Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Grinch List
The Grinch List ^ | December 2003 | unknown

Posted on 12/11/2003 6:52:25 AM PST by WashingtonSource

Have you wondered why the public celebration of Christmas is an endangered tradition? Stroll into many retail stores and you will soon learn that most references to “Christmas” have been eliminated. Instead, what you’ll find is a not too subtle version of censorship that attempts to expunge any association of Christmas with the holiday season. Moreover, you will notice an aggressive marketing approach that substitutes traditional Christmas nomenclature with the term “Holiday.”

Most of us like to visit the festive Christmas sections of department stores, specialty shops, and nurseries in hope of finding a Christmas ornament, lighting fixture, stocking stuffer or tree for the upcoming season. Yet, to our dismay, these as well as other traditional Christmas items have been relabeled with the term "holiday" – irrespective of the fact that Christmas is celebrated by millions of Americans each year. Instead, we find ourselves shopping for an elusive "holiday."

You load up on holiday ornaments, holiday bows, holiday lighting, holiday wreaths, holiday Santa’s, and even holiday trees! And then it occurs to you, which holiday do they mean?! You think you know - surely the sales person, manager, and corporate elite know - since they are taking your money. Sadly, millions of Americans know, yet all are afraid to ask. You quietly purchase your holiday loot and leave. You suppress the thought, but deep down inside, you feel sort of... funny. It’s hard to describe, but you remember what it was like back then – perhaps ten years ago, maybe twenty - when the public celebration of Christmas wasn’t banned. You remember a time when you could wish someone Merry Christmas without feeling, let’s say, slightly offensive. But you quickly push the thought aside and continue humming “we wish you a merry HOLIDAY “– no, it’s Christmas, right?

Christmas is celebrated by almost 2 billion people worldwide. 240 million Americans celebrate Christmas in one form or another – that’s at least 80% of the population. Unfortunately there seems to be a systematic approach to treat Christmas differently than any of the other holidays we recognize. You most certainly will find products for Hanukah, Kwanzaa, and perhaps Ramadan. Surely, no one would think of renaming the Menorah the "holiday candelabra" – nor should they. People of the other religions and cultures would never tolerate such revisionism, yet why do we? Perhaps, more importantly, why do they think they can get away with it?

In most public schools, businesses, and government offices, the mere mention of the word “Christmas” is a pejorative term that is practically censored out of existence. Paradoxically, many of these institutions have been on a “Diversity” and “Inclusion” campaign that celebrate every conceivable culture, language, and nationality. Public schools celebrate “Hispanic Heritage Month” embracing the emergence of the largest pool of new Immigrants, yet fail to mention that this same group has contributed equally to the growth of the Christian and Catholic ranks. Visit the U.S. Capitol lawn in December and witness the “holiday tree” in its entire glory. Walk into your nearest middle school or public library and admire the wonderful “holiday” wreath, tree, or whichever term the powers-that-be decide would be less offensive to those who don't celebrate Christmas.

And if you decide you want to venture into the malls to do a little shopping, you'll discover how the icons and vestiges of other religions are embraced, while the Christmas equivalent is that of giant holiday ornaments, flying reindeer and Santa's village - all with the ubiquitous "holiday" mantra. The examples go on and on and on...

I recently asked a marketing executive of the Discovery Store's corporate office why they engaged in revisionist marketing and promotion? The response I received was astonishing. I was told that they did not want to “offend” those who do not celebrate Christmas, hence the term “holiday!” My response was that I thought that executives who managed their businesses without recognizing their target audiences, yet make money off of those same consumers should be fired.

In an age where the ACLU and the Americans United for the Separation of Church and State (AU) primarily attack Christian religious references in the public space, it's interesting to note that these same organizations refuse to challenge Maryland public school policies within districts only a few miles outside our nation's capital that officially recognizing Passover and Yom Kippur as school sanctioned holidays, while at the same time conveniently disregarding Christian holidays as First Amendment fodder. The hypocrisy is palpable, yet the double standard saddening.

