By Editor Bob Terry
Was it a “liberal conspiracy” to remove religion from popular culture that caused some retail giants and local business alike to take Christmas out of their advertisements and greetings during this season of the year in 2005? Some are adamant that it was.
Others are just as adamant that the decision to use Happy Holidays was nothing more than an expression of greed and materialism as retailers large and small opted to be politically correct last year and not offend those who do not celebrate Christmas.
Whatever the reason, those who chose Happy Holidays over Merry Christmas ran into such a backlash that most beat a hasty retreat. This year, stores and businesses are once again filled with Christmas greetings, carols and signs about Christmas.
Wal-Mart, the world’s largest retailer, has gained most of the publicity about the change. Perhaps that is appropriate since Wal-Mart was singled out last year for the brunt of the criticism. But other major chains also have dumped Happy Holiday greetings and advertisements. The list includes Target, Kmart, Walgreens and Sears. This year, Macy’s once again has a Christmas tree standing in Herald Square in New York where last year stood a Holiday tree.
Some major businesses never adopted the Happy Holidays greeting, stores like Kohl’s. Some, like Best Buy, continue to use the politically correct term because they “do not want to offend anyone.”
Interestingly this sensitivity to those who do not celebrate Christmas comes at the expense of the vast majority of Americans who do. A recent Baylor University study found 82 percent of Americans identify themselves as Christians. And for Christians, Christmas is a special celebration. It is the annual celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, the time when “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”
Christmas is a spiritual time of the year for those who believe in Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. Yes, this spiritual observance seems to be becoming more of a festival of consumer avarice and excess. Abandoning any reference to Christmas because of its spiritual foundation would be another downward step in the process. That certainly would not help in recovering the true meaning of this season of the year.
What caused these major chains and local businesses to abandon their Happy Holidays themes? Marisa Bluestone, a spokeswoman for Wal-Mart, said it best when she told a newspaper reporter, “We’ve listened to our customers and associates and they wanted Christmas back at Wal-Mart. … We’ve learned our lesson. This year, we’re not afraid to say ‘Merry Christmas.’”
The merchants listened to threatened boycotts if they did not mend their ways. They took seriously the petitions circulated by national organizations and by local citizens unhappy with their actions. They listened to comments on talk radio and complaints from local customers. They read letters to the editor in newspapers across the nation that complained about abandoning the Christmas theme.
Business and civic leaders experienced conferences with citizens of their communities who wanted to make sure Christmas was observed in their communities. On page 1 of this week’s issue is a story about the efforts of one Alabama Baptist Sunday School class to help its community celebrate Christmas instead of accepting Happy Holidays.
Those who question the value of speaking out about public issues only have to look at the difference the chorus of protests made on whether this is the Holiday season or the Christmas season. The people spoke and it made a difference.
To this writer, it is telling that the Wal-Mart spokeswoman said, “This year, we’re not afraid to say ‘Merry Christmas.’” Afraid to say, “Merry Christmas!” Afraid of whom? The atheists? The Muslims? The politically correct? Those who do not celebrate Christmas? Is there pressure to abandon Christmas because it reminds people of the Christian culture surrounding the holiday?
If that is so, then the issue may be more about conspiracy than about greed.
Either way, the flap over whether to say, “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays” illustrates the importance of Christians speaking out about their faith and cultural values. Concerns from the Christian community may help counter pressures from other sources. Speaking out may embolden someone to do what he or she believed right but was hesitant to do. Most of all, speaking out for faith and cultural values will help Christians be “salt and light” in a world that desperately needs the Christian witness.
All of us are indebted to those who spoke out in favor of Merry Christmas over Happy Holidays, and we thank those businesses and community leaders who heard our concerns.
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