Wal-Mart brings back the "Merry Christmas"

I, for one, applaud this move by Wal-Mart. I'm sick of this Happy Holidays crap and having to be so damn politically correct. Look...Christmas is a national holiday here in the US and the dominant winter holiday celebrated. I don't hear people who don't celebrate it complaining when they have the day off because of it. I'm glad that the Rockefeller CHRISTMAS tree has never been changed to a "holiday" tree or some bullshyt like that. Now when I send out my Christmas cards every year I do make sure to send a "Happy Holidays" greeting to anyone I know who doesn't celebrate Christmas. I do respect the fact that people of other religions don't celebrate Christmas. But, if I were one of the chief operators of Wal-Mart I'd be good and gawd damned if someone was gonna try and tell me that my company needs to put on a Happy Holidays campaign rather than Merry Christmas. MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!

Will there also be a "Hanukkah Shop"?

And when Wal-Mart says "Christmas," how much Jesus/nativity religious stuff are we talking here?

This is news? With their low, low prices, every day is Christmas at Wal Mart!

Yeah, except for their exploited 3rd world country employees who don't even make a living wage to put food on their tables & work in worse-than-US-sweatshop conditions. ...

Yup, adverstising in the TRUE Christmas spirit.

And Keith Olbermann reported this week on his show that Faux News, the channel that was so outraged over the whole "Holidays" replacing "Christmas" sent out invitations to it's (get ready for it) HOLIDAY party.

Dude if that were me I would like totally quit and find a more enlightened sweatshop.

I don't really get the big deal out of this. Happy Holidays....Merry Christmas? I don't really care. I don't think I'd really take the time to get worked up over someone saying Happy Holidays to me. There are some more important things to worry about than that.

Especially when "Happy Holidays" encompasses Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Year's, Festivus...

I find it more polite rather than pc to say "Happy Holidays". If you don't know someone too well, you have no idea what holiday(s) they are going to be celebrating in December/January. If you know that someone celebrates Christmas, then by all means use the phrase. But what if someone isn't?

It's not rude per se, but it sure is pretty ignorant of other cultures in this country.

lol! ...

Good one for such a serious topic.

The thing I don't like is that people complained in the first place about Wal Mart using Merry Christmas. Wal Mart backed off last year and then got hammered by those who do celebrate Christmas who wanted it back. Like I said...I respect everyone's holiday celebrations but Christmas is a national holiday here. I'm not saying to not include recognition of other's holiday in the store, but this whole backing off of Christmas thing just irks me. So...I'm glad Wal Mart plans an all out Christmas blitz this year.

Would I get upset if someone wished me a "Happy Holiday" instead of "Merry Christmas"? Nope. Whenever someone does wish me a Happy Holiday instead of Merry Christmas, I always answer back "Merry Christmas" to their Happy Holiday. They almost always seem relieved that we both do indeed celebrate the same holiday. I certainly do not get bent out of shape if someone wishes me a Happy Holiday instead of Merry Christmas. I'm always appreciative of anyone wishing anything happy or merry upon me.

I personally thought it was smart business practice by Wal-Mart to say Happy Holidays, as to not seem to allienate those that celebrate different holidays. Apparently that market segment wasn't as bad as those offended by the use of Happy Holidays.


*shrug* Whatever, this agnostic just enjoys the holiday spirit.

How 'bout if they called you a Mary?

Hey, when they are on their knees looking up at me, they can call me anything they want!

this is nothing more than an attempt by Wal-Mart to pacify those fundies who were pissed when Wal-Mart started throwing money to gay groups

Wasn't Wal-Mart just busted for selling shirts featuring Nazi SS "death head" emblems?

What is the big damned deal? Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Festivus! Not everyone is Christian, not all Christians have twisted underpants about this, and why can't we just be respectful of the diversity in this country rather than always figuring out ways to divide ourselves?

The commercialization of this sacred holiday is more of a sacrilege than using the term "Happy Holiday." Wal-Mart's totally cynical and greedy, and is only doing this to draw (back) customers. Talk about a bad faith corporation. Call me when they stop locking illegal immigrant workers in their stores overnight and when they start promoting women and people of color to positions of authority, and we can talk.

But that's the thing - complaints did not cause Wal-Mart or any other retailer to change from "Merry Christmas" to "Happy Holidays" - it was simply part of a societal trend towards inclusion. Then the anti-gay hate movement, otherwise known as the "pro-family" groups, decided to create another controversy to fuel their delusions of victimization and began complaining that "Christ was being taken out of Christmas." Bill O'Leilly chimed in, as did that drug addict Limbaugh, and the rest is history.

Ahhhh ok. See that I didn't know. If that was the reason then I am not in support of that. I thought it was people who didn't celebrate Christmas whining about WalMart using Merry Christmas instead of Happy Holidays. In general though...like I said...I respect everyone's cultural celebrations and this is the unfortunate thing about living in such a melting pot. You have people of vastly different cultural backgrounds, lifestyles, and upbringings. As the melting pot grows fuller and becomes more diversified, its a battle for resources and acceptance and there's always going to be conflict. But, some things I understand people not wanting to let go of.

I think I'll just keep overspending at Macy's like any good gay boy would!

LOL ed.

just got back from macys.

post-black friday shopping.

Macy's???!!!??? Bleck!

LOL...I'm a Bloomingdales whore myself, although I like the Macy's in Manhattan.

Anyone who needs to get his religious affirmation from a barely-literate check-out girl at the local Wal*Mart is a fool, IMO. Get real, people. When dealing with thousands of people each day, people of different races, colors, religions, it is simply inappropriate to only wish them happiness according to your religious tradition. "Happy Holidays," while neutral (and, unfortunately, neutered) is about as good and fair as you can get. I'd rather get a "Happy Holidays" as a way of expressing goodwill during December than getting some teenager barking "paper or plastic?"

I do draw the line, though, in calling it a "holiday tree" because in its attempt to be inoffensive, winds up being misleading and dishonest. Sorry, but no one calls it a "holiday menorah". It is a Christmas tree, it is a Hannukah menorah, etc. And, of course, if you know your friend is Jewish or Catholic or whatever, you ought to wish him well according to his holiday tradition (Happy Hannukah, Merry Christmas, etc.).

Bloomingdales,however, are not in every state.

Bloomingdales and Macy's are also not in every country. We don't have either.

We do however, have the Hudson's Bay Company, in business since 1630.

Yes, we also have Wally World, but I try to pretend they don't exist.

Another great company, but just in Quebec now I think, is called Les Ailes de la Mode.

Hell, give me a buffed Santa on a Harley, and I'll shop at Goodwill.