Let the Pre-Holiday Grinching Commence!
Tuesday November 10, 2009
It's that time of year again! The folks at the Liberty Counsel are once again launching their Friend or Foe Christmas Campaign, just in time for the holidays. You remember these guys, right? They're the ones who put out the annual "Naughty or Nice" list, in which they encourage people to boycott retailers that aren't quite Christmasy enough.
This year's Nice list consists of stores that use the word "Christmas" in their fliers and advertising, as opposed to the more generic word "holidays." Retailers such as Barnes and Noble, Hallmark, Honey Baked Ham and Wal-Mart are considered Nice, although I should point out that Honey-Baked Ham was on the Naughty list last year, so evidently they've been upgraded.
Some of the Naughty folks this year? Sprint and Old Navy join repeat offenders Bloomingdales, Dick's Sporting Goods and the CVS Pharmacy chain, all because they don't have stuff in their store or advertising that says "Christmas" -- they just say "holidays."
For fans of the Liberty Counsel that are really worried about the de-Christifying of the winter holidays, you can even order a "I Helped Save Christmas" Action Pack for $25, which includes fun stuff like buttons that say I <3 CHRISTmas. Now, it seems to me that these folks always put a lot of resources and effort into fighting this so-called war on Christmas. You'd think that if they really want to spread a message of goodwill and peace, they'd use these resources to help stock a food bank or send blankets to homeless shelters. But maybe it's more fun to just whine about people taking away your holiday.
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This year's Nice list consists of stores that use the word "Christmas" in their fliers and advertising, as opposed to the more generic word "holidays." Retailers such as Barnes and Noble, Hallmark, Honey Baked Ham and Wal-Mart are considered Nice, although I should point out that Honey-Baked Ham was on the Naughty list last year, so evidently they've been upgraded.
Some of the Naughty folks this year? Sprint and Old Navy join repeat offenders Bloomingdales, Dick's Sporting Goods and the CVS Pharmacy chain, all because they don't have stuff in their store or advertising that says "Christmas" -- they just say "holidays."
For fans of the Liberty Counsel that are really worried about the de-Christifying of the winter holidays, you can even order a "I Helped Save Christmas" Action Pack for $25, which includes fun stuff like buttons that say I <3 CHRISTmas. Now, it seems to me that these folks always put a lot of resources and effort into fighting this so-called war on Christmas. You'd think that if they really want to spread a message of goodwill and peace, they'd use these resources to help stock a food bank or send blankets to homeless shelters. But maybe it's more fun to just whine about people taking away your holiday.
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Personally I could use quite a bit less Christmas music at ALL the stores I shop in. It’s bad enough to be bombarded before Thanksgiving.
But the LC seems to have tunnel vision, forgetting about our Jewish friends and those who celebrate Kwanza or Yule. Besides Jesus wasn’t even born in the winter! There are lambs mentioned in the bible. That means spring time!
I so agree that they can put all that energy to much better use by helping others!
“you can even order a ‘I Helped Save Christmas’ Action Pack for $25″
…which, I’m guessing, is pretty much what it’s all about. Scare the gullible (and let’s face it, they wouldn’t be fans of the Liberty Counsel if they weren’t gullible) into thinking that Christmas’ doomsday draweth nigh, get ‘em all worked up into a lather and then… “but for just $25 you can help SAVE CHRISTMAS!! Do it for the kiddies! Do it for Jesus!!!” (Just DO it… hell, buy two or three… give ‘em as CHRISTMAS gifts!!!)
…and the money just keeps rollin’ in.
It would seem to me that the LC would have more “Christmas Spirit” if they shopped less for gifts and gave more time and energy to charity for the poor, sick, homeless, and homebound. But then again, “Christmas” takes more from Saturnalia and corporatism than it does from the New Testament. (Remember, “Santa Claus” as popularly portrayed started off as a Coca-Cola advertising campaign…)
I just wish the stores wouldn’t put the Xmas stuff on the same shelves as the Halloween stuff at the same time, AND that I could get all the way home on Samhain night without hearing Xmas music on my radio.
