The War on Christmas: 2012 Edition

[Boogalou]

It's after Halloween and you know what that means... It's War On Christmas Season!!! So exciting! I thought it would take a little while to gear up, but apparently not. The war has started once again and the first casualty is Christmas music in Shoppers Drugmart (a Canadian Pharmacy). RIP Shoppers Drugmart Christmas music. Anyway, the company made the following announcement on their Facebook page today:

Hi everyone, due to recent complaints around the Christmas music being played in stores we want to advise you that as of midnight EST tonight, all Christmas music will be suspended until further notice. We do take customer feedback to heart, and it does lead to change. Thank you for your patience around this and have a fabulous Friday.

Now, they never say that it will stop all together but that doesn't stop the wild speculation, racism, ignorance, and all around Christian spirit and kindness. Jesus would be so proud.

Play the Christmas musci; it is only a few who don't want it and they should go back to where they came from it they don't like it.

Good spelling, good grammar, and get those people out of our country that we aren't really from either cuz we stole it!

That's the most stupid thing I've heard lmao

Obviously, she has never read about iPhones=healthcare.

We are going to be communist country soon if people so stop controlling everything we do I listen to Xmas music all year

A private company making a decision is communism. Insightful.

That seriously drives me nuts. You come to Canada so obide by our rules and religions as we do yours. My daughter cant even have a christmas pageant, or sing oh canada in school, or dress up on haloween!! Move back already ppl, im not at all racist but I thought canada was strong and free

Racist comment, racist comment, I'M NOT RACIST!

That's nonsense! I bet if you took a pole you'd have more people liking it than not! Not fair that the few that put up a fuss are the ones the win...To each it's own I guess.....

So true. If someone took a pole to me I would certainly agree with whatever they wanted me to agree with, I don't want to get hit with a pole.

Give me a break. This country was founded on Christianity.

Or not. Who cares about the truth? What really matters is Christmas music!

Although I don't like to hear Christmas Carols in November, I sure hope this 'until further notice' does NOT mean that we will not hear 'any' of it in December!!!!!!! Tell the Muslims and other 'insulted' groups, that they came to this country to live amongst us - not to insult and diminish our values!! We put up with their religious notions, so let them put up with ours. *you said you take customer feedback to heart - well, I AM a CUSTOMER TOO!! p.s. - up here in Thunder Bay, we are not so intimidated by the S.Ontario bleeding heart bologna that lands in Toronto with every boat load of 'new laws', so I hope I go to Shopper's in December and hear the magic music I have loved all my life...

It's the Muslims I tell you!

And just for relief, a voice of sanity:

The people who are bitching and complaining over the lack of shitty Christmas music, need to get their lives together. If you're willing to stop shopping somewhere because of background noise, you're a moron. I didn't even know there was music playing, because like a normal person, I go there it pick up shampoo, not listen to music >__>

Has anyone else seen any War On Christmas stuff yet?

[Cannelle]

I bet the people who were complaining about it were more, "Christmas music ALREADY??? Seriously, it's WAY too soon for that," and not, "ZOMG I HATE JESUS."

[0KidsAndHappy]

A private company making a decision is communism. Insightful.

You can let this one know that according to people like herself here in the US, Canada is already a Communist country and it is probably Obama's fault.

[Boogalou]

Maybe Obama was the one who complained about the Christmas music? You know, in order to promote his communist agenda.

[shesinsane]

I bet the people who were complaining about it were more, "Christmas music ALREADY??? Seriously, it's WAY too soon for that," and not, "ZOMG I HATE JESUS."

Yup. I'd suggest they play Thanksgiving music but it's Canada and they already had their Thanksgiving.

Maybe I'm remember it wrong, but when I was a kid, Christmas mania didn't start until the day after Thanksgiving. Starting the day after Halloween is just too much too soon.

[BlackHawk]

I bet the people who were complaining about it were more, "Christmas music ALREADY??? Seriously, it's WAY too soon for that," and not, "ZOMG I HATE JESUS."

^^ THIS!

We have a station here that has already starting mixing their Christmas music in to their regular music (which it's a mix station so it'll play Justin Bieber then Hippo for Christmas then Katy Perry... it's all very nerve wrecking!). It's WAY to early and it's annoying. and I am a lover of Christmas music... Seriously, the day after Thanksgiving when the tree goes up (or around here it's when our stockings go out... trees don't fare well with the puppies... they like to try to eat it) I am all about busting out the Christmas LPs and playing them. Nothing wrong with that... but for pity's sake it's just now NOVEMBER! I don't wanna listen to the same Christmas music over and over for TWO months.

I know very little about Canada and their traditions surrounding the holidays, but I highly doubt it was any more sinister then "I don't wanna listen to the same 100 songs for 2 months". Seriously.

[gustava]

Maybe Obama was the one who complained about the Christmas music? You know, in order to promote his communist agenda.

Well, after all, he is the antichrist.

[NjoyingNsanity]

We have a local radio station that switches over to playing nothing but Christmas music from the day after Thanksgiving through Christmas day. I love Christmas music but it does get old after a month of it non-stop. If they started the day after Halloween I have a feeling I'd end up slowly going insane after the two hundredth rendition of Deck The Halls.

[Emme]

A few years ago some blogger was bugging out about the whole Merry Christmas V Happy Holidays. When I mentioned that we were founded on religious freedom and that Christmas wasn't the only holiday, I mentioned that as a Jew I especially appreciated that my people had someplace safe to go. She told me to "go back to my country" (similar to some of the awesome people who are mad that there's no Christmas music)

Dude. In what universe would Jesus say that? What a wackjob.

