Tuesday, December 02, 2008

Companies That Don't Believe in Christmas

Don't you just hate it when people or organizations want to change history? (Read the 13 and growing number of COMMENTS on this article)

It's this time of the year when some companies and organizations don't want to recognize "Christmas." They sort of want it to go away - but only after they take your money. They want to pretend it never existed - but only after they take your money. They want to make sure certain groups are happy - but only after they take your money.

Let's see. How long has Christmas been around? About 2,008 years or so. The same is true of many holidays being around for a long time. Easter is another one. How about Memorial Day? I don't like the word "Memorial." It's a bit of a negative word. How about we get a movement underway to call it something else . . . like "That Day," or "National Shopping Day."

Here's a company that doesn't believe in Christmas - Costco (but only after they take your money).

Costco has 520 stores nationwide. But you will not find "Christmas" in a single store.

That's because Costco says it will not use the term "Christmas" on its website or in its stores. Instead, Costco is telling customers it purposely chooses to use the generic "holiday" verbiage. You know, they stock holiday gifts, not Christmas gifts.

Last week, a customer wrote to Costco and asked this direct question – "Does Costco use the word 'Christmas' in your store advertising or on any signs anywhere in your stores during the Christmas season? That's a pretty simple question, yes or no."

Kory Rosacrans, staff manager for Costco replied, "I guess the answer would be No."

Costco wants you to do your "Christmas" shopping with them, while refusing to recognize that Christmas even exists. I betcha they believe in Santa - as they take your money.

(Read the COMMENTS on this arcile. Click COMMENTS below.)

14 comments:

  1. Anonymous10:15 AM

    Christmas HAS NOT BEEN AROUND FOR 2000 years- not even close.

    That being said, it is a NATIONAL HOLIDAY, and despite its religious implications should be celebrated as such by the nonreligious alike.

    God bless and Merry Christmas!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous10:57 AM

    Enough with the war on Christmas B.S. Christmas isn't going anywhere and no one wants to get rid of it, especially a retailer.

    They are simply acknowledging that there are more than one winter holidays.

    How do you think it feels for the millions of Jewish people to be greeting with Merry Christmas instead of Happy Hanukkah everywhere they go?

    To be offended by "Happy Holidays" is just silly.

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  3. Anonymous11:38 AM

    It's very selfish to expect a retailer to endorse your particular religion.

    Please try to be more tolerant of diversity. Love and respect for all - that's the holiday spirit!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous2:36 PM

    Actaully it would be more ike a retailer not recognizing Independance Day, Labor Day, or Thanksgiving. none of the retailers avoid those holidays.

    And how many do endorse Valentine's Day? That is not a national holiday, it is a Catholic one, and yet come Feb. everyone wil be running ads for it. Don't forget the green ads in March either.

    Its not about my religion its about my country.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous5:47 PM

    Wow. Some comments on a sticky subject. Here's my 2 cents worth.

    1. What does Anon. #1 mean by "Christmas has not been around for 2000 years - not even close." Did you flunk history? Our calendar today is based on when Jesus was born and it was 2008 or 2009 years ago depending on how you count.

    It is both a religious and national holiday even though not all people recognize the religious side of it.

    2. Most every holiday is addressed by the holiday name - Happy Presidents day; Happy New Year; Happy Memorial Day; Happy Independance Day; Happy Thanksgiving; etc. So why not Christmas. Just say "Merry (or Happy) Christmas.

    If we're going to say Happy Holiday for one, why not for all.

    As for the Jewis people, we should say Happy Hanukkah - or should it be Happly Holiday.

    Unfortunately Hanukkah is not a national holiday.

    3. If a merchant says "Merry Christmas", how can you say he's endorsing your religion? He is celebrating the national holiday called Christmas.

    The original intent with this article is to not change history with a major historical event staring us in the face - so why try to change "Christmas."

    4. While not national holidays, St. Valentine's Day and St. Patrick's Day are major events for retailers.

    Good answer.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous6:41 PM

    Point taken, AP. I had not realized until today that Christmas is indeed a national holiday (which is controversial in itself). So, I can see how it could be considered more patriotic to specifically recognize Christmas. But please don't get upset if someone chooses to acknowledge that there are many holidays around the winter solstice (funny coincidence, don't you think?), and uses a more generic greeting.