Eh, they have the right to do whatever they want with their money, time, and efforts. It’s good that they are so willing to self identify so that the rest of us can watch out for them! Yes, it would be lovely if they were inclined to help the less fortunate in such a flamboyant manner but then again we don’t have the whole story. Just a sensationalist bit of fluff.
I have no problem with someone wishing me a Merry Christmas (or any other religion specific phrase du mois) – I just take it as their way of saying something nice. I respond however it strikes me usually in kind since that is where they are and it really goes against the whole peace and joy aspect of this time of year to make such a big deal out of a phrase. Especially one intended to promote harmony!
I am one of those freaks who likes Christmas music and have it on all month in my home. I consider myself a Pagan Christian in the sense that I believe in the message rather than the trappings of the religion. More along the lines of the original Christians. So that’s how I experience the music as well. As for Christmas items out so early well it certainly gives people a chance to spread out their purchaces. Helps with the paycheck and the planning who gets what! If I don’t need any of that, I just don’t go down those aisles. Of course, I would much prefer that we take the commercialism out. Sadly though, all those reworkings of Scrooge, all the tales of the unselfish this or that, all those beautiful songs like The Gift fall by the wayside because commercialism is the driving force of our lives, economy, and values.
Religion is what we make of it and I would rather make peace and all those other wonderful frou frous.
My opinion in this matter is that, it should be Holidays rather than Christmas. Christmas is a Christian concept. However since the Winter Solstice is just a few days before Christmas..it is a time for Pagan/Wiccan/etc to celebrate. Therefore the time of year should be holiday rather than christmas. I must admit that I am unfamiliar with Jewish or Hindu etc celebrate this time of year. Overall..I personally think that it is all commercial so people will spend more money than they have, and the message of this time of year has been forgotten by many people Christian/Pagan/Jewish etc. Personally, I will celebrate the Winter Solstice in the way i choose, the way it is meant to be and as noncommercial as possible.
I can tell you as a wal-mart employee they are trying realy hard to stay on that list BUT there are a few things in the store you can find that say Christmas on them…..
this year we have been ordered to call “black friday”, “THE EVENT” lol. Ugh….. question….. Wasn’t “thanksgiving” ours before it was “their’s”?
and even still when the white man came to “America” wasn’t this great feast to selibrate te harvest and thank the “Natives” for helping the “white man” through the year and teaching them how to farm the land?…… hhhhmmmmmmm!!!!! I think us “Heathens” should be making more noise about all of this than what we are!!
a statmeant of things most may have over looked……
listen closely to the “Merry Chritmas” song…… YULE Tidings we bring for you and your kin, yule tidings for Christmas and a happy new year!!!”
sorry I MUST give creddit were it is due!
tmana….
I have to say that the first thing I remember of “santa claus” was not a coke comercial, but a cartoon from abot 30 years ago…… t’was the one were “Nicholas” gave toys to all the little dutch kids in norther europe, durring the winter festivals of the elves, knomes, and fairies!!
he faught the winter wiazard….. O and “Jackfrost” hope one of the 200 channels play it again this year My papuses will love it!!
Wait until they see the Gap commercial. Group of well dressed kids praising Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa AND Solstice. They even do formations that show the menorah and a sun. Their panties will REALLY be in a wad when they see it!
Gap was a nice surprise; in their newest holiday commercial they mention, among the standard list, Solstice. This list that the LC produces helps those of us who are on the other side of things. We can now boycott those who mention Christmas exclusively and shop off of the naughty side. Besides who doesn’t mind being a little naughty during the holidays anyway.
By definition, they should call themselves the AntiLiberty Council.
On page three of their Naughty & Nice list they mention that K-Mart mentions “Christmas” instead of “holiday”…but it has a frowny-face beside it.
Just thought I’d point that out.
Thanks for posting this Patti! Very enlightening.
Seriously, don’t they have anything better to do than worry about what stores use what terminology?
I just wanted to also comment on the GAP commercial. My husband and I were SOOO thrilled that they mention “Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa and SOLSTICe”!! We even rewound the channel to make sure they said what we thought they said..lol. I just wish people could remember what this season is really about. Not sales and who gets what from whom. I wish everyone of any faith to have a blessed season!
