19 Nov, 2009
Jesus at the mall. Jesus in the manger.
Gap's Christmas cheer makes a boycott backfire
The Mississippi-based American Family Assn. last week issued a fatwa (judgment) against Gap Inc. -- the retailing giant whose brands include Gap, Old Navy and Banana Republic -- calling for a "two-month boycott over the company's failure to use the word 'Christmas' in its advertising to Christmas shoppers."
The War on Christmas season has officially begun.
Gap "does not use the word 'Christmas' to avoid offending those who don't embrace its meaning," writes Buddy Smith, executive assistant to the president of the AFA, on the organization's website. "Christmas has historically been very good for commerce. But now Gap wants the commerce but no Christmas."
But here's the real question: Why attack Gap for not using the word "Christmas" in its advertising when in fact it does, and in a big way too?
Surf on over to YouTube and watch Gap’s latest 30-second spot, titled “Go Ho Ho". The spot -- which is in heavy rotation on network and cable TV -- features a group of insanely athletic dancers leaping and twirling and stomp-cheering around a white log-cabin set. They chant, "Go Christmas, go Hanukkah, go Kwanzaa, go solstice. . . . Do whatever you wannukkah and to all a cheery night."
There it is, right up front, enjoying pride of place: the C-word. In other words, Gap Inc. has demonstrably not banned the use of the word from its advertising or stores.
So how did AFA get this so wrong?
Story and photo courtesy of The LA Times.
Luke 2:12 (NIV)
"This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
The author of today's story asks the question, "how did the AFA get this so wrong?" My guess is that they went wrong when they lost sight of what Christians ought to be doing to celebrate the birth of their king! Christmas is about giving new life to those around us in celebration of the new life that was given to us in the birth of Jesus. Rather than debating the amount of Christmas in our commerce, we should be spending our time, talent, and treasure building the Kingdom of God, which is the greatest gift that can be given and will never be available at the mall. In other words, Christmas is about giving away what we already have not buying what we don't.
In Luke's telling of the birth of Jesus the angels proclaim that the baby Jesus wrapped in cloths is a "sign" from heaven. What sign might it be? Could it be a sign that God is found among the dirty and suffering people of the world? Or that often people wealthy enough to shop at the mall and stay at "the inn" don't have any room for Jesus in their lives? Could it be that not being included in the consumerism of Christmas is exactly what Jesus wants?
Maybe we should trade our new winter fleece from the Gap for some old cloths and look a little more like Jesus this Christmas.
- Talk with your youth pastor or Campus Life director about the spiritual and social implications of an annual pilgrimage to the shopping mall to celebrate the birth of Jesus.
- Read the birth narrative in Luke 2:1-18. How do Christians today respond to the good news of Jesus' birth compared with how Mary and the shepherds responded?
- Talk with a friend about the Gap commercial. Ask them how they feel about Christmas and consumerism.
- Commit to "buying less, but giving more" this Christmas.
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