This Christmas season, whether a store greets you with “Happy Holidays” or “Merry Christmas” makes all the difference where you should do your shopping, says a Christian legal group.
Liberty Counsel is urging Christians to fight back to save Christmas from being erased from the public sphere by shopping at stores that honor instead of disregard Christmas.
The Fla.-based legal group released the first draft of its “Naughty & Nice” checklist Monday to advise consumers on which businesses to support.
Businesses and retailers are placed on the “Nice” list if they recognize Christmas and on the “Naughty” list if they censor or exclude the Dec. 25 holiday.
“Every consumer should make a list and check it twice, stop patronizing retailers which are naughty and shop at those which are nice,” said Mathew D. Staver, the group’s founder and chairman.
“Retailers which seek to profit from Christmas while pretending it does not exist should realize they have offended the vast majority of Americans who enjoy Christmas,” added Staver.
Home Depot was among the stores that made the “Naughty” list. Phrases such as “Holiday Gift Center” and “Holiday Decorations” adorn the store’s website without any mention of Christmas. Even Christmas trees are simply described as “Artificial Trees.”
Other business on the “Naughty” list included K-Mart, Nordstorm, Best Buy, Gap, Sprint, and Office Max, among others.
Some “Nice” businesses included Amazon, Macy’s, JC Penny, WalMart, and American Eagle Outfitters.
“Customers have a choice,” said Staver, “and they will not patronize corporate Scrooges.”
The list was released as part of Liberty Counsel’s fifth annual Friend or Foe Christmas Campaign, in which the group is pledging to be a "Friend" to those entities which do not censor Christmas and a "Foe" to those that do.
The “Naughty or Nice” list was compiled from information gathered by individual consumers and is updated whenever new information is received.
On the Web: The complete “Naughty & Nice” checklist at www.lc.org.
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Well said, joyousjoy.This goes much deeper than whether the word "Holiday" is acceptable.I think it is.However, if you ask the average store manager why they do not use the word "Christmas", he/she will probably tell you that the store does not want to offend anyone.That makes it deliberate, and therefore unacceptable(at least to some of us).
I'm amazed at people who always seem to miss the "bigger picture". This isn't about the words "Merry Christmas". It's about Christian freedom, discrimination against Christians, and tradition. If it was just about mere words, I do not think anyone would take such a passionate stand.
This is a bit off topic, but I recently ran into the most perfect Christian Christmas present. They're called Charity Checks (www.charitychecks.us). They are gift certificates that can be used at nonprofits. Of all of the Christian gifts to give, Charity Checks is one that really sends Jesus' message about helping others. I hope you check it out!
Shees. About forever I assumed the "happy holidays" was about the catching both Christmas and New Years holidays in a simple greeting. I'm positive it never meant nothing more than that. That is until some freaks used it to agitate some of the easily agitated over nothing. Just a waste of time.
Why are we so worried about the words "Merry Christmas"? I really could care less if someone wishes me a Merry Christmas or if I see the words Merry Christmas. I know what Christmas is all about and I know how I celebrate the birth of the Savior. Christians have, for whatever reason, decided to let these trivial things drive us crazy. We get so worked up about K-Mart saying Happy Holidays. If we would get about the Father's business and talk to people about coming to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ we wouldn't have time to worry about something so petty.
Jesus Himself said, There are those people who are for Him and there are those who are against Him. Those that were against HIm when He was on earth had Him crucified to try and stamp out what He stood for, but he rose from the dead on the third day and that is what Christmas is about..
Those stores who refuse to celebrate the birth, death and resurrection of the risen Savior are doing the same things today those who crucified him 2,000 years ago tried to do. They were trying to stamp out any claims of Him being who He said He was and any memory of His existence. They thought killing HIm would do the trick, but it only caused His teachings to spread around the world.
Are these naughty businesses on this list not attempting to do the same thing today by their refusal to acknowledge the day set aside to honor Him? What those people did 2000 years ago only served to draw those who believed in Him closer together, and that will be the end result of these corporations attempts to remove Him from our memory in this day and time.
So, yes it does make a difference to the Lord whether or not people honor Him by honoring the day set aside to pay tribute to Him. Those who are for Him should boycott these corporate owned stores who are aligning themselves against Him.
