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Wal-Mart Gives Okay to "Merry Christmas" |
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Thursday, 16 November 2006 |
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--Wal-Mart, which recently upset some Christians over its partnerships with homosexual groups, has announced that it will use “Merry Christmas” in its stores again this year.
“We, quite frankly, have learned a lesson from last year,” Linda Blakley, a Wal-Mart spokeswoman, told USA Today. “We’re not afraid to use the term ‘Merry Christmas.’ We’ll use it early, and we’ll use it often.”
During last year’s Christmas season, several groups, including the American Family Association and the Catholic League, protested retail stores’ decisions to ban the religion-specific Merry Christmas in favor of the more general “Happy Holidays.”
So this year, Wal-Mart said it will air television ads mentioning Christmas, change the name of its seasonal decorating department back to “The Christmas Shop” instead of “The Holiday Shop,” post signs in stores counting down the days until Christmas, play Christmas carols on speakers throughout their stores, and carry about 60 percent more merchandise with the label “Christmas” rather than “holiday,” according to USA Today Nov. 8.
At least one other store is following suit. Macy’s, the largest department store chain in the United States, plans to post “Merry Christmas” signs in all departments and give Christmas themes to all of its window displays.
- Erin Roach
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