The Courage to Say Christmas
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Every year at this time, nervous retailers all across the country look forward to the Christmas shopping season to make or break their year. Many retail chains make the biggest percentage of their total yearly sales between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Yet, at the very time that they are counting on Christmas shoppers to boost their bottom lines, many retailers find themselves unable to voice the name of the holiday for which all those shoppers are spending. “Happy Holidays!” they gladly wish one and all, as if this sanitized greeting is a right and proper substitute for the traditional Christmas salutation. “What about the non-Christians?” they ask when confronted with their political correctness.
Many retail chains have made corporate decisions to marginalize the majority out of concern for the minority, and in the process, are offending a growing number of the very customers whose money they so desperately seek. With that in mind, I thought it would be useful to publish a list of major national retailers and their corporate policies about Christmas greetings.
Read on…
I decided to call the top twenty national and regional retail chains and ask their public relations departments two questions.
1. Does your company have a policy regarding Christmas greetings?
2. What is that policy?
The twenty store chains are: Wal Mart, Target, Sears Holdings (Sears and Kmart), J.C. Penny’s, Best Buy, Federated (Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s) and May Department Stores (Lord and Taylor’s and Filene’s), Gap Stores Inc. (Gap and Old Navy), Toys R Us, Circuit City, Kohl’s, Dillard’s, Barnes and Noble, Radio Shack, Foot Locker, Comp USA, Borders, Neiman Marcus Group, and KB Toys. This list is certainly not exhaustive, and reflects only those chains that I judged to have a substantial interest in the Christmas shopping season. I left off grocery stores, auto parts stores, home improvement stores, and pharmacy chains and focused on department stores, big box retailers, electronics chains, and toy stores.
I e-mailed and phoned each of the companies over the course of a week seeking a response for a story to appear on this website. I received replies from only six companies. Here are the responses I received:
Wal Mart
Associates may use holiday greeting appropriate to the communities they serve. That includes Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, Happy Holidays, etc. Associates are free to make the decision on the appropriate greeting on their own.Sears Holdings, Inc. (Sears and Kmart)
Christmas will be represented in our stores and in our advertisements this season ... much as it has been in the past. Sears Holdings is proud to serve a diverse customer base, which represents a true cross-section of America. As in the past we endeavor to make our stores festive, while respecting that our customers celebrate many different customs throughout the holidays. In recognition of that diversity, we support the use of greetings or phrases such as "Merry Christmas" in our stores and on our websites. This has been a long standing practice that we have found acceptable to all our customers over the years and expect will continue in the future.Best Buy
We absolutely DO ALLOW our employees to say "Merry Christmas" to customers. In fact, we encourage them to greet customers in whatever way they deem most appropriate. We know that in the majority of cases it means they'll be wishing customers a heartfelt "Merry Christmas" all season.Federated (Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s) and May Department Stores (Lord & Taylor’s and Filene’s)
Our company's policy remains that our stores must and will reflect the diversity of our customers, our organization and our society throughout the year. Our intention is to make every customer feel welcomed and appreciated, whether they celebrate Christmas or other holidays.As such, we warmly embrace customers who visit our stores during the Christmas season to shop for gifts for friends, for their families, or for themselves. Here is a sampling of what customers can expect:
- Throughout the holiday shopping season, our associates will be actively encouraged to wish customers Merry Christmas or Feliz Navidad or Happy Hanukkah or Habari Gani or Happy Kwaanza, as appropriate.
- The sound systems in our stores will be playing Christmas music throughout the season.
- An in-store sign display featuring Merry Christmas will be in every Macy's location nationwide.
- We will offer "Merry Christmas" electronic gift cards at every point-of-sale terminal and online.
- "Merry Christmas" will be prominent in many merchandise items in our trim-a-home shop and elsewhere in the store, as well as online.
- Many of our store display windows will have Christmas themes. At Macy's Herald Square in New York, for example, this year’s window theme is “Oh, Christmas Tree.”
