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I got into a rather heated phone conversation yesterday with Bill Bradshaw, the director of Roper Mtn. Science Center. I asked him why their annual light festival was referred to as "holiday" lights instead of Christmas lights considering that it's been an American tradition for well over 100 years to decorate ones house, yard, work, etc. with lights for Christmas and not any other holiday. I told him there's no such American tradition as Thanksgiving lights, or Arbor Day lights, or Easter lights,etc, just Christmas lights and he said, "Well, we don't have any Thanksgiving lights."
I then asked him if he knew of any other holiday that is celebrated in part by decorating ones house in lights and he said, "I think people who celebrate Hanukkah put up lights." At that point I became a bit incredulous and asked him, "You mean to tell me that if we were to drive around various neighborhoods in Greenville that we could find homes decorated in Hanukkah lights?" and he responded, "I think so." Dumbfounded, I asked him if he could put a % on the number of homes in and around Greenville decorated in Hanukkah lights and he said that he wouldn't do that. So then I asked him if he could give me one example of Hanukkah lights and he said that he believed that a menorah was a light. For those who aren't familiar with a menorah it is a Jewish religious symbol involving candles, somewhat equatable to Catholic votive candles; they are not festive lights or decorations.
His condescending answers got my blood boiling and I then told him what I really thought. I told him that I believed that this was an intentional politically correct move to help eradicate the word Christmas from the lexicon of the English language and that I was deeply offended. I informed him that there was no such holiday called "holiday" and then asked him flat out if the word Christmas offended him; he said that he would not answer that question. I tried two more times unsuccessfully to ask him if the word Christmas was offensive to him and again, both times he said that he would not answer. I told him that since he and his organization felt that the word Christmas was too offensive to describe Christmas lights, despite the fact that their logo has what sure seem to appear to be three Christmas trees that my family would be boycotting RMSC. I again reminded him that there is no such holiday called "holiday" and he told me to write him a letter; seriously. I then wished him a Merry Christmas (I'm sure he hated that) and bid him adieu.
At that point I was equal parts mad, equal parts sad, but went to the mall with Mrs. Sonrise and Baby Sonrise (who turned 2 last week) determined to have a pleasant day. Well, lo and behold walking into the mall, one wouldn't have a clue that the Christmas season was upon us, if not for the picture with Santa booth set up in the middle of the mall; no banners or decorations, no Christmas music, the word Christmas was nowhere to be found. Folks, this may seem like a trivial matter to you, but it really offends me and makes me quite sad. Thankfully my wife is simpatico with me on this issue. I remember not too long ago when Christmas was a wonderful time that was proudly and openly celebrated by all Americans, regardless of religious affiliation. I remember going to the mall not too many years ago and there would be Christmas concerts, carolers, banners and signs. Now we have holiday lights and holiday trees (what the heck are they) and I've even seen signs that declare Holiday 2009. Again, there's no such holiday called holiday.
Coincidentally at the sun glass booth we saw a woman and her husband wearing a button that said, "It's okay to wish me a Merry Christmas" and I gave them a thumbs up and engaged them in a conversation about my phone call earlier that day and how the media and businesses are trying to make the word Christmas seem like a bad word. She informed us that she use to work at Cracker Barrel and answered the phone wishing the person a Merry Christmas and was told that was against company policy and was written up for it. At Cracker Barrel of all places. They were kind enough to give me a pin and I put it on immediately.
After the mall we went to Old Navy, and again the same thing, no decorations, no music; nothing whatsoever to indicate that Christmas was 3 weeks away. at checkout, I asked the girl if there was any mention of Christmas anywhere in the store, and she said, "Oh, yeah, on a few gift cards." and I said, "But nowhere public on any signs and banners?", and she said, "No." I then asked her if it was company policy to not wish their customers Merry Christmas, and she informed me that it was not. She then noticed my pin and commented on how much she liked it, and we exchanged Merry Christmases.
Our last stop of the day was to pick up our Christmas Tree (not holiday tree) at Lowes and the girl who checked us out commented on how much she liked my pin and that how it seems that there's an effort to strike the word Christmas from the public's vocabulary.
