I Won’t Call This a “War on Christmas”..
[Guest post by Aaron Worthing; if you have tips, please send them here.]
But at the very least its political correctness is annoying as hell. First, we have these Lexis ads on TV constantly. Here’s a print version along the same lines:
That is ripped from their website. The TV ad says something like “No one has ever wished for a smaller holiday gift.”
First, I do find these Lexus commercials annoying as heck, just because of the sheer extravagance of it. And most of the time, it is a husband buying a car for his wife, which means that the husband is not consulting her on anything; he is picking out the car for her, and everything about it, down the color. Is that the idea of marriage? You make that kind of massive life decision for her, and expect her to be happy with what you picked out? I imagine this appeals to the men who always order for their wives at restaurants.
By contrast, after I proposed to my wife and she said yes, I took her to the jewelry store and we picked out the ring together. I figured she would hopefully be wearing that for the rest of her life, so she better like it.
Second, you know what? When you are married, and every gift comes out of the sweat on both of your brows. So, yes, actually there is often a wish for a smaller Christmas gift. A few years ago money was tight and I gave my wife a copy of her favorite movie on DVD, Serena Sabrina (the recent version with Harrison Ford). No, I don’t get what she loves about this movie, but I know she loves it. And this was how the conversation went:
Wife: Aw, that is so sweet.
Me: And I only spent $5 on it.
Wife: AW!!!
Yes, she was positively happy that I gave her a nice, thoughtful gift without putting us in the poor house. This is how real couples approach gift giving.
But, third, then what really made me annoyed enough to comment was that line. “Holiday gift.” Gee, what holiday are we talking about? Which is the one that drives the vast majority of purchases at this time of year? Indeed, what holiday is the reason why many retailers like Target and Walmart can keep their doors open at all? Why, its Christmas, right?
No, I don’t think they are waging war on Christmas or anything like that. I think they have become so politically correct that I am actually offended. So let me get this straight, Lexus. You want me to spend my hard earned money and buy my wife one of your cars as a Christmas gift? Then why don’t you at least do me the courtesy of referring to this holiday by name? If you want my Christmas money, then ask for it by name. And if you call it Holiday money, I will be much less “in the spirit.”
Oh, and the term holiday is not as secular as many people think, anyway. It means literally “holy day.”
Of course that doesn’t quite match the stupidity of this story:
A politically correct West Village YMCA has fired Ol’ St. Nick in favor of Frosty.
Kids who once thrilled at sitting on Santa’s lap at the 14th Street McBurney YMCA’s wildly popular annual holiday luncheon will now suffer the icy embrace of a talking snowman and his sidekick, an anonymous penguin, at today’s event.
Forget about bringing a list or checking it twice — Frosty doesn’t take gift requests, and doesn’t care if you’re naughty or nice….
“It wasn’t replacing; it was transitioning,” said John Rappaport, executive director of the McBurney YMCA. “We realized that change is sometimes good, and that Frosty is a great winter character who would appeal to a broader number of kids.”
The decision to ditch Father Christmas came down from McBurney branch administration, not the Y’s Chicago headquarters.
Yes, God forbid the Young Men’s Christian Association should have a symbol kind of, sort of* associated with Christianity.
——————
* What I mean is that while Santa Claus is literally Christian in origin, these days lots of non-Christians celebrate Christmas and children of many faiths believe in him, including ones who are otherwise being raised as atheists. So maybe have come to think of him as a secular figure.
Update: Apropos, I am going to attempt to post video of a man discussing an Atheist Christmas coloring book:
[Posted and authored by Aaron Worthing.]
it sure doesn’t scan right … I think you pretty much have to say most magical time of THE year. It’s like a rule.
happyfeet (fd4f3b) — 12/17/2010 @ 6:13 amIf any of you wish to send me a holiday Lexus LFA, please feel free to do so. I thank you, in advance.
JD (0d2ffc) — 12/17/2010 @ 6:24 amdude- you gave your wife a $5 DVD for Christmas?
C’mon, man…
Jones (72b0ed) — 12/17/2010 @ 6:27 amjones
not JUST that.
Aaron Worthing (e7d72e) — 12/17/2010 @ 6:37 amYoung Men’s Christian Association? Yeah, here in Ann Arbor it’s just “The Y”. Which stands for what more people worship around here – youth – and the perpetual pursuit of it.
I’m not getting too bent about the “War on Christmas” when it’s just PC stuff like this. I only get torqued when it turns into forbidding people from expressing the sentiments of their own faith. If somebody actually believes the Kwanza stuff and wants to wish me the blessings associated with it, I appreciate the sincerity of their well-wishes. And I pray that they will have a blessed Christmas.
