Wal Mart Will Say "Merry Christmas" This Year

[Ciscokid]

I don't care what they say to be honest. I also don't have a big problem going to Walmart.

 

[MaddLlama]

Eh, don't really care. I shop at Target anyway.

 

[Apex]

I dont see why people would have a problem with them saying merry christiam anyways, the majority of people celebrate christmas regardless of their religion. Although they should just say what they really mean "Welcome to Walmart, please give us all your money".

 

[Mathematician]

I think it's fine. Anyone who would be offended by being wished a Merry Christmas has a screw loose in my opinion. America is a predominantly Christian country - and the shopping season is busy at Christmas because this is when Christians shop. If you wish a non-Christian a Merry Christmas, and are corrected, then wish them a Happy Holiday Season.

The end of Ramadan is the busiest shopping season in Sarajevo - with October and November being the busiest months overall. During that time, everything is Ramadan - Ramadan Sale! Etc. But in December, everything is Christmas. Even stores selling traditional, Islamic clothing will have Christmas sales - because Christians have Muslim friends, normally. So it depends on the season.

There's a Ramadan season, a Christmas season, and whatever else. The signs change, the greetings change, but they're never just merged into one benign expression. I prefer that.

I prefer going to a Christian-owned shop in November and getting wished a happy Ramadan, just as I prefer serving Christian customers in December and wishing them a merry Christmas. Saying Happy Holidays just annoys everyone, here it would make non-Muslims all assume it means Happy Ramadan anyways.

Besides, we're not celebrating "Holidays". I don't buy presents for the long weekend in the first week of July. I don't buy presents when snow closes the businesses. I buy presents for Ramadan, and for Christmas. This is what we're celebrating, so this is what we should wish for each other.

I think "Happy Holidays" also requires a fairly secular people, in beliefs and not just in lifestyle. Ramadan and Christmas both, in Southern and Eastern Europe, are still far more religious than they are commercial. If you're a Christian in Sarajevo and don't want to celebrate the religious aspect of Christmas, there's really nothing you can do. There's no big Santa Claus mission or anything like this. It's just simply presents to celebrate a religious holiday.

So I think having such a strong religious aspect of these holy days makes it impossible to just make them holidays.

Here in the States it was actually the religious fanatics that got offended by stores using "Happy Holidays", causing the whole "controversy". Happy Holidays was a scheme by chain stores to bring in crowds that probably wouldn't celebrate Christmas. Coincidentally a few schools and cities in the country were concentrating on secularizing the holiday by taking down crosses, or in some cases, putting up other religious items to make an equilibrium. It wasn't until Fox News made up the guise of the "War on Christmas" (they dedicated days to this crap) did people actually get seriously involved in protesting. People pointed to some isolated incidents and convinced its core viewers that somehow atheists were taking over the country. Meanwhile the other news stations all made a joke about it.

The funny thing is, this same group of people are usually actively in support of a free market. I guess it stings when things don't get your way.

I think it's all quite humerous, especially since a lot of the religious aspects of Christmas are out the door, for better or for worse. What exactly are they standing up to? Religious and cultural pluralism? Well I guess it wouldn't be the first time that happened. :sarcastic

My opinion: who really gives a snot what it's called? You're still buying the same thing.

Youtube has some good clips:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=23MmAOJPojQ

 

[NoahideHiker]

I celebrate Festivus anyhow.

 

[continuumcomplex]

I would have to say that this change means nothing at all. In my own opinion, everyone should stop worrying so much about what other people (and this includes corporations) are doing; particularly when it involves religion. If someone is oppressing someone else's religion, then yes it is a concern. If Walmart is forcing non-christians to say "merry christmas", then yes that is also a concern. However, if Walmart is simply saying "merry christmas" to non-christians; then I see no reason at all to get offended. Indeed, you should just view it as them wishing you to have a nice Dec. 25'th; or as them wishing you to enjoy your own holiday that coincides with theirs.

 

[Radio Frequency X]

Eh, don't really care. I shop at Target anyway.

I love Target. They make the most comfortable t-shirts; its just simple, thin, soft cotton. They also have a better selection of nice jackets and professional attire.

As a company, I love Walmart. I love that they say Merry Christmas. I love that they try to serve the interests of the majority, getting as many products to as many people as possible.