- Our advertising season for the season will launch with a national television ad that emphasizes a Merry Christmas greeting.Gap Stores, Inc. (Gap and Old Navy)
As a global retailer serving a diverse customer base, we strive to appeal to a broad cross-section of consumers – and in a way that is respectful of a variety of traditions and faiths. We recognize and appreciate that consumers have differing views on holiday greetings. While our marketing is focused on the joys of the holiday season as a whole, our employees are welcome to greet customers with whatever seasonal greeting they wish.Radio Shack
Radio Shack has no policy and makes no recommendations about greetings. Employees are free to use the greeting of their choice.
I will continue to update this list as more responses come in.
What strikes me from these responses are the ways in which the companies genuflect in the direction of alter of “diversity.” Of the respondents with policies, Best Buy was the only company willing to embrace Christmas without feeling the need to burn the diversity incense. This probably owes to a heavy lawyering up of these policies. Still, I think it reflects a fundamental lack of institutional courage. This is the Christmas season, and in this majority Christian nation, corporations should not be embarrassed to acknowledge that. If that means we see more “Kwaanza Sale Days,” “Eid Blowouts,” or “Passover Midnight Madness Sales” so be it. But something tells me all those combined won’t be nearly as profitable as the Christmas season is to America’s retailers.
I return a cheery “Merry Christmas!” for every happy holidays I am offered while shopping this time of year. It’s my way of trying to reclaim the language a bit. This season is not about holidays, it’s about Christmas for the overwhelming majority of Americans. They say so with their wallets and America’s retailers are happy to reap the benefits. My hope is that retailers will more and more find the strength to open their mouths--along with their safes--and thank their customers with a heartfelt “Merry Christmas!”
"burn the diversity incense".
Nice work.
Evil men hide from the truth, but good men stand upon it.
of this so-called 'war on Christmas' with the major retailers are also decrying the commercialization of Christmas. As a very traditional Christian, I don't see enough emphasis on the birth of the savior and the Nativity takes precedence over someone muttering "Merry Christmas" at Best Buy.
Wasting time and breath pointing out that we are a Christian nation and founded on Christian principles seems defensive and counter-productive. Every Jew I know HATES Christmas time and avoids going to malls and most stores during this time of year just in order to avoid Santa Claus, Christmas music, etc. They know that they are a tiny minority in a huge country of Christians. I am willing to bet that Muslims, Athiests, Hindus and others all recognize that as well. Arguing about whether Walmart will further push this into their face is petty when we are so dominent and NOT a Christian value.
I know that this post is focused on the commercial and retail. But, altscott, you stating "so-called war on Christmas" prompted me to write that I think it actually WAS a fact. (I'll explain that later.)
But in a bit different vein: I don't think this is a threadjack because this is the only place it is being discussed. The ACLU actually forced the meme that "happy holidays" and other winter wonderland concepts were only acceptable in schools or they would face a lawsuit from them. They'd find an offense and threaten school districts.
The book "War on Christmas" by John Wilson documents the history of ridiculous cases that the ACLU brought which set the precedents over years that then intimidated school districts (by advice of lawyers) to take the path of least resistence and go with snowmen, snowflakes, but nothing Christmas. School districts don't have money to fight lawsuits.
I know this firsthand because three of my daughters are teachers. From the very first student teaching position about 12 years ago, my first girl told me they couldn't have a tree. As the others taught, it was Santas, trees and finally wreaths that were prohibited. Those are hardly religious. But it got so ridiculous that another teacher-daughter said that a co-teacher had wreaths on her classroom door for every season, but WAS TOLD she could not put one up for Christmas.
I think this politically correct thinking filtered out to the retail stores and the obliging MSM started to say how "offended" everyone was. What they didn't realize was Christians who celebrated Christmas (and spent the most money for the season) were becoming more offended over the years.
The reason I said in paragraph one that it WAS a fact is because of FOX NEWS. They've been ridiculed for making it all up. But they called out the ACLU as well as businesses. They led the charge and presented the side of Christians who had been tolerant and welcomed every religion and inclusion of every ethnic group.
FOX pushed back. The calls to businesses in this post pushed back. It's called speaking up. Business became aware that Christians also can be offended and actually resent that all representations of their holy day was being stripped away.
It's trendy to talk about "raising awareness." I think that businesses got the message.
Life is not fair, but It's still a Wonderful Life!
I heard an occaisonal Happy Hanukah every now and then and was mildly offended. I was young (21) and it opened my eyes to racism and bigotry. I also lived in a predominenly African-American neighborhood and was treated better within that community than any community I had ever lived in.
The ultimate questions is what Jesus would do or suggest. I think he'd not be in favor of the commercialism of the celebration of his birth. I think he'd want us to reach out to others and not attempt to offend them over our own insecurities. By focusing so heavily (and caring at all) what businesses do, you do harm to Christianity and the perception of American Christians all over the world.
was seldom shy about saying who He was. Neither should we be shy about saying Whose we are.
As a former atheist, I recall the discomfort I felt every Christmas. I managed to survive, and never even spoke to a lawyer or psychiatrist about my pain.
Commercialism? Bah, humbug. That's a separate issue from the greeting. The question is what to say to people who come in to your shop to buy something to express their love to their fellow man.
Evil men hide from the truth, but good men stand upon it.
and in a commercial environment? Shouldn't we be saying "Jesus loves you" at the bank, the store, the gas station, and every solicitor we hang up on at dinner time? Why does this issue only come up during the holiday shopping season?
www.race42008.com
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
http://gamecock.townhall.com
Traditions. Social Norms.
These things are of value in and of themselves, and encouraging people to accept them, rather than changing them, is of even greater value.
It's part and parcel of culture: that which we expect to happen when we interact with others.
Evil men hide from the truth, but good men stand upon it.
No holiday greeting is really offensive to me. I don't have chip on my shoulder if someone is GREETING me, that's a nice thing. Why take offense? If I say Merry Christmas to someone, it's a friendly greeting and has nothing to do with the bigotry and insecurity you speak of.
I can respect others' religions. But I want mine respected, too, and the traditional Merry Christmas was being excluded from advertisements and in-store promotions. It was becoming politically incorrect and FOX focused on stories where Christmas trees in public squares were renamed Holiday trees, etc.
As far as the commercialism, this is the way our family does it. I don't know if you have childresn, but our grandkids really get birthday parties. We celebrate Jesus' birthday and one of them brings a little cake. We make the connection. They are all small and love it. As to what Jesus would think of our exchanging gifts and all, I think he'd love it.
This is not the biggest issue in the world, but if something is dear, you protect it and don't let it erode into nothingness.
Life is not fair, but It's still a Wonderful Life!
then voice your support for generic greetings. Slavery was an tradition in America along with not letting women vote and many other things that now have a negative perception. Culture wars like this hurt America and make Christians look defensive and like poor losers.
There's nothing offensive about Merry Christmas. I'm not in a culture war. I'm not telling you what to say. I'm not a defensive Christian or a poor loser. I just don't identify with any of what you say.
Life is not fair, but It's still a Wonderful Life!
has been more destructive to this country than has any war since WWII and could potentially destroy us. The main victims of this war have been children raised without fathers the left deems optional; esp the children of Black men that were placed by Uncle Sam as daddy to check cashing moms; children raised without respect for traditional values and faith that gives life meaning; gays that have died from Aids thanks to the lie of the left that condoms will save them; and the empty lives of so many barren women that rejected motherhood for the glorious superior lives men lived in the rat race. As a result, our culture is coarser; has less respect for women; is less willing to fight for lives that are empty and unsatisfying; is driven primarily by class envy and anger; and is less tolerant and compassionate.
Amen Scott. You nailed it. Except that you are a few years late. The war USED TO make Christians defensive. No more!
btw, what do you refer to Christians as having "lost" when you say "poor losers"?
www.race42008.com
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
http://gamecock.townhall.com
I heard an occaisonal Happy Hanukah every now and then and was mildly offended
Immature people SEARCH for reasons to be offended. Mature people, for the most part, do not take offense unless a true provocation is evident.
