As
2005 is nearing its end and the Christmas trees are being decorated, American
retailers are taking great pains to lure the ever more tight-fisted holiday
shoppers into their stores. The steady annual decrease in December revenues has
sparked many American retailers to exchange their “Merry Christmas” signs
with “Happy Holidays” or “Season’s Greetings” this year, in a bid to
raise profits by appealing to a more diverse audience. This primarily
economically driven decision has sparked an avid debate in the US media about
how far these measures may implicate a new phase in the secularization of the
public sphere and a growing intolerance towards religion in general.
The
IOL Art & Culture Page has created an overview of the debate by selecting
several articles that are representative of the different viewpoints that are
being argued:
‘Christmas’
vs. ‘Holiday’ Debate Continues
The
Stupid Season?
War
of Words Isn’t Reason for the Season
Mixed
Message for US Retailers
“Merry
Christmas” or “Happy Holidays” Divides Americans