Not sure about the $5 DVD. My wife would kill me if I bought her a car… but this year she will unwrap a $180 sweater and I don’t think she’ll complain. The real thing is not the cost – but the uncharacteristic effort (and risk) of buying her clothing.
Gesundheit (cfa313) — 12/17/2010 @ 6:48 amThe YMCA may be a Christian organization, but its mission is to help people regardless of religion. A more secular symbol makes sense.
You should be glad that Christmas has been extended to the non-Christian part of our culture. Much of the government’s recognition of Christmas, like putting Christmas trees and Santa Clause in government sites, is legal because they are both religious and cultural symbols. The government can’t endorse Jesus-Christmas, but it can endorse Santa-Christmas.
roy (f572a6) — 12/17/2010 @ 6:48 amroy
the reason why its okay for schools to promote the belief in santa claus, is because parents would burn down the S.C. if they ruled in a contrary fashion. i exaggerate, naturally, but my point is the S.C. is not interested in picking that fight.
Aaron Worthing (e7d72e) — 12/17/2010 @ 6:51 amI can never understand people who get their panties in a wad over “holidays”. This is the holiday season. I’m celebrating at least two holidays, as are most people. One of them (big hint coming here….) is New Year’s Day. What, pray tell, is so wrong about advertisers acknowledging the “holidays”?
She probably would have preferred Sabrina.
Um, when you weren’t looking, the YMCA dropped both the “christian” and “men”.
Kman (d30fc3) — 12/17/2010 @ 7:02 amA.W. – Did you buy your wife any power tools along with the DVD?
daleyrocks (c07dfa) — 12/17/2010 @ 7:03 amAs a child I enjoyed learning both Christmas songs and Hanukkah songs in school. Yes, the celebrations aren’t analagous, but “everybody” was thought of. (No Muslims in the community that I knew of, nor Hindus or Buddhists, and we did have Frosty the Snowman for the atheists among us, I guess.)
an anonymous penguin
MD in Philly (3d3f72) — 12/17/2010 @ 7:05 amhttp://www.retro-commercials.com/2010/01/bud-ice-%E2%80%A2-the-complete-penguin-series-dooby-dooby-doo-1995-1997/
“It wasn’t replacing; it was transitioning,”
Orwell would have liked that.
Brother Bradley J. Fikes, C.O.R. (fb9e90) — 12/17/2010 @ 7:05 am“Um, when you weren’t looking, the YMCA dropped both the “christian” and “men”.”
Um, according to the NY Post, that Village YMCA didn’t get the memo.
daleyrocks (c07dfa) — 12/17/2010 @ 7:08 amI think you also have to take into account that this is NYC, where you can’t throw a pretzel this time of year without beaning at least two Santas.
I don’t blame the Y for transitioning to Frosty.
Kman (d30fc3) — 12/17/2010 @ 7:09 amKman
Okay, just goes to show you how little i care for the movie, so thanks for the correction. i mean its not a bad movie. In fact greg kinnear is really good in it, but the rest of it just puts me to sleep.
but the wifey loves it…
As for the rebranding, well, that is just a change in emphasis. For instance if you go here: http://www.ymca.net/
you see that the full ymca is in their logo, but its de-emphacized.
Aaron Worthing (e7d72e) — 12/17/2010 @ 7:11 amAW:
The original is bearable for a guy.
Daley:
Oh, I think the Village Y got the memo. The NY Post was just engaging in bad journalism.
Kman (d30fc3) — 12/17/2010 @ 7:13 amBy the way, go to the Village Y website and do a site search for the word “christian”
Kman (d30fc3) — 12/17/2010 @ 7:14 amKman – I’m happy to help you understand why some people get their “panties in a wad” over “holidays”. If you look back, even some generations ago, it was perfectly acceptable to send “Happy Holiday” cards. But it became a sticking point for many Christians when the symbols of one of those holidays – coincidentally, the one that was most celebrated – began to be removed from the public eye. That was exacerbated by incidents of discrimination, in which certain believers were forbidden to utter the proscribed word “Christmas” because it was thought to be offensive.
In response to that, some Christians pushed back. Personally, as I said, I have no problem with “Happy Holidays.” It’s a rather vacant expression, but it that’s the best you’ve got, I guess it’s better than nothing. I would rather give, and receive, the sincere expression of that which is important to you.
Now, if you are totally irreligious, and celebrate neither Ramadan (a bit ago), nor Hanukkah, nor Christmas, nor Kwanzaa, nor New Year, nor even Epiphany, and all you want to do is eat and drink the “holiday” away – then you can stick with “bon appetit!”
Gesundheit (cfa313) — 12/17/2010 @ 7:15 amOt this:
So, yeah. Probably no Santa Clause.
