Joy of Christmas

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

And, believe it or not, that’s news.

Just a year ago, remember, the newspapers and airwaves were filled with stories about the so-called “war on Christmas.” As I wrote last Dec. 8, Glenbrook Square was festively decorated with wreaths, snowflakes, reindeers, jolly fat men in red suits, “happy holidays” posters and at least one reference to Hanukkah.

But the dreaded C-word was conspicuously rare.

No longer. Although generic holiday decorations still dominate, Christmas is making a comeback.

“Merry Christmas,” reads the large sign welcoming shoppers to Glenbrook’s Sears store. “Visit our Christmas toy shop.”

At Kirkland’s home décor shop, a tapestry of Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus sits near the door, near a statue of Santa with a “Merry Christmas” banner hanging across his ample belly. Bath & Body Works offers the “perfect Christmas gifts,” Andrews Jewelers’ ads say, “All I want for Christmas . . .” and Rogers & Hollands Jewelers’ proclaims, “Ready for Christmas.”

Even the Vietnam Crafts shop’s window wishes shoppers a merry Christmas, urging them to come inside for a “lot of great ideas for Xmas gifts.”

But before Christians proclaim some sort of great awakening, perhaps they should ponder why Christmas left – and why it has returned.

“There was an attempt to appeal to everyone instead of taking a narrow focus,” said Ralph Thompson, manager of Sears’ Glenbrook store, explaining the use of a generic “happy holidays” instead of specific Christmas references. “But I and a lot of people felt that was a mistake.

“So this year, every (Sears) store was sent the same package (of decorations). We’re back to a more traditional merry Christmas theme, and it’s been very popular. We haven’t had one complaint.”

Marie Nichols of Angola certainly wasn’t complaining as she sat in the mall just a few feet from Sears’ Christmas sign.

“I’m not offended. I think it’s good. This is Christmas,” she said. “If you’re not a Christian, you probably don’t go shopping (for Christmas presents) anyway. So it doesn’t matter anyway.”

But that’s just the point, isn’t it? A Fox News poll last year showed 95 percent of Americans celebrate Christmas, but less than 80 percent of Americans identify themselves as Christians. So it’s not really surprising that retailers tried to avoid offending non-Christian shoppers – even if it meant trying to avoid the obvious.

And it’s equally unsurprising that Christians should take offense at attempts to capitalize on Christmas without acknowledging why the holiday exists in the first place. All sorts of special-interest groups spend or withhold their money to support their causes; why shouldn’t Christians prefer to shop at stores willing to show them the courtesy of a little seasonal honesty? That’s why a California group called the Committee to Save Merry Christmas collected 20,000 hits on its Web site in a single day last December.

Even so, the 64-year-old Nichols said she shops on the basis of merchandise and price – not whether the store proclaims Christ.

That’s OK, too. Because, as Fort Wayne resident Jack Sorlie noted, Christmas isn’t really about stuff anyway.

“Christmas is too commercial today, but I know it’s a different world than when I was growing up,” said Sorlie, 76. “If stores don’t want to mention Christmas, it’s their prerogative because it’s all controlled by money. When the wise men gave gifts, it was because of the birth of our savior.”

As Sorlie spoke, a huge “Merry Christmas” poster stood in the mall’s hallway just a few feet away. And he hadn’t even noticed.

Just as well, really. If you’re really looking for Christmas, you won’t find it at the mall. No matter what the signs say.

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