[MondayBlues]

Last time I was in Target was right after Thanksgiving and they did seem to have quite a few decorations up and for sale. Don't recall whether they had Christmas music playing or not.

The Walmart is a half hour drive west, so I haven't been there in forever. Told you it was a liberal area....

Hmmmmmm.....the media is leading us to believe that the Target and Wal Mart decisions were made at the executive level. So the checkers at your Target are wishing adults and children alike a Merry Christmas?

[pinawinekolad]

Hmmmmmm.....the media is leading us to believe that the Target and Wal Mart decisions were made at the executive level. So the checkers at your Target are wishing adults and children alike a Merry Christmas?

I can't remember, but to be honest, I don't think I've ever heard a retailer in my entire life wish someone "A Merry Christmas"...it's kind of hard to tell if someone is Christian or not just by looking at them, so they usually play it safe with a "Happy Holidays" or something.

Maybe it's because there are so many more immigrants coming into the Bible Belt area these days that you guys are just starting to do what we've been doing for years. I would guess that 10 - 20 years ago in the Bible belt, you could wish someone a "Merry Christmas" and 99% of the time, you'd be correct in assuming they were Christian. Maybe now that you are getting more non-Christians, you've adopted a "safer" approach.

I'm also still unsure how what a checker says to you has any sort of impact on Christmas.

[CVEGK7mV]

The war on Xmas seems to be mostly retailer driven. Wal-Mart and Target have stores nationwide. In any case , the only point I have to make is that the kids are the ones that get the shit end of the stick. If anyone wants to argue that, c'mon.

Thus the greedy corporations are driving the issue, not liberals.

Take your ideological blinkers off on this one and put the blame where it is due if you are so concerned about it.

[xADMlNx]

Thus the greedy corporations are driving the issue, not liberals.

Take your ideological blinkers off on this one and put the blame where it is due if you are so concerned about it.

Liberals as well as Conservatives are to blame and that is real life.

[Frjrbefd]

I can't remember, but to be honest, I don't think I've ever heard a retailer in my entire life wish someone "A Merry Christmas"...it's kind of hard to tell if someone is Christian or not just by looking at them, so they usually play it safe with a "Happy Holidays" or something.

Maybe it's because there are so many more immigrants coming into the Bible Belt area these days that you guys are just starting to do what we've been doing for years. I would guess that 10 - 20 years ago in the Bible belt, you could wish someone a "Merry Christmas" and 99% of the time, you'd be correct in assuming they were Christian. Maybe now that you are getting more non-Christians, you've adopted a "safer" approach.

I'm also still unsure how what a checker says to you has any sort of impact on Christmas.

1. You must be considerably younger than me then.

2. You couldn't have missed by more. The immigrants that we are seeing in huge numbers are Mexican. These people are devoutly Catholic.

[Biradallo]

So, the problem is that store clerks are not saying "Merry Christmas"? Perhaps if we started making buttons that say "Please wish me a merry Christmas" the war would be over...?

[PypeMaypetasy]

Good , have a cup of nog for me...............then when you get back proceed to convince me that anti Xmas only exists south of the Mason Dixon line. (like racism)

The luncheon was pretty nice (no egg-nog though... ).

I'm not saying that the "War on Christmas" only exists in the south. I'm saying that it does not exist at all, and the only people who seem to buy the hype are in the South, or more specifically, in heavily Christian conservative areas (or at least, the majority of them). The bit about the "war casualties" being largest in the most Christian areas was tongue-in-cheek.

[detskpit]

Thus the greedy corporations are driving the issue, not liberals.

Take your ideological blinkers off on this one and put the blame where it is due if you are so concerned about it.

Read my original post and you'll find out you are reading the liberal thing in, as it doesn't appear in what I wrote. Maybe you even missed my later post that read:

Oh yeah, I almost forgot to point out that my OP didn't include any of these words:

liberal
democrat
far left

It was merely a comparison of then and now mixed with some genuine sadness for todays kids.

[pageup85]

I try to avoid at all costs the "mega/discount" chains like Target and Walmart, as well as the "usual" department store/mall attached retailers like Macy's (except for the 34th Street store). But I recently went to all of the above and several "high end" stores (Nordstroms, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales) while helping my mother in law shop.

The "verdict"? Target and Walmart had very little in the way of Christmas decorations, had no Santa for the kids, but played Christmas music. Macy's was decorated to the max for Christmas, had it's Santa, while Neiman Marcus was off the charts decorated and played Christmas Muzak (but no Santa as far as I could tell).

My two cents? Stores like Walmart and Target decorate less because it costs a lot to decorate. Macy's always decorates like mad because it is probably the "original" when it comes to Christmas retailing (Miracle On 34th Street is phenomenol PR for Macy's).

Neiman Marcus doesn't exactly have to worry about cost. The first three items I passed on the way in were Mercedes SUV's which could be purchased with your "exclusive" Nieman Marcus card.

We'll go into Manhattan to check out the store windows on 5th Avenue. Alas, we'll probably have to pull teeth to get our 13 year old to go. The rotten little bastard just doesn't see the joy in fighting your way through delirious throngs of shoppers to check out store window displays while freezing your ass off. (I feel the same way, but keep it to myself).

[M1zdL0hh]

We have Michigan Avenue in Chicago, which is always decked out to the max for Christmas. Haven't gone in quite some time, however, because I hate crowds and weeding my way through crowded, downtown Chicago. The only way I'd be lured downtown is a free train ticket and lots and lots of brandy in flasks...

