Retailers Land on the 2011 'Naughty or Nice' List for Holiday Shopping

The American Family Association released its “Naughty or Nice” list for this year, a report that documents which retail outlets acknowledge Christmas in their seasonal advertising and other criteria pertaining to the Christian holiday in stores' media.

This year’s list created three categories for retailers including their seasonal advertising, in-store displays and music.

Randy Sharp, AFA’s director of special projects, recently listed some of the stores that were opposed to using the word Christmas in their advertising and media, such as: Barnes & Noble, The Gap, Old Navy, Radio Shack, Staples, Walgreens and Office Depot.

These particular retailers subsequently fell into the Naughty category.

Walgreen's made its way to the Naughty list in the past, but in recent years the store was listed in the Nice section, according to Sharp.

Some of the retailers that landed on the Nice, or pro-Christmas list, include Walmart, Sears, Super D Drugs and many smaller department stores like Belk. These chain stores recognize Christmas on their website, in their stores and on their advertising.

The AFA encourages the public to contribute information concerning retailers and where they stand in the “Naughty or Nice” categories.

Some Christians expressed their opinions about this list through Facebook.

“I am a committed and hopefully faithful follower of Christ,” wrote Scott Allen Sipe. “However, this is an annual pet peeve. Why in the world does it matter if secular retailers, whose business is to sell merchandise or services, acknowledge or don’t acknowledge Christmas?”

Despite some believers and nonbelievers frustrations, most major retail outlets made it to the Nice list including online retailer Amazon, Macy’s, Marshals, Costco, Toys R US and more.