The conservative group American Family Association also is continuing to call out companies that it believes are undermining the public celebration of Christmas. A recent action alert has urged members to write to the department store chain Kohl's for "taking a misleading, in-your-face attitude when it comes to Christmas."
Specifically, the group alleges that Kohl's has ignored a promise they made to include the word "Christmas" prominently in their holiday marketing materials. The chain says in its "About Us" frequently-asked-questions area, "Like last year, Kohl’s is embracing the Christmas spirit and will include "Christmas" in its advertising. It will be featured in print, TV, and radio throughout the season." But the AFA is disappointed in the showing so far. The Kohl's homepage touts a "Holiday Shop" and "Home for the Holidays" but does not mention Christmas, and Kohl's mentions Christmas in only 6 of their 18 holiday fliers. "Why would Kohl's ban Christmas? The obvious answer is they don't want to offend non-Christians," the AFA action alert said.
A second action alert is directed at The Gap, Old Navy, and Banana Republic. Despite efforts last year to urge these comapnies to include "Christmas" in their December materials, "holidays" rule the day, and the only item that contains the word Christmas this year is a pair of Gap boxers.
Add to Del.icio.us
Add to Technorati
Add to Digg
Add to Newsvine
Add to Facebook
Add to StumbleUpon
Specifically, the group alleges that Kohl's has ignored a promise they made to include the word "Christmas" prominently in their holiday marketing materials. The chain says in its "About Us" frequently-asked-questions area, "Like last year, Kohl’s is embracing the Christmas spirit and will include "Christmas" in its advertising. It will be featured in print, TV, and radio throughout the season."
The AFA deliberately misquotes Kohl's here: "Kohl's... will include Christmas in it's advertizing," does not equate to "a promise to include the word "Christmas" prominently - so it's clearly an attempt to manufacture a strawman.
But the AFA is disappointed in the showing so far. The Kohl's homepage touts a "Holiday Shop" and "Home for the Holidays" but does not mention Christmas, and Kohl's mentions Christmas in only 6 of their 18 holiday fliers.
This appears to be proof that Kohl's is featuring Christmas in its advertising. Fully 33% of their ads are specifically featuring the word "Christmas," as promised.
"Why would Kohl's ban Christmas? The obvious answer is they don't want to offend non-Christians," the AFA action alert said.
To which I can only reply:
"I don't know, AFA. Why would they? Even more important, why would you intimate that Kohl's is "banning" Christmas when, clearly, a third of their advertising is targeted precisely to your demographic?"
The "War on Christmas" is Fake as the snow in the Seattle Airport. Unfortunately, it's not quite as non-toxic.
There's a Kohl's in my town. I think I'll be spending some of my Christmas bonus there.
So, they're complaining because Kohl's isn't commercializing Christmas enough? Isn't that the opposite of what Christ would have wanted?
Oh what a load of codswallop. the AFA clearly isn't filled with the festive spirit of christmas, having a chip on its shoulder and all that. They must be seriously lacking in the spirit of christmas, and dare i say it, downright selfish in their attitude. They're trying to create anger at a supposedly "wrong" situation, rather than celebrating the birth of their lord jesus christ. They've allowed one minor issue to distract them from something should be religiously more important to them, along with thousands of other more-important issues - homelessness, hunger, people spending christmas alone this year, etc. and the AFA has only itself to blame.