoing their tv and radio ads as we speak.

[icwhatudo]

Yep, I know...its Lowe's Home Improvement. If a Mod could help me out I'd appreciate it.

[edcoil]

Always easier to ask forgiveness then permission.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Bravo Sierra. If no one had complained, they’d have gotten away with it and precedent would have been set forever.

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Hit the abuse button and explain. Fastest way to get things fixed..

[AU72]

Festivus is being slighted!

[Blue Highway]

Yeah I bet the reps at Lowes are cursing Christians under their breath for making a big deal about it.

[massgopguy]

Winchester MA has canceled a field trip to see a production of Miracle on 34th Street because Santa Claus is in it.

[ontap]

For the rest of us!

[steve-b]

The never-ending search for something to be offended about continues....

[weegee]

They don’t distinguish between holiday poles and normal silver poles.

[KarlInOhio]

Proofing error? A proofing error is if one page is advertising Chirstmas Trres. Family Tree is not an error in proofreading.

[tsmith130]

Unbelievable!

[quikdrw]

How dare they slight FESTIVUS!!!!

[nina0113]

Looking at the pages at the AFA link, I’d guess they were trying to market to Jewish customers as well - that blue & silver one - but without actually saying so, since there’s no such thing as a Hanukah tree (no, nor a bush either). Hence, “family trees.” I do wonder what the upside-down one is - wiccan, maybe?

[weegee]

We apologise for the fault in the catalog. Those responsible have been sacked.

....

We apologise again for the fault in the catalog. Those responsible for sacking the people who have just been sacked have been sacked.

...

The directors of the firm hired to continue the catalog after the other people had been sacked, wish it to be known that they have just been sacked.

...

The catalog has been completed in an entirely different style at great expense and at the last minute...

[wastedyears]

[steve8714]

Target’s TV ads are only tangentially Christmassy.

[newgeezer]

Enter the word Kwanza and....0 results found for "Kwanza"

Yeah, and spelling it properly likely wouldn't help, either.

[icwhatudo]

Nope.

Enter the word Kwanzaa and....0 results found for “Kwanzaa”

[radiohead]

Family Tree is not an error in proofreading.

My thought as well.

[FReepaholic]

Company where I work is allowing employees to dress casual on several days for "Winter Event Celebration".

Um, just what "event" are we celebrating?

We're in Florida so it can't be snow.

[icwhatudo]

I wonder why the AFA is buying their story? They tried the same "oops-it was a mistake" line the last time they got caught.

[weegee]

The unspeakable event.

[FMFreeper]

I sure hope that there isn’t an early cut and run in the War on Christmas again this year. The Holiday Bowl always gets a pass even though it is played only a few days after Christmas. The Godless NCAA needs to stop making Touchdown Jesus cry.

[flat]

WELL the orlando target that i go to has a big MERRY CHRISTMAS banner prominently displayed in the middle of the concourse of thier store...

[Churchillspirit]

Yes, Target is acknowledging Christmas this year - big banners inside the store "Merry Christmas"

Christmas music being played at Barnes & Noble.

Sometimes the good guys do win.

[dstarr]

I had fun a couple of years ago by going into K-Mart and hanging out next to the “Holiday Trees”. When someone would come and start eyeing the trees as if they were thinking of buying one, I would talk them out of a “Holiday Tree” and tell them they wanted to go find a store or place that sold Christmas Trees instead. After my evening of fun, I came home and emailed the CEO of K-Mart and told him what I had done. Never heard a word.

[lightman]

Gotta get in the holiday spirit when the K-word is mentioned:

On the first day of Kwanzaa Karenga gave to me
A Marxist in a red tree.

On the second day of Kwanzaa Karenga gave to me
Two Jaily birds,
And a Marxist in a red tree.

On the third day of Kwanzaa Karenga gave to me
Three Dixie Chicks.
Two Jaily birds,
And a Marxist in a red tree.

On the fourth day of Kwanzaa Karenga gave to me
Four Lenin busts.
Three Dixie Chicks,
Two Jaily birds,
And a Marxist in a red tree.

On the fifth day of Kwanzaa Karenga gave to me
Five fel-on-ies.
Four Lenin busts,
Three Dixie Chicks,
Two Jaily birds,
And a Marxist in a red tree.

On the sixth day of Kwanzaa Karenga gave to me
Six Castro jumpsuits.
Five fel-on-ies,
Four Lenin busts,
Three Dixie Chicks,
Two Jaily birds,
And a Marxist in a red tree.

On the seventh day of Kwanzaa Karenga gave to me
Seven Mao pajamas,
Six Castro jumpsuits,
Five fel-on-ies,
Four Lenin busts
Three Dixie Chicks,
Two Jaily birds,
And a Marxist in a red tree.

[ladyjane]

Last year I tried to buy a Christmas gift certificate at Lowes. They didn’t have any. They had Holiday gift certificates. The manager explained that they didn’t want to offend anybody.

[Stonewall Jackson]

Actually, we got to see the Lowe's Christmas TV ads about five or six weeks ago during one of our manager's meetings, and the folks at Corporate Office specifically said that the word Christmas was going to be used. The catalogs are made by a company that Lowe's has a contract with, so the culprit who missed this isn't even a Lowe's employee. We started receiving all of our Christmas signage back around Labor Day, and all of it says "Merry Christmas".

Last year, during all of this Happy Holiday fiasco, our store was visited by the Regional Manager and his staff. I had a bucket of miniature candy canes sitting on the electrical desk with a sign proclaiming "Merry Christmas". The regional and district managers both commented that it was a good idea, snatched a piece of peppermint, and continued with their tour of the store.

[icwhatudo]

Thanks for the inside info. Looks like the AFA exposure got whoever puts together Lowes website to make some changes. Now Christmas brings up 98 returns while Holiday gets 174. I guess it was a little too obvious when both searches brought up exactly the same number of returns. LOL I’m wondering what they took out, holiday wreaths? holiday garland?

[Trust but Verify]

The banners in Target say Christmas.

[MayflowerMadam]

Our Home Depot flyer today was advertising “Miracle Trees”. The photo sure looked like a Christmas Tree to me, but it might be another case of a poor typist or inferior proofreader. I can see how easy it would be to think you’re typing “c-h-r-i-s-t-m-a-s” but end up with “m-i-r-a-c-l-e”. They’re so close. Sheesh.

[icwhatudo]

Just checked the Home Depot site: they no longer have "Christmas" Trees named on the main website page and instead are calling them Holiday Trees

[icwhatudo]

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[AppyPappy]

They were trying really hard not to say Christmas.

[AppyPappy]

And when does Santa come?

During the holidays. No particular time. He gets there when he gets there

[icwhatudo]

LOL, just got off the line with a customer service rep on their 800-line, she blamed it on “those pc types” and said she would make sure my comments were sent to her supervisor.

[fella]

Yeah I bet the reps at Lowes are cursing Christians under their breath for making a big deal about it.

All this makes me wonder how much of LOWE'S is now owned by the ROP. After all they do have ueddels of our money because we won't get our own fuel so aliens have to do it for us.While I'm at it how heavyly is ROP invested in Hollywood and our news media? Is there a way to find out?

[MayflowerMadam]

First it’s “Miracle Tree”, then it’s “Holiday Tree”. Home Depot is sure expending a lot of effort trying to conjure up words to insult Christians.

[Joya]

Thanks for setting the record straight about Lowe’s selling CHRISTMAS TREES and wishing their customers a Merry Christmas.