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Away with the manger!
December 9th, 2006 at 15:39
You might recognise that headline from today’s Daily Mail. The, cough, “story“, cough, is complaining about how of a Daily Mail survey of 5,500 Christmas cards (!), only one in one hundred had a picture that depicted the Nativity story. Don’t worry, I haven’t bought a copy of the paper, I’ve looked up the story on LexisNexis after seeing the front page.
As you might expect, there’s some typical Daily Mail quotes:
“Tory MP Philip Davies said card manufacturers who ditched Christmas symbols were victims of ‘politically-correct madness’.”
“Home Secretary John Reid has condemned ‘mad political correctness’ after reports of businesses and councils banning Christmas references.”
Now, aside from questioning the news values of the Daily Hate, I can’t understand why the headline isn’t “FREE MARKET IN REFLECTING CONSUMER DEMAND SHOCK”. The reason that there isn’t any greetings cards showing religious stuff is because most people celebrate Christmas for non-religious reasons (only 18% of people practice religion… and that includes all religions). I know loads of people who are not just non-Christians, but active participants in other religions, who “do” Christmas.
“CHRISTMAS IN ‘NOT JUST A RELIGIOUS FESTIVAL ANYMORE’ SHOCK”. If it was just a religious thing, then it’d go relatively unnoticed whilst the rest of us just get on with our lives- like St George’s Day (a day based on another true story about a bloke slaying a dragon), and it’d only be marked by a small sect of lunatics with irrational beliefs (like the BNP with St George, presumably).
I think the commercialisation, or more accurately, the mass appeal version of Christmas is excellent- not only are people united in slacking on the same day, exchanging presents regardless of religion, but we get an hour’s special episode of Doctor Who.
The article complains:
“Stephen Green, of the Christian Voice group, called for a boycott of non-religious cards. He said: ‘The fact that so many cards barely allude to Christmas is very sad and disquieting. The card that suggests the shepherds had been smoking strange substances is not just unfunny, it is also deeply offensive. People should go out of their way to buy proper Christmas cards and help to bring pressure on manufacturers and those who sell them.’”
Christ on a bike, Stephen Green! Get some perspective! I’m sure there are bigger issues you could be tackling: what about all of those gays that allowed to roam the streets or those non-believers coming over here, taking our jobs?
And not being funny, but I think those wise men must have been smoking something if they thought that they’d follow a star just to see where it leads. That’s not normal.
“As well as ignoring Jesus and his angels, the greeting cards industry is cashing in on the increasing breakdown of traditional family. One is addressed to ‘A Special Mum and Your Partner’. Another proclaims ‘You’re Just Like A Daddy To Me’.”
Oh no! Society in ‘not complying with out of date middle class values‘ shocker.
I could probably complain about the Daily Mail every day if I really wanted to.
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