http://eurweb.com/story/eur29816.cfm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wal-Mart stores will be over-flowing with Christmas spirit after boycott backlash from last yearÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢s decision to be more politically correct in their holiday displays.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas will be front and center at the worldÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢s largest retail chain, a year after religious and other groups boycotted retailers that down-played Christmas, including Wal-Mart (WMT).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wal-Mart spokeswoman Linda Blakley told USA Today that they have learned their lesson.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"We're not afraid to use the term 'Merry Christmas.' We'll use it early, and we'll use it often."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wal-Mart associates weÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢re happy to hear about the change and will be encouraged to greet customers with words appropriate to their race or religion, such as Feliz Navidad or Happy Kwanzaa.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Along with the change, the report goes on to say that about 60% of the merchandise will be labeled "Christmas" rather than "holiday" this year over last.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ãââ A TV ad trumpeting Christmas will air for the first time next week. Wal-Mart also will air TV ads along with the Salvation Army mentioning Christmas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ãââ The name of the department with Christmas decorating needs will change from The Holiday Shop, which it was for the past several years, to The Christmas Shop.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ãââ Store signs will count down the days until Christmas, and Christmas carols will be piped throughout the season.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Julie Reem, VP of Marketing and Communications for Wal-Mart appeared on the OÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢Reilly Factor (FOX) making their past regrets known and promoting the companyÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢s change of heart toward the Christmas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A few people told me about this earlier, and I looked for a news article. It is true though, instead of saying 'Happy Holidays' they will be doing everything including 'Merry Christmas." I like this idea, because I find it weird that people are offended if they say 'Merry Xmas' or 'Happy Hanukkah,' etc...

People are overly-senstive idiots.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Go Walmart. End political correctness.

Saw it on the Colbert Report. Personally I really don't care, im a Target person.

People are overly-senstive idiots.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Go Walmart. End political correctness.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They can end political correctness but they need to stop trying to monopolize our economy..

Good. The whole pretending Christmas didn't exist and that the "holidays" just so happened to revolve around December. 25 was getting to me.

Where I work I say happy holidays (if I say anything other than "thank you have a great night") anyway. It's not really about pretending it doesnÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢t exist. I love the holiday season and I love having Christmas be a big part of it. I just don't feel like targeting people as Christian or Jewish.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Even if I were to say "Merry Christmas" to every single person, I would be getting a good percentage wrong.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edit: If I know their religion for a fact I of course would say the appropriate saying.

I bet a thousand bucks, if you ask 1000 random kids Grades K-8, where Christmas originated from, they would either

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a. Give you a lame answer

 

 

 

b. Talk about Santa(who doesn't exist, don't make me turn into a rant about him)

 

 

 

c. a small percentage would give the right answer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you get at least 10% of the kids to give you the right answer, I'll be veryyyyyy surprised.

I bet a thousand bucks, if you ask 1000 random kids Grades K-8, where Christmas originated from, they would either

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a. Give you a lame answer

 

 

 

b. Talk about Santa(who doesn't exist, don't make me turn into a rant about him)

 

 

 

c. a small percentage would give the right answer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you get at least 10% of the kids to give you the right answer, I'll be veryyyyyy surprised.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To be honest, however, I wouldn't really expect them too. I know when I was a kid christmas was all about:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- Going to church in the evening, hear about the religious aspect.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- Anxiously Wait durring the entire service so I could get home

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- Have a light dinner, such as crackers + cheese, something easy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- Open our presents from each other, than go to sleep (or try to).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- Wake up at like 2-3am in the morning because you couldn't sleep and sneak down to get an idea on what you got. :D .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- Finaly end up waking up at like 7am that morning (even though you normaly sleep into like 10-11) and opening all your presents, acting completly suprised about them. :lol:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That, to me, is christmas. It's also just that one time of the year where everyone acts especialy damn nice to each other. And, of course, it is nice to just have one time of the year where everyone can give and recieve, and share gifts and just have a great time with your family and friends.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To me, the actual idea behind christmas is "slightly" forgotten. Yes, the religious aspect of it is still important to many, but to me it's just part of the tradition (as i'm not overly religious, however, on easter and christmas I do make it out to go to church).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

:)

Good. The whole pretending Christmas didn't exist and that the "holidays" just so happened to revolve around December. 25 was getting to me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was getting to me and I'm an atheist from several thousand miles away...

Good. The whole pretending Christmas didn't exist and that the "holidays" just so happened to revolve around December. 25 was getting to me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Same Here! :x

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quite frankly, I believe if you don't believe in or wish to celebrate the traditions we have then get the hell out, and don't try to push your political correctness onto us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's ludicrous!

WOW

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

go Walmart, im glad a store as big as Walmart is the first major retailer to do it, maybe more will follow

Good for Walmart :D

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm tired of fame-seekers pulling this kind of crap and it's nice to see something is being done to preserve the natural ways

just need to get the main shops in britian to get this going and i will be a much happier person.

I'm happy they're doing this. I'm not a follower of any religion so I couldn't care less in that sense, but anybody who gets offended by the word "christmas" is an idiot. The event itself is even based on pagan festivals which were around before most religions were invented.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some people just seem to be over-sensitive. You can't equate it to Wal-mart hanging a display that says "Happy birthday Hitler" and tear down everything christmas related because "it offends your religion".

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Though, I don't get it, why just not call it "holidays"? That way, everybody wins. The christians who get offended by 'not' seeing the word christmas are funny.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I believe if you don't believe in or wish to celebrate the traditions we have then get the hell out, and don't try to push your political correctness onto us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think you're taking christmas way too seriously, considering it's supposed to be a time when you're happy and forget your grudges.

One thing that is funny is that 'holiday' is no less 'offensive'. By calling it a holiday you acknowledge that it is a holy day.

One thing that is funny is that 'holiday' is no less 'offensive'. By calling it a holiday you acknowledge that it is a holy day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is true, but I believe another problem a lot of people had were they were not allowed to say Merry Christmas when greeting customers. :?

Go wal-mart. Now stop monopolizing the economy.

Go wal-mart. Now stop monopolizing the economy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They sell out almost every store near them when they move in :P

 

People are overly-senstive idiots.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Go Walmart. End political correctness.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They can end political correctness but they need to stop trying to monopolize our economy..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No one is making you shopthere.

One thing that is funny is that 'holiday' is no less 'offensive'. By calling it a holiday you acknowledge that it is a holy day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But even if it is not outright offense, the idea of laughed at because you said merry Christmas to a jewish person is ridiculous. (happened to me) It got so bad people just said happy holidays. The trend now a days is to say the religion you believe in because you believe in it. I support wal mart one hundred percent for allowing there greeters to do that.