    Also, it looks like some commenters need a history lesson on Christmas. Wikipedia is a good place to start.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous11:26 PM

    Bill Rodgers is an idiot! What Kory said in the email was that Costco does not advertise just for Christmas but for all the holidays- and further more we have no policy on having the word "holiday" replace Christmas- We may greet the customer any way we seem fit, you may get told happy Hanukkah from a Jewish associate while myself being a christian would tell ya merry Christmas. You a Christian Mr Rodgers? Perhaps your time would be better spent this season of Advent helping out the less fortunate around you rather then throwing stones and spreading false rumors...I believe even Jesus would agree with that.
    A Costco Employee.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Whoa, Costco Employee. You're shooting the messenger. I just deliver the messages that are posted and sent in here and not create the news.

    Throwing stones and spreading false rumors is not my bag. If something is wrong here, please be specific and let everyone know.

    Someone sent in a copy of a statement from Costco Corporate saying they purposely substituted the word "Holiday" in place of "Christmas" thus the company does have a policy. Many people think changing the name of the national holiday from Christmas to
    (Merry) Holiday is wrong - even discounting the religious aspect of the event.
    ... Bill Rogers

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  9. Anonymous9:57 AM

    Now if we start saying "happy holiday" around Independence Day, I'll be pissed.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous8:18 PM

    Historically and traditionally this has been the CHRISTMAS SEASON, until it became politically incorrect to make any reference to a religious holiday, ie. spring break rather than Easter break

    What’s next? Not celebrating Mother’s Day because many people no longer have a mother? There are limits to political correctness!

    Obviously the term, Christmas means nothing to some spiritually or culturally. But to many, it is still the birth of Jesus Christ, not an unspecified holiday.

    I am a teacher and every year I am astonished at how many children do not know why we celebrate Christmas or Thanksgiving, for that matter - no, it is not National Turkey Day! So lets just call things by their real name and provide a bit of cultural and traditional clarity for the Little Ones who live in a sometimes very ambiguous world.

    So don’t look at this as making some suffer, but see it as rewarding those who are making our Christmas a little whiter and brighter. Merry Christmas!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous8:25 PM

    Here's a list of companies that say Merry Christmas and those who do not. Go to: http://www.citizenlink.org/content/A000008670.cfm

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous5:22 PM

    Amazing how a topic about Christmas, a Christian holiday, brings out so many intolerant jugheads...

    Isn't it a Christian virtue to be tolerant and understanding? Or has that been replaced with ignorant and judgemental?

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anonymous6:06 PM

    The point is that, like it or not, Jesus is the reason for the season of CHRISTMAS. Secularists can try and hijack this time of year for their "winter solstice holiday parties," and merchants can hold their noses and refuse to wish us a Merry Christmas, but to Christians, Christmas is a religious holiday. The gift exchange is secondary. Secularists are now tightly woven into the gift-giving act. Now a whole day is used to predict our gift-buying for the season -- Black Friday; retailers live and die by it...

    My suggestion is that all U.S. Christians skip Christmas shopping ENTIRELY for one whole Christmas season. No shopping. No gift buying. No gift exchanges. Nothing. Period.

    We'll see who gets respect when merchants face a bloodbath of red, as in debt and bankruptcy, because they refuse to acknowledge "Christmas."

    I shop only at stores that recognize CHRISTMAS, because I am not purchasing gifts to celebrate a winter holiday of snow and ice...

    It has nothing to do with tolerance, or lack thereof. Rather, I spend my money where I'm appreciated. Period. The winter solstice celebrants can certainly do the same thing.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous11:36 AM

    12/16/08
    Costco is now recognizing Christmas in a big, new way!

    Two weeks ago, their website and store was practically absent of any references to “Christmas.” Today, you’ll find Christmas prominently featured on their website and email promotions. And, if you call their corporate offices, you’ll be greeted with “Merry Christmas from Costco!”

    One unnamed store manager said, “The company has received so many e-mails and complaints that they are changing all their holiday cakes to say Merry Christmas and will be saying it in the stores.”

    ReplyDelete