Christmas is our heritage. Admittedly, it has been commandeered and secularized by many of the same institutions and businesses that now seek to erase it. Whether it was for the sake of the bottom line or a maniacally political interpretation of the First Amendment, it has been used and abused for decades. Christians stood by while anything religious was supplanted with everything commercial, except by name. Now, the revisionists want to wash it away completely. But what the perpetrators fail to recognize (or don’t care about) is that for 2 billion people, Christmas is a religion, culture, and a tradition that can’t be deleted like a mistake on a word processor. In, fact, it’s a faith that’s growing in many parts of the world. From our perspective, it’s a gift to the world that’s celebrated with passion, joy, love and, yes, a little commercialism – but it’s still Christmas.


TOPICS: Editorial; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: bahhumbug; christmas; merrychristmas; pc; shopping
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061 next last
To: sandyeggo
Great news about Fox! It's so wonderful to have alternative ways of breaking out from the suffocating presence of the liberal media establishment that now includes the liberal retail establishment. Merry Christmas, Fox!
21 posted on 12/11/2003 7:20:11 AM PST by WashingtonSource (It's Christmas, not a mystery 'holiday')
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: AppyPappy
Easter is the most important of Christian holidays. The only reason why it hasn't been elevated to the level of Christmas is there is only so much Americans can do with the secular Easter Bunny. Now Christmas and gifts, were always a different matter.
22 posted on 12/11/2003 7:21:55 AM PST by Pan_Yans Wife ("Your joy is your sorrow unmasked." --- GIBRAN)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: WashingtonSource
Actually, saying "Christmas" is far less un-PC than saying "Bah Humbug". Even in the places that carry highly irreverant t-shirts and buttons, I can't find any humbug stuff.

-Eric

23 posted on 12/11/2003 7:25:09 AM PST by E Rocc (The Grinch and Scrooge both sold out in the end.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BSunday
Mu guess is that it is something that can be played on the computer or DVD player.
24 posted on 12/11/2003 7:25:43 AM PST by sarasota
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: AppyPappy
I'm glad to hear that!
25 posted on 12/11/2003 7:25:49 AM PST by Sunshine Sister
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: Pan_Yans Wife
Easter is the most important of Christian holidays.
I have noticed that over the last ten to fifteen years, Christmas has become "the holiday season", more secular as well as interminably long. Simultaneously, Easter has become more religious and less of a big deal on a secular level.

-Eric

26 posted on 12/11/2003 7:27:22 AM PST by E Rocc (This looks like a job for Mr. Hankey)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: WashingtonSource
I just visited grinchlist.com, and sent an email to my family and friends to let them know about it.

Department stores should get their market research wizards busy, and see who's lining their pockets.

I still have lots of CHRISTMAS shopping yet to do, and I'll do it in a store that hasn't forgotten what this holiday is REALLY about.

I don't don't deny other faiths their holiday, and I don't appreciate mine being denied. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

27 posted on 12/11/2003 7:28:46 AM PST by LisaMalia (Buckeye Fan since birth!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: E Rocc
You rarely see 'bah humbug' items, I agree. Howeer, I do believe I have seen an occasional T-shirt with a humbug message on it T-shirt stores.
28 posted on 12/11/2003 7:28:53 AM PST by WashingtonSource (It's Christmas, not a mystery 'holiday')
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: LisaMalia
I've barely begun Christmas shopping and I'm only going to shop where they use the word 'Christmas.' Around here -- Washington, P.C. -- that's not easy to do.
29 posted on 12/11/2003 7:30:40 AM PST by WashingtonSource (It's Christmas, not a mystery 'holiday')
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: WashingtonSource
This is how absurd this whole thing has become.

The other day, I went into the Pentagon City Mall in Arlington, Va.

There was a sign saying, "Have your kids' pictures taken with Santa in front of the Holiday Tree".

Holiday Tree?