Anyway, I want to apologize for such a long winded post, but I encourage everyone to stand up for their beliefs and not assume that the word Christmas is offensive; it is after all a federal holiday. I for one will not be going to Roper Mtn until they change the name of their event to Christmas Lights. I won't hold my breath. I was however very encouraged that on three separate occasions people shared the same opinion as myself and liked my button. This fight is just beginning but it's about something bigger than just the word Christmas, if you know what I mean. Merry Christmas to all. -Sonrise
Last edited by linicx; 12-04-2009 at 02:46 PM..
Reason: Subject title not clear
This probably isn't the place to discuss this, but I'm afraid you're going to see a lot more of this in the future. I think Christians will be shocked at how quickly they'll fall out of favor in this country, and around the world. This should cheer up those that are afraid that Greenville is a bastion of conservative Christian ideals.
After the mall we went to Old Navy, and again the same thing, no decorations, no music; nothing whatsoever to indicate that Christmas was 3 weeks away. at checkout, I asked the girl if there was any mention of Christmas anywhere in the store, and she said, "Oh, yeah, on a few gift cards." and I said, "But nowhere public on any signs and banners?", and she said, "No." I then asked her if it was company policy to not wish their customers Merry Christmas, and she informed me that it was not. She then noticed my pin and commented on how much she liked it, and we exchanged Merry Christmases.
You might be interested in this. When I read your comments about what the cashier said at Old Navy I was surprised, since I had heard of people boycotting Old Navy/Gap because of them not saying Merry Christmas. (I haven't shopped in an Old Navy or Gap in years regardless). But it looks like they may have reversed course: AFA ends boycott of Gap, Old Navy - see the ad
Still, I'm not so sure though. The Old Navy commercial I keep seeing all the time is the one with the dancing people that says "Go Christmas, Go Hanukkah, Go Kwanzaa, Go Solstice!" Um, "Go Solstice???" Talk about taking political correctness to a ridiculous level.
If you talk to the Roper Mountain guy again, it might be worth pointing out to him that Greenville still has the Poinsettia Christmas Parade...and that's put on by the City of Greenville itself.
I'm with you on this one, Sonrise. The word 'holidays', in my opinion, can be used as a general term for all of the events between Thanksgiving and New Years, but when it becomes singular and a proper noun to describe one day (Christmas), it really bothers me too. If you don't celebrate Christmas, fine, but please let me! Especially if you want to take my money....
Agreed 100%. They want us to go out shopping for Christmas presents; to spend our hard earned money...but they don't or can't wish us a Merry Christmas. What nerve. And for the record I'll be spending less than half of what I spent last year.
Thanks for everyone's comments. My question is when and why was it decided that the word Christmas was offensive? It's been this gradual transformation for years now. When I was a kid (I'm 37) Christmas was proudly said and displayed everywhere and if it's somehow offensive now, why wasn't it then?
I called the Russ and Lisa show last year about this very topic and Russ was off, so Lisa was by herself and I told her that on 2 liter bottles of Coke the words Holiday 2008 were written with some type of seasonal generic display. Holiday; can you believe it? There's no such holiday called holiday. As someone already mentioned if it can happen here, the heart of conservative Christianity, it can happen anywhere.
Even the festivities in downtown Greenville, which are sponsored by St. Francis are called St. Francis Holiday Festival. If a catholic organization has become so pc, that even they refuse to say the word Christmas when referring to ....Christmas, then it's time to get a little concerned.
It's called Holiday Fair in downtown Greenville too. Sad. The media has caused this stupid controversy to erupt. I don't see what's wrong with saying Christmas at all.
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For those who aren't familiar with a menorah it is a Jewish religious symbol involving candles, somewhat equatable to Catholic votive candles; they are not festive lights or decorations. 
I tried two more times unsuccessfully to ask him if the word Christmas was offensive to him and again, both times he said that he would not answer. I told him that since he and his organization felt that the word Christmas was too offensive to describe Christmas lights, despite the fact that their logo has what sure seem to appear to be three Christmas trees that my family would be boycotting RMSC. I again reminded him that there is no such holiday called "holiday" and he told me to write him a letter; seriously. I then wished him a Merry Christmas (I'm sure he hated that) and bid him adieu.