Warmly,
Brynn “Witchita”
I work at a retail store and we had Christmas stuff in BEFORE Halloween,I’m already tired of it.We have one customer that was saying Merry Christmas November 1st.I live in a small town full of Christains,and I’ll just smile when they tell me Merry Christmas,and say Happy Holidays.
Can we start a list of companies that keep the real reason for the season in focus and put GAP at the top of the list? How about folks who portray witches as attractive instead of having a big wart on thier nose? BTW i have been annoyed while trying to read my pagan/wiccan newsletter by the bombardment of animated ads for the Mormans. Would they tollerate a giggly ad campaign for pagan/wiccan religion while they read their LDS newsletter? all in all I find my faith helps me to be tollerant of everyone, no matter how annoying or ignorant.
blessed be
Just who took away whose holiday? The Winter Solstice, the real and original reason for the season, predates Christmas by at least 3,000 years, possibly as much as 8,000. The seasonal aspect reminds us of our common humanity and shared fate on this planet. We could use some renewed sensitivity to the Earth right now. And with so many people still suffering due to the recession, why not fight a war against poverty, hunger, and homelessness this season instead?
Personally, I love Christmas. It’s my favourite holiday season of the year.
I love the iconic scenes of happiness and snow that Christmas always has – and it’s overall warm, fuzzy feelings of friends and family. And to me, that’s more important than whose holiday it is. It doesn’t matter if it’s the Christian’s Christmas or the Pagan’s Yule – I’m Catholic-Druid, by the way – the point of the celebration is friends and family.
Friends or Foe Christmas is just being alienating by forgetting that there are other religions that do have our celebrations at this time of year, too. But these kinds of people aren’t really worth taking up my time with, because ultimately they’re going to be on the losing end of the battle if they’re going to keep alienating all other religions.
I have to admit, I love, love, love Christmas songs. I was brought up singing them. I carol every year at hotels and malls. I am a singer because I started with Christmas songs. But I am also a Druid, and I am proud of both sides of my heritage where this celebration is concerned.
I don’t really care that Christians took the Pagan Yule celebration. Early Christians used Yule as a cause for celebration, of rejoicing and birth. I’m perfectly fine with that because it’s not like they’re going around saying “Okay Yule is Christmas now, live with it.” Some modern Christians might do, but early ones didn’t – and that’s a sad product of today’s culture, but that doesn’t mean we have to go about lambasting every single one of them. That would only degrade us to the level of the ‘extremist’ Christians.
Commercial or not, Christmas/Yule is not my holiday. It’s not your holiday, either. It’s our holiday – a holiday for the whole of humanity and the human race.
This cracks me up every year! lol
Why must we listen to all this “grinching” every year. I’m so tired of others deciding what I’m supposed to do with MY holidays (sigh).
ah well….Happy Yule (grin)
Keita (19) said: it’s not like they’re going around saying “Okay Yule is Christmas now, live with it.” Some modern Christians might do, but early ones didn’t –
Actually Keita, that’s exactly what the early Christians did. From around 500 to 1000 CE, Northern Europe was soaked in the blood of pagan/heathens who would not give up their native religion and it’s celebrations.
In keeping with the ‘peace on earth’ of the season, I say Happy Yuletide. It covers my own beliefs and most Christians think it’s just another word for Christmas.
You tell them, Patti! I laughed so hard at the “whining” part I almost choked on my cookie. I totally agree with you. People need to grow up & realize the blessings they have in life regardless of their religious preferences.
I hate to say it, but I think they do just like whining about anything and everything they think they can. Their time would be better spent if they did something like a food drive, but at least to them, whining is more fun.
And in relation to what Lori F said, Christmas music is always a problem for me, my roommate loves Christmas music. the strange thing is, she’s Pagan too!
Oh BRAVO Vandreyer and Keita ! Well said. Be at peace people. If someone wants to pass on a blessing of happiness, why fight it? Bright Blessings!