I recently discovered a website called Stand for Christmas.
A prominent paragraph at the top of the homepage reads:
Millions upon millions in our nation deeply value the great truths of Christmas and the holiday’s inspiring place in American life and culture. We hope you will take a moment to “Stand for Christmas” by sharing feedback about your Christmas shopping experiences.
We’re asking YOU to decide which retailers are “Christmas-friendly.” They want your patronage and your gift-shopping dollars, but do they openly recognize Christmas?
The idea is for people to rate major retailers as Christmas Friendly, Christmas Negligent, or Christmas Offensive. Registered users are invited to leave short comments describing their shopping experiences. Were Christmas decorations displayed? Did employees wish them a Merry Christmas? Was pro-Christmas signage hanging?
In other words, were independently-owned businesses and people making minimum wage tripping over themselves to give an insincere wish of merryment to you?
I love Christmas and I am one of those people who believes Jesus, the Son of God, was born in Bethlehem about 2,000 years ago. When I discuss Christmas with my children, I do not talk about retail, window displays, or how complete strangers should address me when I am swiping a credit card to buy a 3-pack of Star Wars underwear, size 6.
I talk about a newborn, a humble young woman, a brave young man, the 3 huddled in a stable. They didn’t ask for greetings or worship. They didn’t expect hosts of heaven to sing over them. In fact, I suspect they were rather surprised and awed at what transpired that holy night in that little town.
Fall on your knees/Hear, the angels voices!/Oh night divine!
What would they think of a red-faced person spewing via keyboard about The Gap’s lack of a proper tree? Do you really expect a tremulous moment of awe and wonder in checkout lane #7, thanks to a person’s forced Merry Christmas?
It is thoroughly obnoxious to expect Merry Christmas greetings and then become deeply offended when none are freely offered. I think it cheapens everything Christmas is about to become hung up on two words. All that happened on the first Christmas strikes me dumb with awe. It can’t be corralled in a Sunday circular, even if the ink is a proper red and green.
Don’t say Merry Christmas to me if you don’t mean it. I don’t mind. I’d rather hear one single, heartfelt, sincere wish for a meaningful holiday than 1,000 throwaway sentiments.
I’ll still shop at so-called “Christmas Offensive” stores. Why? Here’s a little secret: real live Christians are often employed by these stores. Did you ever think maybe it tears them up inside that they can’t express themselves to you? They may want to say Merry Christmas, but are hampered by rules and regulations. Give them a break. To try to damage a store via boycotts/indignant nonsense is to hurt a person who is simply trying to make a living.
I believe Christmas transcends American big box retail. It can’t be contained by dismissal or even outright disdain. Ignore Christmas all you want, giant retailer.
You are not my church.
Those last two sentences are just perfect, Gretchen. Love this post.
Amen.
That is all. 🙂
.-= Jo@Mylestones´s last blog ..A Tale of Two Trees: A Lesson in Spontanaeity =-.
I’m right there with you. Why do people spend so much time worrying about stuff like this when what they really should be worrying about is how they are best loving those around them?
That is how Christmas should be celebrated.
I haven’t thought of it quite that way before. Very good points.
.-= Melanie´s last blog ..SNOW!!! =-.
Call a spade a spade!!! Brilliant!!!
.-= se7en´s last blog ..This Week (7 December) At Se7en… =-.
Thank you.
You’ve perfectly summed up how I’ve been feeling about this very subject.
Mrs N
Beautifully said. Thank you.
.-= Kira´s last blog ..A sad commentary on my values =-.
I find it amusing that some of the comments on the website are things like, “No reference to the true meaning of Christmas was displayed anywhere in the store.” Do they not see the irony of making that statement in regard to their shopping trip to a big box retailer for Christmas gifts?
Your post made me look at this issue in a different way than I had before. Thanks for making me think!
.-= Shayne´s last blog ..This One Didn’t Make The Cut =-.
Very well said. I agree with your sentiments 100%.
.-= Amy´s last blog ..Bohemian Rhapsody =-.
Merry Christmas!
.-= Kristin´s last blog ..Because I’m a Big Fat Dork =-.
I love this post! I don’t choose a store based on how Christmatized they are. I have no problem with people telling me “Happy Holidays,” because that’s what I do. It takes too long to guess what they celebrate or don’t, and I’ve never understood why the all-encompassing “Happy Holidays” is offensive to people. I hope their holidays ARE happy, regardless of how, what or whom they celebrate. WE celebrate a more homogenized secular version of what some people celebrate, so it works for us.
Plus, if these people aren’t careful, they’ll end up on the wrong list. I mean, Santa’s watching, for goodness sake. 😉
.-= The Casual Perfectionist´s last blog ..Do I tell her that I’ve been crazy for years? =-.
Wonderful! I guess I understand the original premise behind the site. It does seem hypocritical for retailers (and society) to try and secularize Christmas. However, I don’t give two hoots about a store’s lack of decorations, music or “Merry Christmas” from the staff. I’m more concerned with cleanliness, sufficient stock and excellent customer service!
Amen!
And Merry Christmas 🙂
(ps. What would the people who started that website think of the Moroccan stores, staffed entirely by Muslims, with Christmas decorations? Would they pass? Or the Christmas music playing in October at my local cafe, where no one present but me would know that the words to that particular tune state that the Son of God was born? Oh the irony!)
.-= edj´s last blog ..More recipes for Jill =-.
I get emails regularly from the American Family Association. This time of year they focus solely on getting secular retailers to advertise “Merry Christmas” instead of “Happy Holidays.” I delete every one of these emails without looking at them because I find it so annoying. Really? You expect secular companies to understand and convey the true message of Christmas?
Your last two sentences summed up my feelings entirely. If you want Christ celebrated, do it in your home, with your church family, and make His name great among those you encounter on a regular basis. But don’t expect unbelievers or even believers working under tolerance constraints to shout truth in the aisles of Target.
.-= Minnesotamom´s last blog ..Still Twenty-Something =-.
MERRRRRRY CHRISTMAS! I’m with you, friend! Great post!
Melissa
Amen and amen.
Did you read Shaun Grove’s post from yesterday? Both of you are responsible for solidifying some thoughts regarding Christmas in my head.
The biggest point, made by both of you: Why are we fighting so hard to keep Jesus in this mass of overspending materialism? Isn’t that Santa’s job? I just don’t get it. We fight the wrong battles.
I actually think it would be refreshing to walk into a store that isn’t using what happened in Bethlehem years ago to convince me to buy 1000 things I have no use for. I WOULD like a thank you once or twice. It seems like I’m always the one saying that as I’m handing over my money? But I guess I’m the fool. 🙂
Great post.
.-= Sarah@Clover Lane´s last blog ..Boys and Guns =-.
Thank you!
I have a really strong urge to scream WOOOOO HOOOOOOO! But then I’d risk waking my children. GREAT post, lady.
.-= Heather of the EO´s last blog ..BLOG~BID~HOPE is HERE! =-.
LOL…the AFA drives me crazy all kindsa ways. What a lot of wasted energy. Great post.
.-= jenni´s last blog ..Never Has An Accident Been So Loved. Also, There Are No Accidents. =-.
I love this post on so many levels Gretchen. Amen, and amen.
.-= Heth´s last blog ..Winter: The Real Story =-.
AMEN!!!!
Amen to this! I think this is the silliest controversy. Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays, it doesn’t matter to me. At all!
.-= randi´s last blog ..this is aubry’s and my "one day" =-.
I couldn’t agree more, thanks for saying it so well!
YES YES YES!
.-= Ann´s last blog ..Happy Happy Weekend! =-.
Wow, I absolutely love this post! Very well said!
Wow, I didn’t know there were people that thought like me. To hear some people on TV talk everyone feels like the people on Stand for Christmas. Thanks for posting this.
.-= Viki´s last blog ..Joy – not so much =-.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!
Great post! I have close friends and family who are Jewish, and I also work in a “big box” retail store. I would rather wish a stranger a cheerful “Happy Holiday” and not offend them. I will say Merry Christmas if a customer says it first, and that’s always refreshing. But I also wish my Jewish friends and family “Happy Hanukkah”.
The point of loving others is to meet them where they are at. Christmas is already oversaturated in the retail world (there are WAY more Christmas products at my store than anything else). Why do we even need to rate stores in this way?
You know? I think I understand both sides to this dilemma. Thank you for articulating this side so well – although I hate that our society is trying to remove the “Christ in Christmas” I doubt the approach advocated by the site you mention is an appropriate (or effective) remedy.
And Marieke before me? SPOT ON. 🙂
.-= Sara Joy´s last blog ..Aligned =-.
Gretchen, thank you so much for the comment and looking around my blog. You are VERY close with my son…he’s 14 months. He’s a handful but so much fun right now. I am so glad to have ran across your blog! I’m loving looking around and getting to know you better! Hope you guys have a wonderful Christmas!
Cassie
.-= Cassie Griffin´s last blog ..What I Want For Christmas =-.
some thoughts of this nature have been swirling around in my head also. you said it well.
.-= melissa stover´s last blog ..Countdown =-.
Gretchen. How on earth did I miss this? SO GOOD. Amen and amen and amen to every thought expressed here. YES.
.-= Megan@SortaCrunchy´s last blog ..oh, never mind. {and a giveaway} =-.