30 posted on 12/11/2003 9:29:02 AM PST by chs68
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: AppyPappy
We had a Muslim student at my daughter's school(public) complain about the Christmas Carols. They told him to go sit in the hall if it bothered him.

Good for them!

31 posted on 12/11/2003 10:09:29 AM PST by talleyman (God bless FR & Merry Christmas!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: chs68
Actually, it is not just stores, but malls that need to be boycotted (for censoring Christmas) or supported for honoring Christmas. I live near Ballston Mall in Arlington, Va. I cannot find any mention of Christmas anywhere in the mall. The key department store is Hecht's, which is on the Grinch List. So, I'm not going to be shopping there. Plus, Hecht's has the most ignorant sales people I've ever seen. They don't even say Happy Holidays, let alone Merry Christmas. They know nothing about the merchandise they're selling. The Mall itself has been using the same decorations for years and they look it -- tired and worn out.
32 posted on 12/11/2003 5:06:53 PM PST by WashingtonSource (It's Christmas, not a mystery 'holiday')
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: ItsTheMediaStupid
That is very poor reasoning. Christmas is the holiday's name. There is another holiday and that is called Hannukuh and I don't mind calling it by it's proper name. BTW, Ramaden is called Ramadan - not "happy holiday" either. This is the Christmas season, named after the celebration of the Son of God. If you don't agree with that, pick another "holiday" of your chooosing - don't twist, demean, or ruin CHRISTmas.
33 posted on 12/11/2003 5:25:23 PM PST by Libertina (FReepers of a feather flock together...isn't life great?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: asphyxiatrilogies
I celebrate Christmas, so what if my neighbour doesn't? I'm not going to jam it down his throat... that's unethical and unconstitutional.

I don't see anyone advocating a state-sponsored religion, and as I understand it, we don't have a constitutional right never to be confronted with objects of another person's faith. What people are asking for is for retail establishments to give Christians the same consideration they give Jewish people and Muslims, and not try to push them into a closet.

34 posted on 12/11/2003 5:35:51 PM PST by DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet (Martin wants me to change my tagline, and I do everything Martin says.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: sarasota
It's so stupid. I'm not offended by a Menorah (I think they're lovely), and my Muslim neighbors put lights on their house for Eid...and I survived it. What is so "offensive"? One of the towns on the list actually banned the appearance of Santa, who is, at this point, a completely non-religious symbol. Who is offended by Santa?
35 posted on 12/11/2003 5:39:53 PM PST by DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet (Martin wants me to change my tagline, and I do everything Martin says.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet
Who is offended by Santa?

I am. Since I am "Anti-Christmas Chad" tonight, I want to say that I find Santa offensive, because he's really fat, eats pretty much nothing but cookies, and uses animals for slave labor, and gives children the impression that you get free stuff... A very bad example if I ever saw one.

Ok, I'm just kidding... maybe... bwaaaaaaahahahahahahaha

36 posted on 12/11/2003 9:44:49 PM PST by Chad Fairbanks (Author of Children's books, including "Plastic Bag Space Helmet and Other Fun Activities")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: Chad Fairbanks
Dare I ask why you are "Anti-Christmas Chad" tonight? (I'll take your points about Santa into consideration.)
37 posted on 12/11/2003 10:23:24 PM PST by DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet
Well, apparently I can't tell who I'm going to be from night to night... Wait for the "Expose" heh heh heh
38 posted on 12/11/2003 10:25:19 PM PST by Chad Fairbanks (Author of Children's books, including "Plastic Bag Space Helmet and Other Fun Activities")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]

To: Chad Fairbanks
Oh, definitely. I'm looking forward to finding out who you really are. LOL
39 posted on 12/11/2003 10:29:16 PM PST by DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]

To: DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet
Oh, me too... I am giddily rubbing my hands together in anticipation... ;0)
40 posted on 12/11/2003 10:33:32 PM PST by Chad Fairbanks (Author of Children's books, including "Plastic Bag Space Helmet and Other Fun Activities")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 39 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson