Gap, Old Navy censor 'Christmas,'

[oxfordcircus]

It's all about Christmas. Don't listen to the papist propaganda

I thought this was a papist holiday. Shouldn't we then listen to the papist propaganda?

 

[Mrs.Toad]

It's not whether people's celebrations are ruined, because they certainly aren't. Why is it easy to accept the idea non-Christians are slighted when their holidays aren't recognized, but Christians aren't allowed to feel the same way? The problem isn't solved by ignoring all references to all holidays and going generic, that just slights everyone.

Because when everything was "Merry Christmas", other holidays really and truly were being ignored. It would be hard for most retailers to list every possible holiday in the month of December in an ad or on a sign, so they use one all-inclusive term: Holidays. It might slight a few, but it certainly doesn't slight "everyone". Many Christians have noted on this thread that we don't mind the use of the term "holidays".

Fitswimmer, the rest isn't really directed at you, just continuing on the topic...

I can only speak from my own experience, but I have never seen or heard of a non-Christian organization planning boycotts against retailers that say "merry Christmas", and sending e-mails around to warn their friends of these "slights". Retailers aren't "afraid" of offending anyone, and they're not "cowered into burying the "C" word" . They've decided on their own to be inclusive of all the holidays in December.

Some people make assumptions that retailers have been bullied onto the "holiday" bandwagon, but by whom? They disagree with it, so what do they do? They decide to bully them into saying "merry Christmas" again. Don't they see that they are guilty of exactly what they perceive the minority of doing?

If it's not OK to pressure a store into using Happy Holidays, it's not OK to pressure them into using "Merry Christmas", either. Let the retailers choose to say what they want.

 

[Crankyshank]

I thought this was a papist holiday. Shouldn't we then listen to the papist propaganda?

papists are Catholics. The Christians who think there is a war against Christmas tend to be of the belief that Catholics aren't Christian.

 

[basas]

Some of you just aren't getting it...

Very few people are offended by being told "Happy Holidays". It's the so obvious and forced deletion of the word Christmas that annoys people. Aka: Not having a SINGLE reference to Christmas in the store as if it doesn't exist! It's the store that decides to make an ad and inserts (winter) or (holiday) into every place Christmas should be (Holiday Tree, Holiday Lights, Holiday Parade, Holiday Cookies, Holiday this, Holiday that without ONE specific mention of Christmas). Who do they think they're kidding? We all know what the stuff is for...and what purpose is this serving? Is anyone really offended/shocked/some other ridiculous emotion by seeing the word "Christmas" at a store or on a sign? No! They're simply bowing down to the tiny percentage of PC-crazy left-wingers. I know plenty of Jewish/Muslim/etc folks who really couldn't care less about Christmas decorations and stuff (actually..most of them enjoy seeing them). They realize North America has a Christian majority, Christmas is part of our culture, and they think it's just as ridiculous as the rest of us that a school can't even put up a Christmas tree (well...ours did...and the Jewish/Muslim/other kids liked it just as much as everyone else) anymore without the ACLU knocking at the door with a lawsuit. Actually...our school has Christmas decorations all over the place, and there are even a few Hanukah decorations too- they coexist peacefully. This is a much better approach then bowing to the libs who want Christmas hidden out of public view. I believe stores (as some are) should go back to the "Merry Christmas" approach and stop this ridiculous generic-movement.


As for the 'secular' Christmas parade...funny, and ridiculous. Maybe they should start 'secular' bible readings at schools now too?

 

[LoraJ]

As long as they still celebrate Christmas in your church, then it still exists. Happy Holidays includes Christmas. I still don't understand what is so upsetting about it. You don't see anything with Christmas on it at the Gap? How does that take away from Christmas for you? Is your faith raelly that weak?

 

[beattyfamily]

Some of you just aren't getting it...

Very few people are offended by being told "Happy Holidays". It's the so obvious and forced deletion of the word Christmas that annoys people. Aka: Not having a SINGLE reference to Christmas in the store as if it doesn't exist! It's the store that decides to make an ad and inserts (winter) or (holiday) into every place Christmas should be (Holiday Tree, Holiday Lights, Holiday Parade, Holiday Cookies, Holiday this, Holiday that without ONE specific mention of Christmas). Who do they think they're kidding? We all know what the stuff is for...and what purpose is this serving? Is anyone really offended/shocked/some other ridiculous emotion by seeing the word "Christmas" at a store or on a sign? No! They're simply bowing down to the tiny percentage of PC-crazy left-wingers. I know plenty of Jewish/Muslim/etc folks who really couldn't care less about Christmas decorations and stuff (actually..most of them enjoy seeing them). They realize North America has a Christian majority, Christmas is part of our culture, and they think it's just as ridiculous as the rest of us that a school can't even put up a Christmas tree (well...ours did...and the Jewish/Muslim/other kids liked it just as much as everyone else) anymore without the ACLU knocking at the door with a lawsuit. Actually...our school has Christmas decorations all over the place, and there are even a few Hanukah decorations too- they coexist peacefully. This is a much better approach then bowing to the libs who want Christmas hidden out of public view. I believe stores (as some are) should go back to the "Merry Christmas" approach and stop this ridiculous generic-movement.


As for the 'secular' Christmas parade...funny, and ridiculous. Maybe they should start 'secular' bible readings at schools now too?

 

[oxfordcircus]

papists are Catholics. The Christians who think there is a war against Christmas tend to be of the belief that Catholics aren't Christian.

ya. I tried to make a funny, but that confused emoticon is too believable. As for the Catholics aren't Christians comment, I don't think that, but I can't speak for others.

