One way to “keep Christ in Christmas” is to be pro-active when it comes to retailers, schools and local government bodies that seek to ban Christmas – which is precisely what the Friend or Foe Christmas Campaign has been doing for years and with surprising success!
Liberty Counsel, one of the nation’s largest legal organizations dedicated to advancing religious liberty has been fighting the “Christmas Wars” for years with great success through its Friend or Foe Christmas Campaign which works to overcome rulings that ban mention of Christmas in everything from school plays to nativity scenes on public property.
Since they began this fight in 2003, they’ve had numerous successes, such as overturning rulings against allowing elderly residents to sing Christmas carols in their senior living centers, students who were banned from wearing red and green in their public schools, religious words that were censored from Christmas carols by school officials, Christmas trees that were renamed to “holiday trees,” and Christmas parades renamed to “holiday parades” by various towns.
One of the most popular features of the Campaign is the Naughty and Nice list which lists retailers who either censor (naughty) or recognize (nice) Christmas.
“The list is compiled from information gathered by individual consumers and is updated whenever new information is received,” the website explains. “Liberty Counsel wants to give the gift of Christmas back to those who support it. If retailers choose to profit from Christmas while pretending it does not exist, then we will patronize their competitors.”
This year’s Nice list contains retail giants such as Lowes, J. C. Penny, K-Mart, Macy’s Sears, Dillards, Kohl’s, A.C. Moore, Staples, Target, and Walmart.
Thankfully, the Naughty list has been growing shorter over the years but still contains hold-outs such as The Gap, American Eagle Outfitters, Old Navy and T.J. Maxx.
“Over the last thirteen years, we have seen the tremendous growth of the ‘Nice List,” said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel. “While the culture has grown increasingly secular, I am happy to report that retailers are returning to the Spirit of Christmas,” he said.
For example, the first post on Liberty Counsel’s 2015 list is A. C. Moore, which went from just 64 mentions of Christmas on its website last year to over 290 this year.
“The craft store’s use of the generic term ‘holiday’ decreased by a third. Last year’s ‘Merry Mason Jars’ are this year’s ‘Christmas Mason Jars.’ The alliteration might not be as sweet, but the sentiment is sweeter!” Staver said.
Government organizations are another story, however.
“While retailers are responding to customers and keeping with Christmas, public officials in schools and county offices are often cowering to grinch-like atheist organizations threatening lawsuits,” Staver pointed out. “Again this year, Liberty Counsel is defending Christmas carols sung in public schools and nativity scenes displayed on public property.”
He goes to remind us all: “Celebrating Christmas is still legal in schools, public places, and private businesses. If your town or organization receives a letter demanding that Christmas be censored, call Liberty Counsel.”
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