Kman (d30fc3) — 12/17/2010 @ 7:16 amI hear that, and agree entirely with you.
But I think going after advertisers and retailers is extremely silly, since they are not in the business of keeping Christians focussed on the “reason for the season” in the first place. Their job is to reach, and appeal to, as many people as possible. So how do you speak to the broadest possible audience? You use the word “holidays”.
Kman (d30fc3) — 12/17/2010 @ 7:21 amkman
sheesh, for one second i think you are acting human and contributing to the discussion.
then you start posting stuff from a site that is not the relevant YMCA. This is the YMCA in the story:
http://www.ymcanyc.org/index.php?id=1090
Seriously, google “14th Street McBurney YMCA” and it comes right up.
On the other hand, you have been telling us about teh 14th Street Y. Its a different animal, just as AA can be american airlines, or alcoholics anonymous.
Aaron Worthing (e7d72e) — 12/17/2010 @ 7:26 amAs for the literal definition of “holiday” as “holy day”… so what? Language doesn’t work by strictly literal transitions. Our government creates holidays. Either A) Congress has divine authority to declare things holy, B) Independence Day is not a holiday, or C) “holy day” is not a helpful definition of the term.
“Christmas” means “Christ’s Mass”; does that mean only those Christian denominations who practice Mass can celebrate Christmas?
Signed,
roy (f572a6) — 12/17/2010 @ 7:27 amAn atheist who owns a Santa suit
Oooops.
Two Ys in the Village, both on 14th Street. The other one — the one I linked to — struck me as odd, because the more I looked into it, the more it seemed NOT to be affiliated with the (former) YMCA.
Here we go. This makes more sense.
Kman (d30fc3) — 12/17/2010 @ 7:28 amYeah, I did “Village” instead of “McBurney”.
Kman (d30fc3) — 12/17/2010 @ 7:30 amHey, if you don’t want to celebrate Christmas have at it. Just don’t expect any gifts, cards, or days off from work. You’re working Dec 25 because the day doesn’t mean anything to you, right Kman?
People like myself get upset because on the 2 holiest times of our calendar, Christmas and Easter, Christians have been told it’s not permissible to publicly celebrate. We must keep our faith private.
Then, we get idiots like Holder and government officials going to bat this time of year so a Muslim teacher can take a month off to go vacationing in the Middle East and spend 4 days doing the Haj. Which act more likely shows Federal establishment of religion: the govt suit for this woman or singing Christmas songs in a school?
NJRob (4a3f57) — 12/17/2010 @ 7:32 am> Their job is to reach, and appeal to, as many people as possible.
Well, asking for me to buy christmas presents without doing me the courtesy of calling it christmas, is not appealing.
Seriously, which holiday compares, if only in terms of spending. and let’s make it fair, make it per person. If there is a holiday on the jewish calender that results in that kind of gift giving, its not Hanukkah. How about on the islamic calender? How about on the buddhist one, or the hindu one.
I know, I worked in retail once upon a time. you know why they call it black friday? Because it is the first day all year that most stores go into the black. As i alluded to above, target cannot afford to stay open as a store, except for christmas sales. literally the whole year they only stay open for one reason: to be there for customers around christmas. given that we are keeping them in business, would it kill them to say christmas. would it kill anyone else to have them acknowledge what everyone knows. its about the christian holiday. and if any other religion wants to get the same attention, they should come up with their own gift-giving orgy of a holiday.
but most of all it annoys me because it is bullsh–. Everyone knows they mean christmas. Everyone. So why not just call it that? I am pretty sure in the history of American Judaism, no one has ever bought their wife a car for the festival of lights. it just isn’t celebrated like that.
And i am not asking stores to praise jesus, or anything like that. i am just saying, if you are gong to call it “holiday gift shopping,” spare me the BS and call it what it is.
Aaron Worthing (e7d72e) — 12/17/2010 @ 7:34 amNJ
I do think she should be allowed to take off for the hajj, just at a reasonable time. if you scroll down you will see where i talked about that case just in the last few days. I agree the case is wrong-headed, but i would say, “wait two years, you can take the hajj in november, and everyone is happy.”
Aaron Worthing (e7d72e) — 12/17/2010 @ 7:37 amNJROb:
This is where I get confused. Just WHO is telling you it’s not permissible to publicly celebrate? Because if someone is actually doing that, then I’ll grab the pitchfork and march with you. But I don’t see anyone actually doing that.
Are you saying that is what Lexus is doing in its ad?
Kman (d30fc3) — 12/17/2010 @ 7:37 amChristians should have bigger things to worry about than whether or not Target gives the Christian holiday top billing during the holiday season.
Kman (d30fc3) — 12/17/2010 @ 7:40 amKman
> Are you saying that is what Lexus is doing in its ad?
i think what he is saying is this political correctness is doing it.
too many people think they can’t even say merry christmas to a coworker these days.
> Christians should have bigger things to worry about than whether or not Target gives the Christian holiday top billing during the holiday season.
I make a deal with everyone. Well apparently the people who are banishing the word “christmas” from our discourse don’t think there are bigger fish to fry.
Aaron Worthing (e7d72e) — 12/17/2010 @ 7:47 amI beg to differ.
I gave my wife a car as a surprise, and she was thrilled. This in spite of the fact that it was a 2002 Mercury Grand Marquis.
I can only conclude her taste in cars is as lamentable as her taste in men.
orcadrvr (5daf3f) — 12/17/2010 @ 7:57 amI think that’s a fabricated myth, like the welfare Mom in Chicago who owns several Cadillacs. I don’t think there is any reasonable person who ACTUALLY believes they can’t say “Merry Christmas” to a co-worker.
There you go again with the hyperbole. Just because advertisers and retailers choose to use the word “holidays” doesn’t mean they are banishing the word “christmas”. If Target is having a “holiday sale”, I’m pretty sure I can go in still buy wrapping paper which contains the word “Christmas”, or buy a DVD of “The Christmas Story”, and so on.
Kman (d30fc3) — 12/17/2010 @ 7:58 amAnd most of the time, it is a husband buying a car for his wife, which means that the husband is not consulting her on anything; he is picking out the car for her, and everything about it, down the color. Is that the idea of marriage? You make that kind of massive life decision for her, and expect her to be happy with what you picked out? I imagine this appeals to the men who always order for their wives at restaurants.
No, the message is targeted at limp-wristed beta males, who have to continually buy their wives extravagent gifts in order to keep their affection. See, for example, this repulsive commercial from the height of the housing bubble:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ubsd-tWYmZw
Another Chris (2d8013) — 12/17/2010 @ 8:04 amHalf the time we complain about removal of the word “Christmas” and the other half we complain about over commercialization.
quasimodo (4af144) — 12/17/2010 @ 8:06 amKmart sure is wound up today.
If the Lexus LFA is too much, I am cool with the 400h.
JD (913181) — 12/17/2010 @ 8:11 amKman
> I think that’s a fabricated myth
bullsh– it is. I have had this exact discussion with my company’s HR dept, pointing out to them that no, it is not religious discrimination to have christmas party.
> I don’t think there is any reasonable person who ACTUALLY believes they can’t say “Merry Christmas” to a co-worker.
well, if you are positing that many HR depts are unreasonable, i can agree to that.
Quasi
> Half the time we complain about removal of the word “Christmas” and the other half we complain about over commercialization.
what christians are upset about is the removal of christ from all of this. refusing to even call the holiday christmas even more completely removes the spiritual from this holiday. So in fact, there is no contradiction in saying, “i wish we didn’t focus so much on the materialism, and to the extent we do, would it kill them to call it christmas?”
Aaron Worthing (e7d72e) — 12/17/2010 @ 8:24 amKman’s “Christians should have bigger things to worry about than …” is the perfect comment to illustrate the issue. The PC theme is to ensure that everyone except Christians have no basis, no matter how imaginary, to be offended or annoyed.
And Kman is oblivious to the fact that from his own mouth comes the evidence of the bias.
SPQR (26be8b) — 12/17/2010 @ 8:29 amI like this post. A lot. Good one, A.W.
One of my running questions over the past few months has been “Which are more annoying, political ads, or car commercials involving bows and Christmas sweaters?”
For my part, I land on cars with bows. The nice thing about political ads is that they’re so badly made that most people see right through them. But those private sector propagandists are much more effective than their public sector counterparts – surprise.
And I’d never even thought about that first angle – the notion that a husband is making a huge financial decision without consulting his wife. That’s a very good point, and yet another reason to get hoppin’ mad every time one of these damn things sullies a perfectly good football game or some such.
Leviticus (30ac20) — 12/17/2010 @ 8:32 amWorst. Post. Ever.
gp (72be5d) — 12/17/2010 @ 8:49 amMuch ado about less than nothing.
SPQR:
I am a Christian and I’m not the slightest bit annoyed or offended by the Lexus ad. I’m hard-pressed to understand why any Christian would care. The “reason for the season”, what it means to me and my family, etc., does not hinge on what Madison Avenue advertisers say or think or how often they invoke the words “Christmas” or “Christ”.
AW:
The idea that you restore any of the spirituality in Christmas by getting advertisers and retailers to use the word “Christmas” is laughable, seeing as how its the materiality of Christmas which killed the spirituality of Christmas in the first place. I think that was quasi’s point.
