Why are Retailers Embarrassed About Christmas?

11.20.02 | mlmr

[mlmr]

The Christmas stock is out in the stores. There are scads of snowmen, Santas, reindeer and other items craving for your dollar. But interestingly enough, when one asks for religious Christmas items, at most stores, which serve a public that is conservatively estimated to be about 67% practicing Christian, there is nothing for sale.

No Christian based ornaments, hardly any Nativity scenes, and Christmas card... “Well Lady, I have robins, joke cards, Santas, dressed and nude, as well as lovely winter scenes and smart looking graphics.” Nativity scene? Magnificent reproductions of famous religious Nativities painted by the Masters? Ummm...no.

Some clerks make a weak smile and point out their extensive angel ornaments...others are belligerent and say firmly: "No we don't carry that sort of thing here." One owner said she did not carry religious Christmas items because people would be offended.

Guess what? I am offended. Every time I walk into a store decked out in its Christmas finest and cannot find any religious Christian items, I am offended. Every time I walk through huge displays of Christmas knickknacks and have to hunt to a bottom shelf of dark aisle to find a small nativity or Christian Advent calendar, I am offended. Every time a walk into a store with a brimming Menorah display, but no equally brimming nativity display, I am offended. (I have nothing against Hanukkah, I just want my religious tradition upheld with respect too. After all we are talking about 2% of the US population versus 67%.)

It is odd. When I talk to clerks about the availability of religious items in their stores, most also tell me that many people ask for them, but there just isn't anything available. Funny, that there is a need and no will to fill it.

I am equally offended by the Christians who are oblivious. Who no longer expect their tradition will be honored by having its items made available through retailers. Christian who don't want to rock the boat. Christians who don't want to seems too pushy or too religious.

I recommend that all thinking Christians go into retailers and ask where the Christian religious objects are located. If there are no religious objects available, perhaps it is time to tell the retailer how disappointed and offended that your religious tradition is being dismissed.

So I have decided to be offended...and to let people know...that true plurality honors even the faith of the majority and dominant culture. I encourage you to do the same...it confuses 'em when we use their words and phrases against 'em.

[carton253]

There was a Hills Department Store commercial that comes on this time of year.

It is the picture of a desert, with huge dunes (almost hills)... the camera pans down to a man, leading a woman on a donkey...

The voice over says... Before there was this... (all has to do with the holiday stuff)... Before there was that... (again that has to do with the holiday hustle and bustle), there was a silent night.

Then the star appears in the sky.

Merry Christmas from all of us at Hills.

Great Commercial!

[mlmr]

They got what they wanted too.

How sad. The tyranny of the minority.

[mlmr]

Can you say IRONY?

Yes, and moreso I can say "Sad."

[Dick Bachert]

Gee, this could explain much of what's going on here in the former "land of the free and home of the brave."

“When the religion of a people is destroyed, doubt gets hold of the higher powers of the intellect, and half paralyzes all the others. Every man accustoms himself to have only confused and changing notions on the subjects most interesting to his fellow-creatures and himself. His opinions are ill-defined and easily abandoned; and, in despair of ever solving by himself the hard problems respecting the destiny of man, he ignobly submits to think no more about them. Such a condition cannot but enervate the soul, relax the springs of the will, and prepare the people for servitude. Not only does this happen, in such a case, that they allow their freedom to be taken from them; they themselves frequently surrender it.” ---Alexis de Tocqueville, “Democracy in America” (1840)

[mlmr]

Then the star appears in the sky.

It sounds so beautiful your description brought tears to my eyes. I think I am reacting so viscerally because we don't see this sort of thing any more in the public square. It is hidden in Churches and homes. How powerful!

[mlmr]

prepare the people for servitude

It could. I am not letting go of my faith and I am going to demand that it has a role in the culture.