(I would, by the way, include flying airplanes into buildings as a provocation--just to fend off anyone who wants to make THAT disconnect!)
I admit one thing that bothers me is that in the public schools around this time of year-they will try to do the all inclusive thing (caveat our school isn't overly down on all things Christmas, you can make decorations and say "Christmas" and the like, but they do discourage teachers away from religious stuff).
But what I have noticed is that the schools will teach my kids about Ramadan and the general religious beliefs surrounding that, they will teach them about Hannaka and the religious significance of that, and they also do Kwanzai. Now I do not mind the fact that my kids are taught and learn these things, but what bothers me is that when they do mention Christmas it is then all about Santa, snowmen and snowflakes, because to just imply that there was a baby Jesus anywhere in the holiday would be to impose some kind of religious belief or make somebody uncomfortable.
You've noticed the same things that I've heard from my girls in their "shop talk." Discussion of religious beliefs should include that the reason for the Christmas celebration is the birth of Jesus. Just that much would suffice.
Life is not fair, but It's still a Wonderful Life!
Jews for Christmas!
Barry Farber
Monday, Dec. 20, 2004
Unusual question: Which innocent victims of hostile attack were the most surprised to be greeted with hostility of any kind?
Obviously, we can’t nominate policemen in a high-crime neighborhood or soldiers on a battlefield. How about the victims of 9/11? That’s about as close as you can get. I can think of only one other incident whose victims might edge 9/11’s victims out, because the 9/11 victims were all random innocents. The ones I’m about to suggest were led to believe they were the absolute safest people in the entire land.
In Cairo my Egyptian guide took me to the shrine of Ali Pasha (Mohammad Ali), who came to Egypt from Albania in the early 19th century when Egypt was under the Ottoman Empire, and he told me this grotesque story. Ali was a humble tobacco salesman who somehow won the favor of the upper Ottomans and was given Egypt as his province to run.
In looking for a way to bypass all other authorities and go into business for himself, Ali invited every other person of influence in the realm to a gigantic party at his place. All the sisters were fair and all the brothers were valiant. Once they were assembled in luxurious festivity, his troops quickly and efficiently massacred all of those honored guests, except one man who, Hollywood-style, was able to jump from a balcony directly onto his horse’s back and make his getaway.
This may seem an odd way to get into the matter of the murder of Christmas, but to me it has that same quality of utter ambush out of nowhere. The attack on Christmas is nothing like the campaign for a woman’s right to “choose,” the embrace of racial quotas in college entrance, or the right of law-abiding citizens to bear arms. Those efforts go ploddingly along forever.
This is more like The Night of the Long Knives, or a 9/11 against Christmas, or a Pearl Harbor against Christianity itself. In 1968 the New York Times published an op-ed piece I wrote recalling the feelings of a Jewish boy in North Carolina loving absolutely everything about the full-dress, throttle-out celebration of – not “holidays,” not the “winter festival,” not any “season” that called for “greetings,” but Christmas. Do you hear me? CHRISTMAS! And I mean Christmas in the public schools.
The point of the piece was how much I loved the music and the trees and the ornaments and the shepherds and the wise men and the candy canes and how that annual long-awaited Yule immersion neither “humiliated” me nor “isolated” me nor deflected me one spiritual inch from my own beautiful Jewish religion.
When an American chief of state is invited to another country on the other side of the world and treated to a native folk dance he genuinely enjoys, that doesn’t necessarily make him less a fan of his own American culture. Likewise, a no-mistletoe-barred Christmas celebration in the public school delighted me tremendously and converted me not at all.
The headlines tell us now of a current counter-rampage in favor of celebrating Christmas without shame, without apology, and without proceeding as gingerly as a nudist crossing a barbed-wire fence. This new pro-Christmas outburst is said to be triggered by the emergence of so many religious faithfuls in the last election who hadn’t really been heard from before.
