The Meaning of Christmas

Christmas is back.

Not that it ever went anywhere, but retailers are using the name in their marketing after years of preferring the more generic “holiday.”

What accounts for this return to tradition? It could be honest sentiment. Or it could be the griping of religious groups and right-wing pundits.

Wal-Mart is a case in point. Though it hasn’t blamed the critics for its conversion, it is now including the word “Christmas” in almost everything.

Its Holiday Shop is now the Christmas Shop. It mentions the day in its “Be Bright” TV spots. And it is labeling merchandise with the blessed word at a 60% higher rate than last year.

“Customers care deeply about Christmas,” John Fleming, Wal-Mart’s chief marketing officer, told analysts last month. “Clearly, they want us to talk about Christmas, and we have.”

Wal-Mart isn’t alone. Many chains are pushing “Christmas and the beauty of giving,” says Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst for NPD Group.

Did last year’s religious backlash have anything to do with this? Almost certainly.

For starters, retailers who wanted their marketing to serve all customers, not just those who celebrate Christmas, were accused of political correctness. And they were warned that failure to include Christmas in their signage could lead to boycotts.

Their mistake? Thinking that it is okay to say “Happy Holidays” or “Season’s Greetings,” says Britt Beemer, chairman of America’s Research Group (ARG). “Retailers need to understand that there are people out there who get very, very upset,” he adds.

Not all religious leaders took this line, though. Others deplored the linking of Christianity’s most sacred holiday with mass consumption.

Do consumers really care what the shopping season is called?

Many apparently do. In a poll by ARG, over half said that they are bothered when chains fail to say “Merry Christmas” in stores or on signs. More precisely, 21% are very bothered and 32% somewhat so.

These numbers are troublesome given the stakes involved. Holiday sales are expected to hit $457 billion this year, a 5% increase over 2005. And last year’s season produced the biggest jump since 1999: 6.1%, according to the National Retail Federation.

No wonder Wal-Mart is now saying “Merry Christmas” to all. “We will say it early and often,” says spokesperson Linda Brown Blakley.

But Wal-Mart isn’t the only firm with Christmas spirit. Macy’s has it, too, although it insists that this is nothing new.

“Christmas is a part of Macy’s season as it has been in the past,” says spokesperson Ronnie Taffet.

That’s apparent to anyone who enters a Macy’s store. There are Christmas displays, visits with Santa and many promotional programs.

For example, the Cincinnati store is offering free horse-drawn carriage rides. Shoppers pick up their boarding passes at the Celebration Station, and can redeem them later for a free hot chocolate or a $10 certificate.

Moreover, Macy’s is supporting a recent catalog mailing to millions of cardholders with three national TV spots about the joys of giving.

But some chains are sticking with their secular humanist ways. Best Buy will feature images of pine trees and Saint Nicholas, but there will be no Christmas references.

“We made a strategic decision a long time ago to use the term “holiday” in our seasonal marketing,” says spokesperson Kelly Groehler. “And we have not altered that decision.”

Why? Because the retailer wants to appeal to shoppers throughout “the longer, broader season,” Groehler says. She adds: “It’s been an effective strategy for us.”

And Toys “R” Us uses both terms because it wants to include everyone, says spokesperson Kathleen Waugh.

Lost in this furor are some other retail trends that bear watching — for example, the early start to the season. Wal-Mart started in October, slashing prices on toys, electronics and holiday items. Macy’s decked out its aisles early last month.

And this will be a big year for promotions. Toys “R” US is offering a jumbo Diego or Dora doll for $5 with every $50 Big Book purchase and a $10 gift card with every $75 purchase through December. And it is delivering $3,000 worth of coupons in its Big Toy Book advertising supplement (which this year features a holiday scene with a Christmas tree).

For its part, Macy’s is handing out a free DVD of the movie, Miracle on 34th Street, with every $75 purchase.

It’s a year to make money. But watch out what you call the holiday. And remember this.

Don’t call it X-mas, either.