[glory]

This has some truth to it. I have difficulty finding nativity things in many stores. Even Hallmark, while they have a couple of ornaments, don't even have a display of the nativity. I don't even remember seeing advent calenders there this year and I know they carried them for years--we used to open them as kids! I've found quite a number of things at Walmart...I mean everything from tradition nativities you would set up in the home in a variety of sizes to light up nativities to ornaments and many and much more variety of boxed cards that center on the true meaning of Christmas.
I appreciate this post. Even if we arent' looking in retail stores, this is a head's up while we are decorating to be sure we include lot's of the true meaning of Christmas. I can already see my 4 yr old getting giddy about Santa with a passing glance at where she should really be focused. I'm thinking it might be time to burst the Santa bubble--any opinions? I am really worried about her getting too focused on Santa and it's starting to happen.

[glory]

Agreed, I'm in central Ohio and we have quite a bit of nativity themed items. In fact, many are sold out that they have displayed so perhaps they don't carry enough? I know I'm one looking for something in particular.

[mlmr]

Perhaps we should email the above essay to local stores and newspapers...

[glory]

Not true here, in fact Walmart is the least offensive in this regard in our area. Plenty of nativity oriented stuff.

[HIDEK6]

Since December 25th is no more an accurate date of Jesus' birth as, say, October 12th, why not just find a new date for Christians to celebrate the date for what it represents without all the public clutter?

You make a very good point!

If the secularists want Christmas all to themselves, why don't the churches get together and redefine the date that Christ was born. With today's scholarship, you'd think they could pin that down retty close.

Then, the secularist Christmas would OFFICIALLY be the winter holidays and Christmas would be Christmas.

I wonder what kind of screaming would go on if we took Christmas away from them. I mean, what could they say? They themselves denied that it was Christmas anyway.

Know what I'm sayin'?

[mlmr]

We celebrate Santa but the theme is Christ centered. Santa is the embodiment of the happiness of the world with the coming of the Infant Jesus. It made the people so happy the happiness created this old Saint who brings us some gifts to remind us of the gifts the Lord has given to us. There are From Santa gifts under the tree. There are also an greater number of from Mom and Dad and most importantly... a big from Jesus gift. We practice bouniful Christmases following the Advent calender. We have no tv and that helps a lot.

[carton253]

It brought chills to me as I wrote it. The truth of Christmas/Easter... the truth of Christ is the greatest story ever told. I can never hear it enough.

[glory]

You know, while not fully given it over to secularists, for the reasons you mentioned, we have bought any gifts and supplies(decorating) we need early. I generally put the kids things on layaway in sept or oct and get them out well before thanksgiving, that way we don't have to step foot in a store after thanksgiving and the kids don't get distracted. If the kids watch tv, I generally put tapes on instead so they aren't bombarded by Christmas advertising. Instead we can spend our time home with family, concentrating on the true meaning of Christmas, and attending the many church events and participating in them that come about during advent.

[jjm2111]

The corporate world seems to be obsessed with the "holiday" spirit if you will. I make it a point to say Merry Christmas at work, at the "holiday" party which I call the Christmas party.

Even in NYC the majority of people are Christian.

[HamiltonJay]

Go to a Christian Book Store, support people who aren't ashamed of their faith. I guarantee they will have what you need.

[glory]

Has to be the area friend. The walmart by my home(central Ohio) has a number of nativity related items(some even sold out--display still there, items gone). Wrapping, ornaments, tree toppers, decorations(in and out), well you get the picture. I'm going to be out shopping today at a number of stores, I will have to get back on this thread and let you know if they are comparable.
I've been in Hallmark--their selection is more and more secularized.

[texson66]

Try a Christian book or supply store, and dont shop at stores that fail to sell religious items. You are not going to bully them into doing what you want... let the Almight Dollar speak for you.

Sadly, Christmas has become Americanized.

Not "Americanized", but Panganized!

[glory]

I don't think you are crazy, we happen to extend the Christmas season into January. However we celebrate advent so there is much to celebrate prior to Christmas as well as the day and after.

[glory]

Dept store--they own Target nationally and Mervyn's out west.