Wal-Mart Confronted on 'Happy Holidays' Options

[Chii]

Wal-Mart Confronted on 'Happy Holidays'
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - A group of religious protesters demonstrated outside a Wal-Mart superstore Saturday, hoping to turn away customers by calling attention to the retailer's decision to use "happy holidays" rather than "merry Christmas" in its seasonal advertising.

But even shoppers who agreed with the protesters weren't willing to interrupt their quest for holiday deals.

"I believe in Christ, and I don't like the use of 'xmas' or the use of 'happy holidays,'" said Steven Van Noy, 39, as he left the store loaded down with packages. "The bottom line is that they had what I needed at Wal-Mart, so I went to Wal-Mart to buy it."

Controversy over the secularization of Christmas is nothing new, but this year religious groups are publicly taking on retailers who have decided to tone down the religious aspects of the holiday in their store decorations and promotional material.

In an online petition, the American Family Association recently gathered more than 500,000 signatures asking Target to include Christmas in its promotions. Stores such as Sears and Wal-Mart are facing boycotts.

Wal-Mart spokeswoman Amy Wyatt said the company has made no effort to remove Christmas from its holiday ads. She said a promotion set to run from mid-November to early January was simply misunderstood: its slogan is "home for the holidays."

"It was a matter of choosing a slogan that carries through the entire season," Wyatt said. "The signs went up before Thanksgiving and won't be taken down until after New Year's. The idea was to focus on the family."

About 50 protesters took part in Saturday's demonstration, organized by religious leaders. d**k Otterstad of the Church of the Divide donned a Santa Claus costume and greeted shoppers with the message: Don't forget about the meaning of Christmas.

"It is insulting that Wal-Mart has chosen to ignore the reason for the season," Otterstad said. "Taking the word 'Christmas' out of the holiday implies there's something sinful about it. ... This is a part of our culture."

what is the big deal with "happy holidays"? not everyone celebrates christmas, have these people not heard of kwanzaa or hanukkah? "happy holidays" just covers all the bases.

[*digital.fragrance*]

It's not - it's just the push to get rid of "christ" that is disrespectful.

[Mulder]

It's not - it's just the push to get rid of "christ" that is disrespectful.

how is saying "happy holidays" getting rid of christ?

christmas = one day. one day.

the season is not christmas.

the month of december is not christmas

the holidays, therefore, are not exclusively christian.

can any non-jews tell me the story of hannukah.

and yet everyone knows what christmas is.

thats disrespectful.

[*digital.fragrance*]

how is saying "happy holidays" getting rid of christ?

christmas = one day. one day.

the season is not christmas.

the month of december is not christmas

the holidays, therefore, are not exclusively christian.

can any non-jews tell me the story of hannukah.

and yet everyone knows what christmas is.

thats disrespectful.

They used to say "Merry Christmas" - until someone said that was religious. They ought to say Happy Hannukah too - but they aren't allowed to say that either - so I suppose that it is disrespectful to both groups - not that fact that they aren't saying "Merry whatever" but the reason behind it.

3. So the meaning of Christmas is the birth of Christ, YAYAYAYAY, however, December 25th isn't Christ's birthday.
4. Respect works both ways. Christians aren't the only ones with holy days, you see, the Pagans celebrated Yule before Christians celebrated Christmas on that same day. It would be disrespectful to accept a younger religion's celebration as the only thing holy on Dec. 25th.
5. Christianity may be the most dominant religion, but the combined number of non-Christians would be dominant group.

3. No one is quite sure when His birthday was - therefore we choose to celebrate it on Dec. 25th.
4. Then everyone needs to change the actual name of the holiday. The push to remove anything Christian is limiting our freedom - store empolyees ought to have the right to say "Merry Christmas."
5. Who cares about dominance. Every people group ought to have a voice - ought to have the right to say "Merry Christmas" at their jobs.

[*mona lisa*]

4.  Then everyone needs to change the actual name of the holiday.  The push to remove anything Christian is limiting our freedom - store empolyees ought to have the right to say "Merry Christmas."
5.  Who cares about dominance.  Every people group ought to have a voice - ought to have the right to say "Merry Christmas" at their jobs.

4. That, my friend, does not make sense. A single person did not come up with the name for this "holiday". Employees DO have the right to say Merry Christmas, but there is no reason why a Christian or any customer should be angry about Happy Holidays being said to them. No one is trying to remove any Christian meaning of any Christian holiday. Is it wrong to take into account the other holidays that take place around the same time, which happens to be celebrated by people from other cultures?

5. "Who cares about dominance"? Why did you say that Christianity is the dominant religion in the first place?

[*digital.fragrance*]

4. That, my friend, does not make sense. A single person did not come up with the name for this "holiday". Employees DO have the right to say Merry Christmas, but there is no reason why a Christian or any customer should be angry about Happy Holidays being said to them.
5. "Who cares about dominance"? Why did you say that Christianity is the dominant religion in the first place?

4. They shouldn't, but the reason behind it (they removed "Merry Christmas") should. The holiday called "christmas" is a much cultural as religious. There is no reason to remove it, but they do anyway.
5. I didn't - someone else in this thread did. I was just responding to other points made.