 

[eclectics]

As long as they still celebrate Christmas in your church, then it still exists. Happy Holidays includes Christmas. I still don't understand what is so upsetting about it. You don't see anything with Christmas on it at the Gap? How does that take away from Christmas for you? Is your faith raelly that weak?

Good post. Christmas should be about church and family. I don't get why some folks get all upset if the money hungry retail stores spell out Happy Holidays in obnoxious pulsating lights or Merry Christmas. Same difference. Parades, store decorations, and public nativity displays under garish floodlights aren't Christmas to me. I feel it inside myself and I don't have to have the word "Christmas" plastered on every corner to feel it. If some of you need that, well so be it. I just don't get it.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Because when everything was "Merry Christmas", other holidays really and truly were being ignored. It would be hard for most retailers to list every possible holiday in the month of December in an ad or on a sign, so they use one all-inclusive term: Holidays. It might slight a few, but it certainly doesn't slight "everyone". Many Christians have noted on this thread that we don't mind the use of the term "holidays".

Real question: do the other holidays participate in gift exchange. I know hanukkah does for each of the 8 days to some degree..but does Kwanzaa buy gifts? I thought that celebration didn't have anything to do with that.

I only ask--b/c of all the inclusion of "holidays" at that time of year--is it really going to matter? Or are they trying to turn all holidays commercial?

I don't mind the term HH or even Seasons Greetings. This all inclusion thing is just rather strange---b/c I can't imagine someone wearing a shirt that says Happy Ramadan or Happy Kwanzaa. (as an example)

I thought it odd when I went to JC Penny for portraits yesterady--we spent a good chunk of change on pics--but they lost additional sales on holiday cards. I had 2 to choose from if I wanted a specific reference to Christmas--one said Merry Christmas--the other was an Angel and peace I think. The word Christmas was absent..but it looked religious to me. All the rest were SG or HH. I don't want that.

When I pick up my pics, I will take a closer look--but they had a page of 12 or so "Holiday cards" and I had 2 to pick from..but you had many different options for HH or SG.

Didn't offend me--but it bugged me my choices were limited so I didn't buy them. No big deal to me as I hadn't planned on buying them...I found it extraordinarily odd. I think they had one or two options for hannukah but don't remember.

 

[Crankyshank]

I know many pagans that exchange gifts at Yule
I don't know if it's due to the secularization of Christmas or what.

oxfordcircus- NP. That smiley is a bit hard to figure out sometimes

 

[orljustin]

It's the store that decides to make an ad and inserts (winter) or (holiday) into every place Christmas should be (Holiday Tree, Holiday Lights, Holiday Parade, Holiday Cookies, Holiday this, Holiday that without ONE specific mention of Christmas). Who do they think they're kidding? We all know what the stuff is for...and what purpose is this serving?

*** do you care? I thought Christmas wasn't about commercialism?

 

[LiLIrishChick63]

lol!!

honestly......who cares, you know?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

lol!!

honestly......who cares, you know?

funny funny.

 

[LiLIrishChick63]

i seriously could care less if it were "Happy Holidays" or "Merry Christmas" doesn't bother me.

 

[Lil_Tink]

It doesn't bug me.

 

[MoniqueU]

Although I celebrate Christmas, Jeason is NOT the reason for my season. So I am more then fine with the Happy Holidays. It seems to include everyone that celebrates a holiday this time of year regardless of their beliefs. There is no reason one branch of religion should dominate in this day and age.

 

[Laura]

Hate to break it to you Laura, but the Fox news poll says that 96% of Americans celebrate Christmas. So screw the 4%

Yeah, lots of people like me have to make nice with Grandma and go to church on Christmas.

 

[Fitswimmer]

Because when everything was "Merry Christmas", other holidays really and truly were being ignored. It would be hard for most retailers to list every possible holiday in the month of December in an ad or on a sign, so they use one all-inclusive term: Holidays. It might slight a few, but it certainly doesn't slight "everyone". Many Christians have noted on this thread that we don't mind the use of the term "holidays".

Fitswimmer, the rest isn't really directed at you, just continuing on the topic...

I can only speak from my own experience, but I have never seen or heard of a non-Christian organization planning boycotts against retailers that say "merry Christmas", and sending e-mails around to warn their friends of these "slights". Retailers aren't "afraid" of offending anyone, and they're not "cowered into burying the "C" word" . They've decided on their own to be inclusive of all the holidays in December.

Some people make assumptions that retailers have been bullied onto the "holiday" bandwagon, but by whom? They disagree with it, so what do they do? They decide to bully them into saying "merry Christmas" again. Don't they see that they are guilty of exactly what they perceive the minority of doing?

If it's not OK to pressure a store into using Happy Holidays, it's not OK to pressure them into using "Merry Christmas", either. Let the retailers choose to say what they want.

And then the consumer can choose which stores to spend their money in-and if they choose stores based on whether their holidays are recognized by name or if all holidays are lumped together under one generic banner. Of course, if they do that, they will be accused of "bullying" stores into saying what they want.

I don't hate "happy holidays", it's just BLAH, generic and boring. It's sort of like "Have a day". Gee, how festive....

 

[Anewman]

I am so upset, you would not believe the insult that a ToysRus employee lashed at me today.

As I was walking out he said "Have a nice day SIR", How dare he not call me by my name? I think I will boycott.

 

[salmoneous]

Let's face it - even a "Merry Christmas" isn't good enough, as it isn't specific as to the reason for the season. We should boycott any store that doesn't put up one of these: