By JARED McNEILL
The Oskaloosa Herald
December 23, 2005 12:00 pm
—
I was watching a TV commercial recently that was trying to sell “the perfect Chrismahanukwanzika gift.”
Sounds ridiculous doesn’t it? It was meant to be a joke.
Though we can laugh at it, this is the result of the postmodern period we’re living in. The “I’m okay, you’re okay” and “Who am I to question you?” mind set has reached its next logical step with “Happy Holidays.”
Wal-Mart has recently gotten into trouble with it’s policy of simply saying “Happy Holidays” to customers instead of the inflammatory “Merry Christmas.”
The store, according to an Associated Press report, says that they invoke Happy Holidays so as to “so to include celebrations from Thanksgiving to Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Year’s Eve as well as Christmas,” said Dan Fogelman, a Wal-Mart spokesman.
The store, since it has gotten a lot of bad press about this issue, has since gone to one of its Web sites (www.walmartfacts.com) and issued a “clarification” on its policy.
Sarah Clark, yet another Wal-Mart spokesperson, says “We encourage associates to use their best judgment when greeting our customers and to assess which greeting – or greetings – best suit the customers and associates in their local store. We want our stores to reflect the communities they serve. If ‘Merry Christmas’ is the preferred greeting, that is fine and appropriate. Or, some associates may choose to say ‘Happy Holidays,’ which may be more inclusive for Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Three Kings’ Day, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.”
Is Christmas that offensive?
What’s funny is that all of their “Home for the Holidays” ads are all about Christmas. At least that's what the settings of a tree, gifts under that tree, holly on the door, ribbons and bows everywhere. And those are just the spots from Martina McBride, Garth Brooks, Destiny’s Child and Jesse McCartney.
I haven’t seen Queen Latifah’s ad yet. Yeah, according to the Web site, she gets one too.
I wonder, in keeping with diversity and “inclusion,” if they’ll make her into a Jewish person who celebrates Kwanzaa.
Wouldn’t that be funny?
I doubt that’ll happen, so what does that leave us with?
Five celebrities celebrating Christmas. Hardly the “inclusion” they want to get across.
Let’s give them the benefit of the doubt, however, and ask isn’t “inclusion” what Christmas is all about?
Celebrating other holidays? No, that’s not what Christmas is all about, and it’s about time people realized that.
Face it, this is a Christian nation.
According to the American Religious Identity Survey conducted by the City University of New York in 2001, 76.5 percent of Americans identified themselves as Christians. Now I realize that four, going on five, years has passed since this survey was taken, but you get my point.
Why can’t we forget this all-inclusive “Happy Holidays” nonsense? Call it what it is.
Is it the Thanksgiving season? Say “Happy Thanskgiving.”
Is it New Year’s Day? Say “Happy New Year.”
And, most importantly, if it’s Christmas-time, say “Merry Christmas.”
Chrismahanukwanzakah? Why don't we just say “Happy New Thankschrismahanukwanzakahgiving?” Maybe that’s “inclusive” enough.
The views expressed in this column are not necessarily those that are expressed by The Herald.
Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.
Photos
Jared McNeill The Oskaloosa Herald