Kman (d30fc3) — 12/17/2010 @ 9:00 amI figure that anyone who can buy his wife a car for a Christmas present is probably rich enough to take it back and get a different one if she doesn’t like it. In any case, not applicable in my world.
In an east coast medical center with many hostile to “traditional” religious belief it has been a bit uncomfortable knowing what to say.
MD in Philly (3d3f72) — 12/17/2010 @ 9:02 amKman
> seeing as how its the materiality of Christmas which killed the spirituality of Christmas in the first place.
Proving you don’t get christmas, anyway.
the reason why we give on christmas is not to get, at least not ideally. it is show charity toward the ones you love.
And yes, refusing to even call it christmas takes even more of the faith out of it. Calling it a holiday takes all the faith out of it, allows stores to ask people to buy crap without those uncomfortable letters c-h-r-i-s-t. Or “mas” which is derived from “mass.” The bigger problem is that people forget why they are buying gifts, and behave in a downright unchristian fashion during this time of year. For instance, when people are knocked down or stomped on, on Black Friday, these people are very often shopping for christmas, which makes it all the worse for its hypocrisy.
Aaron Worthing (e7d72e) — 12/17/2010 @ 9:14 amI think the location of Kmart explains a lot about his azzholishness. There is a high concentration of such folks there and they are one reason I moved west 30 years ago. They are now self-aware enough to see it in themselves.
daleyrocks (c07dfa) — 12/17/2010 @ 9:18 amAgain, they’re not calling it (i.e., Christmas) a holiday. They’re calling it the holiday season because it IS the holiday season. Why is that so hard to understand?
It takes a certain amount of arrogance to think that just because the holiday for you is Christmas, that all retailers must follow suit. And don’t give me this crap that most of their business comes from people doing Christmas shopping. That may be true, but it’s irrelevant. I suspect Lexus gets most of its business from white people. Should it limit itself in its ads in that way as well?
So there exists a segment of the population who wouldn’t buy gifts this time of year because of the “uncomfortable” c-h-r-i-s-t?
Where are these people? You’re just pulling all this out of her arse.
Well sure, but is the fault of retailers and advertisers? They’re not in the business of making sure people behave like Christians.
And besides, I don’t think changing “holidays” to “Christmas” is going to make shoppers behave better.
Kman (d30fc3) — 12/17/2010 @ 9:34 amI am a big fan of self-refuting comments. See #44.
daleyrocks (c07dfa) — 12/17/2010 @ 9:42 amFor my part, I land on cars with bows. The nice thing about political ads is that they’re so badly made that most people see right through them.
I don’t know, Leviticus–I’ve developed a Pavlovian “mute” response to any political ad on the teevee. The annoyance level probably has to do with the saturation more than anything else, but there’s not many car commercials that stick around long enough to fall into the annoyance level.
Another Chris (2d8013) — 12/17/2010 @ 10:07 amWell, this is all very interesting. I wonder what it’s about? Gets confusing after a bit.
The problem, it seems to me, is that once you’ve got people offended because of a series of news stories citing incidents in which one city after another removes a nativity scene, or bans a tree-lighting ceremony, or some such – and another series of stories about an employer memo instructing everyone not to use the “C” word – then pretty soon you get a whole lot of people worked up and they take every single incident – or hint of an incident – as representative of the whole freakin’ mess.
That was a run-on sentence, wasn’t it?
And now you can’t hardly talk about the thing intelligently because it’s all a big ball of yarn about nativities and cashiers and somebody’s grandmother and it’s-just-like-that-flag-they-made-that-decorated-Marine-take-down, et cetera.
Whatta ya say we boil it all down to a few simple, incontrovertible truths? OK?
1. People who attempt to forbid or delegitimize Christmas deserve to be boiled in their own multi-cultural massage oil.
2. People who see discrimination in every “Happy Holiday” card are wound a little tight, and need a nice mug of eggnog with rum.
and 3. Lexus stinks, and jewelry makes a much better gift for your wife (also keeps its value better and is more saleable in case of need), but no matter what you buy for your wife there’s no way she’s going to get you something as nice because she doesn’t really know what you want.
sigh…
Gesundheit (aab7c6) — 12/17/2010 @ 10:12 amGesundheit at #47 wins.
Kman (d30fc3) — 12/17/2010 @ 10:18 am[blush] Gosh, that’s the nicest thing anybody’s ever said to me on this site. I feel like I just got a Christmas present!
Gesundheit (aab7c6) — 12/17/2010 @ 10:29 amA lot of this political correctness gone berserk stems from the thinking of so-called “useful idiots.” Generally — and more times than not — that would be people of leftist persuasion. Or the folks that trial lawyers, inner-city politicians and Islamic fanatics can manipulate to their heart’s content.
