As shoppers make their Christmas shopping lists and choose gifts for friends and family, the American Family Association has released its annual “Naughty or Nice” list of retailers who either embrace Christmas in their seasonal shopping campaigns or push it out the door.
With the goal of keeping Christ in Christmas, AFA has reviewed the websites, media advertising and in-store signage of the top 100 national retailers in an effort to help consumers know which companies are Christmas-friendly and which are acting like “Scrooge.”
“Choosing to push out or include ‘Christmas’ in retailer advertising might seem like an insignificant matter,” said AFA Senior Vice-President Buddy Smith, “but the truth is that the more we see Christ shoved aside during the holiday that is solely about the Savior’s birth, the more we will see Christianity erode in general. We hope the 2015 ‘Naughty or Nice’ list will move the faithful to choose stores and companies that reflect their values and reward them with their purchasing dollars this Christmas season.”
AFA rates the retailers on the “Naughty or Nice” list in four categories. AFA’s “5-Star” retailers promote and celebrate Christmas on an exceptional basis. For 2015, these include: the AFA Online Store, Hobby Lobby, Lowe’s, Michael’s Stores and Wal-Mart.
“Nice” retailers use the term “Christmas” on a regular basis and are considered “Christmas-friendly.” The “Nice” list includes 47 retailers, from Amazon.com to Zappos.com—and everything in between, such as Bass Pro Shops, Bed Bath & Beyond, Cabela’s, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Dillard’s, Hallmark, Home Depot, J.C. Penney, Kmart, Kohl’s, Macy’s, Marshall’s, Pier One Imports, ProFlowers.com, Sam’s Club, Sears, Target, TJ Maxx and Toys R Us, among others.
Thirteen retailers this year made the “Marginal” list, meaning these companies refer to Christmas infrequently or only in select advertising mediums.
The 12 retailers on the “Naughty” list may use “Christmas” sparingly in a single or unique product description, but as companies, do not recognize it. These include: Barnes & Noble, Family Dollar, Foot Locker, The Limited, Maurice’s, Office Depot, Office Max, PetSmart, Staples, Stein Mart, Supervalu and Victoria’s Secret.
This year, AFA is encouraging visitors to the site to take action and contact the retailers on the “Naughty” list. By clicking on any name on the list, consumers can encourage these companies to keep Christ in Christmas via social media, email or web site.