Welcome back, all you Christmas lovers of all religions! I was on that front line 40 years ago begging organizations and individuals who were trying to stifle Christmas in the public schools to cut it out! “Who are they hurting?” I’d shout. “There are a lot of Christians around. They like to celebrate Christmas. They’re not forcing US to take part! Lay off! Leave them be! What’s the big deal?”
The assault on Christmas did not start with shock-and-awe. It began with a kind of quiet courtesy. Christians themselves began to consider the sensitivities of non-Christian children. (Where was I when those “sensitivities” were handed out?) “Happy Holidays” and the like became a way for Christians to say, “We don’t wish to impose our Christmas upon others.”
Like much that starts out politely, it turned into a society-splitting brawl.
Read the whole thing
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2004/12/18/145204.shtml
In defense of the 'commercialism' of Christmas
http://www.townhall.com/columnists/DennisPrager/2004/12/21/in_defense_of...
www.race42008.com
"One man with courage makes a majority." - Andrew Jackson
http://gamecock.townhall.com
It reflects the store's attitude in general. Which is why I love shopping there. It's almost as if they said:
"We don't care what holiday it is, do you have a question on which gage wire you'll need for a wall outlet and do you think you can get away with a smaller gage if the outlet has a gfci."
Who ever thought that Christmas would require an official corporate policy?
Perhaps everybody needs to take a step back and see that the world is not incessantly trying to offend you. Then we could all go back to a time where store clerks could greet customers without worrying about getting fired.
it looks like it is lost. The retailers do not seem to be caving in to anyone's pressure. Now those concerned about the commercialization of a religious holliday may have cause for concern.
He's another one - always says 'Happy Holidays', talks about 'Holiday Shopping' he does, etc.
When I worked in retail years ago, we used Happy Holidays in annoucements and such. I happen to like the phrase - always have.
It's a shame that these liberal outlets have stolen "happy holidays" and assigned it as the "diversity" phrase, which turns it into meaningless, hollow drivel.
When the only tool you own is a hammer, every problem begins to resemble a nail. -- Abraham Maslow
as one in sales, I started using the "Happy Holidays" years ago as a personal decision regarding prospects, clients, ect... you just never know when you are shaking a hand....and..i like it as well.. and it is a shame it has been stolen...well said
So, you are saying that you made a business decision to use the generic "Happy Holidays", in order to avoid offending people that might have different beliefs? How is that any different than a corporation deciding to do the same thing?
Liberals didn't steal "Happy Holidays". It still means exactly the same thing it did when you first started saying it. It is certain religious people that are trying to act as though Christmas is the only holiday that occurs in December.
i made a personal decision, based upon how I conduct myself in business, and all other areas. why the heck would I say merry xmas to my friends that are jews?...why would I say merry xmas when i have no idea the beliefs of the person in front of me?
if you can't figure out how my personal decision is different from a corporation adopting a policy......sorry...we have nothing to discuss
What did "Happy Holidays" mean before liberals stole it? It seems to me that it has always meant something like "Probably Merry Christmas but maybe Happy Hanukkah or even Happy Kwanzaa. Oh, and Happy New Year too."
I do think to call Christmas anything other then that is disingenous to say there has been no war on Christmas is wrong as well. I remember the middle seventies when my mother would be so mad at tree salesmen Xing out Christ from the sale signs, she said then that it was only the beginning that little by little society would try to take away Christmas and she was right. I am not religious however this "holiday" always has been and always should be Christmas, as Americans we should ensure that this part of our national identity not be sold to the progressives at any price. Fight on FOX.
Peace through superior fire power:)
Re: I remember the middle seventies when my mother would be so mad at tree salesmen Xing out Christ from the sale signs
The "X" in Xmas stands for "Christ", a very ancient abbreviation, because that is the first letter of "Christos" in Greek. Go into any Catholic church (and maybe other churches too) and you will see the Greek letters XP on a number of objects, standing for XPISTOS, that is Christ.
Madhouse Thought and The Minority Report