Mark (411533) — 12/17/2010 @ 10:32 amAnd now, let’s move on to a more interesting topic? Aaron, how about a post asking what is the best thing your wife could give you for Christmas?
[Besides what you’re thinking, I mean.]
Here’s mine: (http://www.elpasotimes.com/ci_16875462) Dude, what a dream. If a drone aircraft from a foreign country crashed in your backyard, would you RETURN it? Heck no! THAT’S what I’d love for Christmas!
Of course, I need a new coat. That’s probably what she’s thinking.
Gesundheit (aab7c6) — 12/17/2010 @ 10:39 amHoly Cow! Put a bow on THIS instead a stupid Lexus! http://www.israeli-weapons.com/weapons/aircraft/uav/orbiter/Orbiter.html
Gesundheit (aab7c6) — 12/17/2010 @ 10:44 amKman
> Again, they’re not calling it (i.e., Christmas) a holiday.
Not even when they talk about a holiday present? Right now they are pushing sales this weekend complete with doorbusters and all that. my local sears ad has a two day sale and says “only 8 days left!” left until what? They never say. Why the hell not? Its bullsh–. Everyone knows they are talking about christmas, but they are so politically correct they don’t want to say it.
Seriously, we are turning Christmas into the Voldemort of Holidays.
And all I am doing with this post is countering that political correctness with a little pressure of my own.
> And don’t give me this crap that most of their business comes from people doing Christmas shopping. That may be true, but it’s irrelevant.
Its not irrelevant, it’s the entire issue. Again has anyone in the history of Judaism ever bought anyone a car for Hanukah? I don’t think so.
And please to compare it to race… the difference is that race is an irrelevant difference. Faith in this case is a damned relevant difference. As in, if you are Christian you are much much more likely to spend a huge wad of cash. And certainly if you celebrate Christmas, Christian or not, you are much more likely to spend a huge wad of cash.
> So there exists a segment
Wow, you actually quoted me without having any idea what I said.
> Well sure, but is the fault of retailers and advertisers?
Did I say it was?
> And besides, I don’t think changing “holidays” to “Christmas” is going to make shoppers behave better.
Liberal fallacy #271. If a thing doesn’t solve all the world’s problems immediately, you shouldn’t bother doing it.
Aaron Worthing (e7d72e) — 12/17/2010 @ 11:40 am“[Besides what you’re thinking, I mean.]”
Gesundheit – I think they set aside a day for that in March or April, but women still pretend it doesn’t exist.
daleyrocks (c07dfa) — 12/17/2010 @ 11:51 amI am a big fan of self-refuting comments. See #44.
Comment by daleyrocks — 12/17/2010 @ 9:42 am
Er, that was comment 44. Have you gone Zen on us?
In reference to the main discussion–since Christmas is not my holy day, I’m not upset about advertisements not referring to Christmas.
But refraining from mentioning Christmas is actually a different thing from ordering others not to mention Christmas, enough of a different thing that I think it’s wrong.
Personally, when dealing with customers at this time of year, I usually say “Happy Holidays” or “Enjoy your holidays” if I’m not sure–or if I’m sure that they are not Christian (ie, obviously Muslim or Jewish)–and “Merry Christmas” or “Have a good Christmas” if I’m pretty sure they are. To my knowledge, no one has yet objected to that.
BTW while I don’t know if it’s still around, there used to be a Jewish version of the YMCA called, logically enough, Young Men’s Hebrew Association (YMHA).
And to those of you who want Christianity properly honored, I will be glad to wish you all a “Happy Circumcision” on Jan 1. (If you don’t get it, work out what eight days after Dec. 25 is, remember what happens to all good Jewish boys when they are eight days old, and remember that Jesus was, if nothing else, a Jewish boy. And yes, the Catholic Church always honored the day that way until modernization set in.)
kishnevi (bb4d18) — 12/17/2010 @ 2:00 pmThen why don’t you at least do me the courtesy of referring to this holiday by name?
WHY THE HELL DO YOU CARE???
Seriously.
libarbarian (90bd00) — 12/17/2010 @ 2:07 pmHow dare you care about what you care about.
JD (07faa1) — 12/17/2010 @ 2:17 pmlibarbarian, why are you screaming about this, if it’s not something worth caring about?
I disagree with Aaron on this one, but I understand, at the very least, the annoyance at this level of political correctness, because it insults one’s intelligence.
For example, the corrupted version of the Christmas Carol “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” used in this .jpg. This degree of avoidance suggests there’s something wrong with the very thing they are talking about.
