It seems that prices are not the only thing that the insipid little Wal-Mart smiley face is slashing. Currently, it appears that the little critter is more interested in slashing Christmas from Wal-Mart stores than in slashing prices.
In a recent Associated Press story, entitled “Wal-Mart Says Happy Holidays Covers Several Events,” Dan Fogleman, Senior Manager, Public Relations for Wal-Mart said that Wal-Mart is encouraging the use of the term “Happy Holidays” to “include celebrations from Thanksgiving to Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and New Year’s Eve as well as Christmas.” It’s an interesting, if somewhat confusing concept but, more importantly, what a strange way for Wal-Mart to show just how much they care about the feelings of the vast majority of its customers to whom the holiday of Christmas is so special.
An Ole Seagull is confused. If, for whatever reason, it was truly the “celebration” of certain events that Wal-Mart management wanted combined into a single greeting, why use the term “Happy Holidays” instead of “Happy Celebrations?” It becomes even more confusing when one considers that although all five could be celebrations only two of Wal-Mart’s named celebrations are official holidays, Thanksgiving and Christmas, and only two are recognized as religious Holidays, Hanukkah and Christmas.
So exactly what does the term “Happy Holidays” mean? To an Ole Seagull, in this time and place in history, it is the term used by those who want to, not only obscure the significance, meaning, and importance of Christmas, but remove the very word “Christmas” from public display or mention.
It’s amazing, from a business perspective, why any business, but especially Wal-Mart would want to do anything but promote Christmas let alone something that obscures it. Is there another single holiday besides Christmas that means as much to the vast majority of their customers besides perhaps, Easter and Thanksgiving? What other holiday generates as much economic activity for Wal-Mart or the nation’s other retailers? Is it Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or New Year’s Eve? Not in this life time!
Yet, in spite of all that Christmas does for their bottom line and all that it means to most of its customers, how does Wal-Mart’s management shows its “holiday” compassion and kindness and just how much it cares about the Christmas feelings of those customers? Apparently, by intentionally taking steps to remove the word Christmas from their corporate culture.
They know they can get way with it because they are the biggest retailer in the nation and know that most of their customers, including Christians, will tend to ignore their actions regarding Christmas in favor of the cheaper prices and merchandise selections they offer. Oh, how well they think they know the level of commitment that most of their customers have to themselves, saving money, and convenience as compared to the true meaning of Christmas.
But wouldn’t it be interesting to see what Wal-Mart would do if those who value the traditional Christmas, and resent Wal-Mart’s arrogant actions toward it, simply resolved to shop at Wal-Mart 20 percent less during the next year. Oh, they’d shop at Wal-Mart, particularly for the bargains, but would purpose to take 20 percent of the business elsewhere. How special it would be if every person participating in that program just wrote the word “Merry Christmas” on a slip of paper and handed it to the Wal-Mart Associate checking them out as they paid for their merchandise throughout the year.
Is that the Wal-Mart smiley face zapping prices in the book section? It’s the smiley face all right but it’s not zapping prices. It appears to be hovering over a book that has fallen off the shelf and flipped open as it fell to the floor. Wait, is its head bowed, is that tears falling from its eyes as people rush by, pushing it out of the way as, in their urge to shop, they step over and on the page of the book that reads, “for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord?”