[avaiguite]

Read my original post and you'll find out you are reading the liberal thing in, as it doesn't appear in what I wrote. Maybe you even missed my later post that read:

Oh yeah, I almost forgot to point out that my OP didn't include any of these words:

liberal
democrat
far left

It was merely a comparison of then and now mixed with some genuine sadness for todays kids.

Yes, I apologize for introducing that element into the thread with my tongue-in-cheek reference. My intention was to employ semi-sarcastic humor rather than to misprepresent your point.

[Acrogeokickic]

Yes, I apologize for introducing that element into the thread with my tongue-in-cheek reference. My intention was to employ semi-sarcastic humor rather than to misprepresent your point.

So how was the party?

[errolurberozy]

Read my original post and you'll find out you are reading the liberal thing in, as it doesn't appear in what I wrote.

Fair enough. I apologise.

Your OP however certianly asserts that the "war on Christmas" is real. That puts your post in with many other threads on this site making that argument.

That argument is entirely political and you are trying to hide behind "kids" to make it.

I have more respect for open faces.

[LICraig]

I remember the first year my hometown suddenly decided not to string the lights back and forth across mainstreet or broadcast Christmas music to the shoppers/revelers.
Let's see, I was 10 so it was 1975. I was heart broken. I was agnostic then, I'm atheist now. I'm still heartbroken.

I know why it stopped - same reason they tore down the oldest building in town just a few years ago - practicality and $$. No one felt like making an effort any more. Friggin sucks.

Also, the area's been in droubt for about 15 years so it rarely looks like the Christmas' I had when I was a kid; we used to build full size igloo's in the front yard. Yep. Sucks.

I remember lying under the tree staring up at the reflections from those giant colored lights on the wood ceiling. One time, I looked out and there were deer in the yard. Once we had a moose in town but I never saw it.

But when my Dad grew up in the same town, he used to listen to the wolves howl on clear, cold, Christmas nights.

Things change. All of that is gone.

Who DID steal Christmas?

[ENGINESSQ]

Just spoke to my mom, who just got done doing some shopping at Target. She said the Indian clerk wished her a "Happy Holiday"...

Then I asked her what the hell she was doing, because nothing I asked for is available at Target, so she's wasting precious time doing things for other people besides me and she's the worst mother in the entire world and I hate her.

[RemiVedia]

The war on Xmas seems to be mostly retailer driven. Wal-Mart and Target have stores nationwide. In any case , the only point I have to make is that the kids are the ones that get the shit end of the stick. If anyone wants to argue that, c'mon.

Uhm.. Christmas isn't about coca cola invented dude in red suit.. and let's face it, kids today are just about the most spoiled generation in the world ever!

Helene

[Faungarne]

Fair enough. I apologise.

Your OP however certianly asserts that the "war on Christmas" is real. That puts your post in with many other threads on this site making that argument.

That argument is entirely political and you are trying to hide behind "kids" to make it.

I have more respect for open faces.

If it isn't "real" they sure have duped every major newspaper into publishing sories based it.
MM, it may be political, but my point is that Christmas is a holiday that has brought happiness and joy to kids for decades. Now some schools have gone so far as to "outlaw" red and green napkins at their school "holiday" celebrations. Chickenshit outfits like the ACLU don't even think about fucking up somthing as harmless as a school party. Like some little muslim or atheist boy or girl would come home crying "they made us sing Frosty the Snowman".....damn, where would you like to all end?

[mdUzAMbG]

I'm inclined to agree with Helene, at least here in the states.

When I was a kid, it was about winter time and snow, school break, fun with friends, reflected lights, music, family, a big smelly tree and loads of grown ups just slightly lit - enough to make them jolly.
I secretly believed in Santa but didn't really connect him with presents, isn't that weird.
Jesus birth was a story about good things coming from hardship and a mothers love - things even an old atheist can still appreciate.

Our local Target pissed me RIGHT off by throwing up the Christmas displays the day after HALLOWEEN!!!!!!! It takes the fun out of it! I feel choked by buying!

[TpDoctorOneTp]

I remember the first year my hometown suddenly decided not to string the lights back and forth across mainstreet or broadcast Christmas music to the shoppers/revelers.
Let's see, I was 10 so it was 1975. I was heart broken. I was agnostic then, I'm atheist now. I'm still heartbroken.

I know why it stopped - same reason they tore down the oldest building in town just a few years ago - practicality and $$. No one felt like making an effort any more. Friggin sucks.

Also, the area's been in droubt for about 15 years so it rarely looks like the Christmas' I had when I was a kid; we used to build full size igloo's in the front yard. Yep. Sucks.

I remember lying under the tree staring up at the reflections from those giant colored lights on the wood ceiling. One time, I looked out and there were deer in the yard. Once we had a moose in town but I never saw it.

But when my Dad grew up in the same town, he used to listen to the wolves howl on clear, cold, Christmas nights.

Things change. All of that is gone.

Who DID steal Christmas?

Maybe someone will create a video game where children can decorate a virtual tree...... Then they can give it a parental warning on the label.

[jokiruss]

Maybe someone will create a video game where children can decorate a virtual tree...... Then they can give it a parental warning on the label.

Yes. Well, I hope you get my drift. I hardly blame the ACLU for stealing Christmas.

I'll tell another story if I get a chance, a modern day that may tie it together.