Personally, I do not see commercialization of Christmas as a solution to the problem of people being afraid to directly acknowledge Christmas. The problem is cultural corruption and even apparent loathing of something as benign as Christmas (else they wouldn’t have to jump through hoops to avoid it). That can’t be solved by having SWEET BABY JESUS deliver a sales pitch.
It’s more complicated than that.
Pretend the PC standards were not to avoid talking about religion, just in case the offended someone, but instead were to avoid some race that offends some lowlifes out there. so they use stand ins in place of Japanese or Black people, just to make sure someone who hates them doesn’t get annoyed.
A lot of people would say that’s insulting. Since it is. Just as it’s insulting to use this as a stand in for Christmas.
But the problem isn’t Lexus. They just want to turn a buck. The problem is us.
Dustin (b54cdc) — 12/17/2010 @ 2:28 pmDustin (and others):
I don’t think it’s necessarily a case of advertisers avoiding references to the C-word; it could well be simply an effort to include among the target audience people who don’t celebrate Christmas.
I’m sure Lexus would be very happy if I bought my wife one of their cars. I’m not going to, for two reasons: one, I don’t have that kind of money; and two, I don’t have a wife.
I’m sure Lexus would be very happy if Richard Dawkins bought his wife one of their cars. Unlike me, he apparently has the money. I don’t kow if he has the wife. But he certainly wouldn’t buy her a car as a celebration of Christmas. Nor would I, if I had a wife, although I might buy her one for Chanukah (if I had that kind of money.) So both Dawkins and I would tune out an ad that was too obviously linked to Christmas, but not an ad linked to a generic holiday season. (I’m of course being a little speculative in the case of Dawkins.)
So there’s a rational business reason for Lexus to make the ad the way it reads (granted, they could use a better song, and just who actually wraps up a car in a bright red ribbon), and I don’t think it’s necessarily something that reflects badly on our society.
BTW, I have known at least one person who bought his wife a car as a (birthday) gift. But he had a pretty good idea of what his wife wanted in terms of colors, optional equipment, etc.
kishnevi (bb4d18) — 12/17/2010 @ 2:50 pm3. Lexus stinks, and jewelry makes a much better gift for your wife (also keeps its value better and is more saleable in case of need), but no matter what you buy for your wife there’s no way she’s going to get you something as nice because she doesn’t really know what you want.
Gesundheit,
You’re making me laugh!
And I think you’re right: my favorite gift evah from the hub is a hand-wrought silver bracelet with inlaid sea glass. It’s exotic, unique, one-of-a-kind made by an east coast artisan. It’s not only beautiful but that he took the time to find just that right piece of jewelry told me all I needed to know. Frankly, if there had been Lexus parked in the driveway with a big bow instead, I would have been sorely disappointed.
Dana (8ba2fb) — 12/17/2010 @ 3:25 pmThey just want to welcome and/or pitch to people celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, Ramadan, Kwanza, St. Nicholas Day, Boxing Day, New Years Day, and/or Saturday without filling their ads with a boring list, and without producing a new ad every other day. This idea that the “real” reason is only Christmas, and only Jesus-Christmas and not Santa-Christmas, is absurd on its face. Christians do not have a monopoly on having holidays or holy days. Even if you are Christian, you should recognize at least Hanukkah as having equal footing.
They aren’t excluding Christians; Christians are demanding to be treated with unearned preference.
roy (d946db) — 12/17/2010 @ 3:50 pmYou might as well complain that taking down the “whites only” signs was political correctness.
roy (d946db) — 12/17/2010 @ 3:53 pm“Er, that was comment 44. Have you gone Zen on us?”
kishnevi – One comment has since been deleted from the thread. Now see comment #43.
daleyrocks (c07dfa) — 12/17/2010 @ 3:56 pmThere is nothing better this time of year than a bunch of school kids gathered around a Mitten Tree singing multiculturally correct songs.
daleyrocks (c07dfa) — 12/17/2010 @ 4:01 pmRoy – hyperbole, often?
Lexus is a lot of things, but it most certainly does not stink.
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/coupes/1008_2012_lexus_lfa_2010_nissan_gtr_comparison/index.html
JD (07faa1) — 12/17/2010 @ 4:10 pmIt is Lexus, not Lexis. Lawyers.
JD (07faa1) — 12/17/2010 @ 4:11 pmhttp://www.zcars.com.au/images/lexus-lfa-roadster1.jpg
I submit this without comment. This is not Teh suck.
JD (07faa1) — 12/17/2010 @ 4:13 pm“You might as well complain that taking down the “whites only” signs was political correctness.”
roy – This is a fairly conservative blog. It was the Democrats in the south who fought that, but it sure sounds like a good talking point for the uninformed.
daleyrocks (c07dfa) — 12/17/2010 @ 4:19 pmJD, my hyperbole is superior to anything ever. It is hyper-hyperbole.
