Leaving the "Silent Majority!"

Last night, I did something I've never done before: I left the "silent majority."

Having become fed up with excuses of not saying "Christmas" because "someone might be offended" or "one person complained", I decided it was no longer appropriate to be silent.

So, after completing my project shopping list, I headed for Lowe's after dinner. I found what I needed, checked out and asked to speak to the manager. The usual horrified look appeared on the clerk's face, but I assured here "I want to compliment your store."

When the manager arrived, I told him that I'd never been in his store before, but he was looking at a new customer "solely because of Lowe's attitude to Christmas...'The Christmas Destination'" as their website proclaims.

Following this, I drove quite literally across the street to Home Depot. I went in and again asked to speak with the manager. I politely told her that I would not be shopping at Home Depot because they censor Christmas and I was tired of being in the silent majority.

She was actally surprised and told me that all the employees support Christmas, were having a Christmas party (hmmm...my own employer refuses to have a Christmas party!), and then produced several print ads with "Christmas trees" in them.

I felt a bit sorry for her, because her attitude clearly didn't reflect the corporate attitude. I showed her the web page on my iPhone, and I think she was surprised.

And, it could actually be that some ad writer in the bowels of their corporate marketing department did this on his/her own. If that is the case, I would sure hope Home Depot disciplines the person...maybe make them manage a store for a week and see just how difficult it is to get customers in the door and keep them coming back.

With the economy what it is, I am surprised that Home Depot would do something as ignorant as the "Holiday Tree" web page, especially when their chief competitor is often, as here in Vancouver, directly across the street.

At any rate, it felt quite liberating to speak my mind. Hopefully, both managers will forward my comments up the corporate ladder.