[Lady_M]

Starting on the Christmas music already? Don't get me wrong, there are some Christmas songs I love but about the third time I hear Alvin and the Chipmunks singing about the hula hoop, I usually want to jump out of a window. Even the songs with good messages like "My Grown-up Christmas List" get exhausting about the 50th time I've heard it in two days. I'm a Christian (even if I am a liberal snarky one) and celebrate Christmas and most Christmas music these days drives me nuts.

My personal story on the "Christmas Wars" is told by my Christmas card box. I usually buy two packages of holiday cards - one religious for the ones that get upset if the religion is left out, the other secular/generic holiday for those who aren't Christian or religious. Seems to keep people happy, and while I sometimes wonder if I'm playing into the madness by doing this, the holiday season is already stressful enough that it's just one less thing to deal with.

Edited for riffles.

[jaynie]

...

I know very little about Canada and their traditions surrounding the holidays, but I highly doubt it was any more sinister then "I don't wanna listen to the same 100 songs for 2 months". Seriously.

It was probably employees that complained! Nothing is more grating than spending your entire working life at a dull job listening to artificially cheery Christmas pop. We only started ours in December when I worked retail and by Christmas I was ready to take a hammer to the speakers. And I *love* Christmas music.

[freejoytoo]

I worked at Claire's during the Christmas period once. I LOVE carols but Christmas songs can go to hell.

[RosyDaisy]

I agree. Christmas music starts playing way to early, and that's why people who ordinarily like to hate it by the end of the season. I'm thinking maybe some more contemporary music along with the traditional will help. But I'm a Christmas fanatic who goes the the whole nine yards (within my tiny budget of course). I do however tone down the fanaticism when at work as I don't want to offend anyone. I usually just pass out generic winter scene, happy holidays type greeting cards. However, I don't have a problem receiving Hanukkah or any other religious day cards. I think they are nice gestures.

[ThisOlGirl]

Slightly off topic, but since W.O.C. 2012 has officially commenced, are various FJ members still doing a FJ gingerbread village? People had great ideas-- a planned parenthood clinic, a UU church, etc.

[Maude]

I've been seeing Christmas decorations out in stores for about a month now, so I'm not surprised at the music. Personally, I don't like to see or hear anything about Christmas until after the US Thanksgiving.

[FeministShrew]

People around here are already posting pictures of their Christmas trees on FB.

I like to piss people off by saying Happy Holidays when they say Merry Christmas. :evil: If they say something, I start singing "Happy Holidays", a song written way back in 1942. Who knew Irving Berlin started the War on Christmas? He was Jewish, after all. :whistle:

(I have a soft spot for Irving Berlin & his music. My dad was named after him.)

[Sydney Fox]

Last week we had our first "Keep Christ in Christmas" bumper sticker sighting. My daughter said, "already?" Seems a bit early if you ask me.

I don't think I'd have noticed the lack of Christmas music at Shoppers if you hadn't mentioned it. Now I'm going to have to go hang out there and listen.

[Maude]

Last week we had our first "Keep Christ in Christmas" bumper sticker sighting. My daughter said, "already?" Seems a bit early if you ask me.

I have a neighbour that puts up a "Keep Christ in Christmas" sign every year. It makes me want to put up a similar sign detailing the pre-Christian origins of Christmas.

[galaxygirl]

I agree, I bet most of the complaints were because it is too damn early to be playing Christmas music. I hate working retail so much during the holidays, by the end of the first week of Christmas music I want to shoot myself and we don't even start until December 1st. Last year it was country Christmas music, which was even worse than the usual music, fortunately for me my daughter decided that she wanted out and I could go on leave until the middle of January, thus missing the majority of the holiday season.

[mirele]

I have a neighbour that puts up a "Keep Christ in Christmas" sign every year. It makes me want to put up a similar sign detailing the pre-Christian origins of Christmas.

Put up a "Keep the X in Xmas" sign and watch the fur fly! Because these people generally don't know that X is an abbreviation for Xristos (aka Christ) in Greek. :)

[Katiebug]

It's too damned early for Christmas stuff. I don't really like it before the U.S. Thanksgiving. Let us enjoy fall and Thanksgiving before attentions are forcibly turned on conspicuous consumerism!

We were at Target today and the 2 year old is enamored of all things Christmas (shiny things! lights! penguins!) - she wanted so much for me to push the cart around the seasonal section. I found it kind of nauseating to have it up so soon, but Target has actually had one aisle of Christmas stuff up for weeks now.

[Flummoxed by fundies]

It's kind of sad that the fur is flying over an issue like this in what should be a season of peace. Having said that it's just too early for Christmas music 24/7. I love it, but I remember working in a mall back when I was in college and we had a steady diet of Christmas music for about six weeks. For several Christmases after that I couldn't stand the music.

[Boogalou]

THIS JUST IN: They are not cancelling it all together, just delaying it. I guess it's not so much a war on Christmas, just a delay of it.

[notsocommon]

I worked at JCP one Christmas season and the music drove me batty. How many versions of "Last Christmas I gave you my heart..." or "Rudolph" are there!?

[PennySycamore]

I have a neighbour that puts up a "Keep Christ in Christmas" sign every year. It makes me want to put up a similar sign detailing the pre-Christian origins of Christmas.

I've got a neighbor who puts one of those damn signs in her yard which is really ironic since SHE IS NOT ONE BIT RELIGIOUS! Why should she care what people do with Christmas? She's a good friend, but her politics drive me nuts. We just agree not to talk about politics. I really want to know if she's going to vote for Mittens because of what he did to poor Seamus. That was a deal breaker in '08.

I was about to post a rather lengthy quote from Life of Pi, but I'll just leave you to read Chapter 25 for yourselves. It's less than a page and it's right on.