Actually, yeah, my 3:53 comment was excessive and I apologize. And I was so close to making the “nice” list this year.
roy (d946db) — 12/17/2010 @ 4:22 pmI suspect Lexus gets most of its business from white people. Should it limit itself in its ads in that way as well?
What an unusual comment to make. I don’t think I have ever made note of or even noticed the color of the people associated with the car in a commercial. It’s a car, it’s people, and it is simply a commercial. That’s pretty much it. This seems an unrealistic assumption of narrow-mindedness that would even think along these lines.
But then again, it’s just a commercial and a car and people to me.
Dana (8ba2fb) — 12/17/2010 @ 4:24 pmOh dear, Lexus has really gone and done it now – black and white…together!
Dana (8ba2fb) — 12/17/2010 @ 4:49 pmHere.
Dana (8ba2fb) — 12/17/2010 @ 4:50 pm“Christmas has been banned by the Red Cross…”
If you’re going to do that you might want to consider changing the name of your organization, and quit using the cross as a symbol.
It’s sort of associated with Christianity.
Morons.
Dave Surls (901af6) — 12/17/2010 @ 5:28 pmLooks like the TSA is making war on Christmas…
(found via Radley Balko)
kishnevi (fb9343) — 12/17/2010 @ 5:37 pmWhy don’t these atheist go find a day in the month a celebrate their lack of believe and call it what they like, and leave Christmas to Christians? I don’t see any confusion about Muslims’ yearly holidays marking the birth of their founder. Christmas remains and still is about the birth of the most important person to visit this Earth, Jesus Christ of Nazareth! Son of God the creator of heaven and earth. If you don’t like it, go found your own religion. Christmas is about Christ.
The Emperor (1fca40) — 12/17/2010 @ 5:43 pmJust checking. Has anybody outlawed Handel’s Messiah yet?
elissa (d33d98) — 12/17/2010 @ 5:46 pmTell you what… you give the pagans back the tree, yule logs, and December 25, and I’ll talk to the other atheists about giving you back the name “Christmas”.
Or is it OK to ape others’ traditions so long as you’re the ape?
roy (f572a6) — 12/17/2010 @ 7:07 pmThe best way to win the War on Christmas is to finally prove the truth and force religious leaders to cease and desist from their lies and exploitation. I have published comprehensive proof that the symbology of these canons is based on advanced science and natural observations that completely expose pivotal ancient lies. Here’s my latest press release on the topic.
Seven Star Hand Unveils Death Blow in War on Christmas
Telling lies about me for two millennia has dire consequences, and now I intend to collect on what is due.
Here is Wisdom…
Seven Star Hand (7bf0e9) — 12/18/2010 @ 2:17 pmHarrison Ford’s a mensch who I generally enjoy watching; and Julia Ormond is plenty cute.
But as Sabrinas go, I much prefer the 1954 original with Humphrey Bogart, Audrey Hepburn, and William Holden. It’s not my favorite movie for any one of them; and with a cast like that and Billy Wilder directing, it might have been better than it actually turned out. But as it was, it was good enough to grab Oscar nominations for Hepburn (best actress) and Wilder (best director, best script). But de gustibus non disputandum est, as they say — except in Hollywood, ironically, where the whole point of the Oscars used to be to dispute taste. Now the whole point seems to be to showcase the political ideas of idiots, which opinions I take exactly as seriously as I do my veterinarian’s opinions on ancient Greek literature, and less seriously than I take my dog’s opinion on her veterinarian.
Beldar (8b6816) — 12/18/2010 @ 7:56 pm(I’m pretty sure that my dog is smarter than Sean Penn.)
Beldar (8b6816) — 12/18/2010 @ 7:58 pmI’m pretty sure he is too, Beldar.
SPQR (26be8b) — 12/18/2010 @ 8:25 pmFade in: Wife handing husband keys to expensive luxury sedan with large red bow on car. They embrace. Wife then hands hubby owners manual and thick envelope. When he looks at her quizzically she volunteers – “Oh – that’s the payment book – first payment due in two weeks!”
Californio (ff705e) — 12/19/2010 @ 11:56 pmI bookmarked https://patterico.com/2010/12/17/i-won%E2%80%99t-call-this-a-%E2%80%9Cwar-on-christmas%E2%80%9D at Stumbleupon.com so my friends can read it as well. I simply used %BLOGTITLE% as the entry title in my post,I figured it would be a good way to spread the word about this awesome post. Please email me back at Weisberger2162@gmail.com if there is anything more I can do to help.
Ryann Sherfey (486ea4) — 4/14/2011 @ 6:54 am