So, with the pervasive effort of businesses to strike “Christmas” from the lexicon, I’m still left with the question “why?”
Consider that the National Retail Foundation reports that 192 million Americans spent $41.2 Billion (with a B) between Friday and Sunday this year1 (November 27-29). Further, they say shoppers will buy more than $23 Billion (that B again) on gift cards2.
These are ENORMOUS numbers…that’s over almost $350 per person spent on Thanksgiving weekend. It’s obviously a fair estimate to say that the majority of these 192 million people were CHRISTMAS shopping.
With that in mind, and considering that some businesses to as much as 50% of the annual revenue in December, why on earth would any business risk offending the very shoppers that keep their stores afloat?
This is the true mystery of Christmas for me.
The only answer I can even postulate is that they know we’re just too stinkin’ lazy to actually do anything about it.
Let’s change our behavior! Let’s all shop at “Christmas Spirit” stores and not the “Humbug” stores. Let’s go back to joyfully saying “Merry Christmas!” with each purchase.
Remember how wonderful Christmas was when you were a child? Let’s give that legacy to our children and grandchildren and CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS this year and every year hence.
Just say YES! to “Merry Christmas!”
1: http://www.nrf.com/modules.php?name=News&op=viewlive&sp_id=841
2: http://www.nrf.com/modules.php?name=News&op=viewlive&sp_id=831
CHRISTMAS SCORECARD
Something good has happened! Old Navy (and parent) have been deluged with complaints and have actually responded. Beginning about December 1, they began actually running a Christmas commercial!
So, I will remove them from my Humbug list. I don’t think that realizing your revenues are going down the toilet and changing your mind ranks a “Christmas Spirit” rating, but maybe next year…IF THEY’RE GOOD!
However, there is a new CHRISTMAS SPIRIT addition: Dish Network. This is from their website http://dish.client.shareholder.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=427551:
“Since being called a “Patriot” on last night’s edition of “The O’Reilly Factor,” (http://bit.ly/4KW3xs), DISH Network has received an outpouring of both support and displeasure from people across the country over the use of the phrase “Merry Christmas” in a holiday greeting to customers. DISH Network acknowledges and respects the diversity of faith in our country, but at the same time recognizes the overwhelming majority that celebrate Christmas. We cannot imagine that Americans of all faiths would not want to embrace the spirit of the holiday and join us in wishing Christian Americans a very Merry Christmas.” (bolding is mine)
And MERRY CHRISTMAS to you DISH NETWORK!!
We do have an addition to the HUMBUG list: RADIO SHACK
"The Shack" has been working on an effort to 'rebrand' the company, and the nickname "The Shack" is part of it.
Too bad their new image COMPLETLY ELIMINATES CHRISTMAS from the company. As I always do when I get a tip on a company, I went to their website and searched for "Christmas". Often, I'll find a company that doesn't actually promote Christmas, but does sell things with the word Christmas in their title, such as "Christmas Cards" or "Christmas ornaments".
However, with Radio Shack, there isn't a single hit for "Christmas". That really sounds more like censorship than just being Politically Correct.
So, sorry 'Shack, I'll be buying my electronics elsewhere.
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I find that section (bold) from Dish to be very disturbing. The subtext/they are saying that there is something wrong with you if you do not embrace THEIR holiday spirit. You do not "respect the diversity of faith in our country" by implying such a thing. Their PR guy needs an editor... It could have been more better written... ;-)
ReplyDeleteHmmm. I think there is something wrong if you don't feel the spirit: You are infected with HUMBUG! :-)
ReplyDeleteSee: Scrooge, Ebenezer Q.
HUMBUG! :-)
ReplyDeleteSo you recommend a boycott of retail establishments that wish to address the multiple holidays that involved gift-giving in December? That's pretty silly.
ReplyDeleteSilly?
ReplyDeleteThe way you communicate as a consumer in a free market is with your spending.
And, by the way, there is only one holiday that has a tradition of gift giving in December.
What seems silly is to pretend otherwise.
No, what's silly is to pretend this issue is important enough that you'd use it as the basis for deciding on whether or not you'd shop there.
ReplyDeleteI'm impressed that you are actually continuing to blog about this trivial topic. I do admire keeping up with the blog and all, but aren't there more important issues to illuminate?
That's the beauty of this world: people have different interests. And, to me, this is very important.
ReplyDeleteAnd, it IS important enough to me to vote with my wallet.
And, at this moment, it is certainly the most important "cause" in my mind...at least until December 26th.