These corporations may not realize what they are doing, but they are pushing Christians to come to the realization there are still people in this world and in our country who hate Christ and what He represents. The end result of their labor will only serve to make Christians draw closer together until we become united. Now, that is God's plan!
This is one atheist who loves Christmas--I won't let the Xians take it away from me. Remember, the tilt of the earth's axis is the reason for the season!
“Retailers which seek to profit from Christmas while pretending it does not exist should realize they have offended the vast majority of Americans who enjoy Christmas,” added Staver.
How dare they try to offend so many Americans during this time of:
Mass shopping.
Mass credit card debt.
Mass anxiety.
Mass stress.
Mass depression.
Mass rudeness.
Mass greed.
Mass waste.
Mass rushing.
Mass paganism.
Mass idolatry.
And mass hysteria!
I'm one of those Christians who won't spend my money at a store if they make a big deal out of the word "Christmas". The thing is, I don't "carry on" about it... I just don't do it. That's a personal choice that I have made. I have made that choice because I feel it's time for Christians to take a stand against the discrimination of Christianity. It's not a matter of thinking that Christmas = shopping... To make a comment that someone who takes that stand should "spend some of that time and energy remembering Christ at Christmas" is VERY presumptuous. While I"m sure some would read and applaud; you assume to know that we DON'T spend that time focusing on Christ. Is there conflict with buying gifts and celebrating Christ's gift? Can I not do both?
Our Christian celebration of Christmas has NOTHING to do with buying gifts. If Christians, who spend so much time carrying on about stores that won't use the word "Christmas", would spend some of that time and energy remembering Christ at Christmas, what a wonderful thing that would be.
Hey WiccanTexan, long time no talk to. Sorry I haven't been over to Beliefnet, I'm going through a major change of heart concerning my faith right now and haven't felt ready to deal with a seeker sensitive board.
No worries....the yarn was made in Turkey :) Speaking of which, Happy Thanksgiving if I don't see you again before next Thursday.
RBB, make sure that yarn wasn't dyed in China!
If the company doesn't get federal $$$, they have every right to say "Merry Christmas" or whatever. If I'm offended, I can shop elsewhere. But speaking from my non-Christian perspective, it doesn't bother me at all to hear "Merry Christmas." I have better things to do than take issue with a simple, well-meant greeting.
This might be something to try...
If someone greets you with "Happy Holidays" you could respond to them "Merry Christmas" or even better "Jesus Loves You!"
Just an idea...
I just went by the Home Depot site, and though they classify them as "Artificial Trees" they have a big promo saying "Christmas Trees, shipped for free." I guess they're not entirely Scrooges...
I'm tired of people censoring Christmas. Nothopeless1 has it right - God forbid we offend a non-Christian.. but who cares if a Christian gets offended? It's so true. I think this Christmas I will try to say Merry Christmas instead of Happy Holidays and I will try not to shop at stores such as Lowe's, who, I recently read, insists on calling Christmas trees "family trees". Political correctness gone wayyy too far!!
I personally don't think God would get too caught up in how we greet people - be it Merry Christmas, or Happy Holidays... There IS a much bigger picture. However, I still would not shop at stores if they make "Christmas" an issue. The reason is because of the underlying thrust behind this whole thing - to separate everything from Christianity. We can't include Christianity in ANYthing because it might offend, but no one cares if Christians are offended - until it comes down to the dollar anyway. If they're afraid they're going to offend a large enough group of people, they will start sending out fence-sitting "apologies".
I'd go to a store that could assure me that the toys I'm buying for my grandchildren had been tested and were safe. Right now I'm crocheting them all afghans for Christmas as I won't take the chance of hurting them. Mercifully at this point they are all young enough to think that a blanket made by their grandmother is a fun thing.
Zeno - I don't know how I feel about boycotting stores on the "Naughty" list. I try not to do much shopping this time of year at all. But I would take care proposing to know what exactly God does or does not care for, or how He feels about the issue.
This is so incredibly stupid to begin with. Do we really care if a store says Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays? Holidays means Holy Day... so basically everyone is arguing over semantics.
I personally go to the store who has the lowest cost for whatever I am buying. Either way, Christ could care less.