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Talk It Out:
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"I
think there should be an equal amount of both choices. It is
just getting to the point of crazy on this issue. I work in
retail and we recently had a person make a complaint to the
home office because one of the staff commented that she was
surprised that the children were picking out their own gifts
for Hannakuh. The customer thought she was slamming her
religion. You just don't know WHAT to say anymore. Same with
the incident with the Christmas trees. It is a secular
decoration...how silly!!! What ever happened to the voice of
the majority in this country and not the minority? I don't
care if there is a different religions/belief displayed, I
look at it and think, how nice. It seems there is no respect
for anyone else anymore. "It is just 'my way or no
way.' We need to be tolerant of everyone, and the majority
of the people in this country celebrate Christmas in one
form or another, religion based or not." ~ Liz "I send out only cards that have the manger scene or something affiliated with it, such as the Wise Men. That's the meaning of Christmas and no matter who the card is going to, that's the message I want them to get. No Santa, reindeer etc." ~ Marylin "We
send cards to many friends and family. Our religious
friends get religious cards and others get more general
cards with holiday good wishes. Personally, I don't mind
what cards I receive as it is just nice to hear from
people far away. Thru the year I like to send out
'thinking of you' cards with a short note. So many do all
their correspondence on the computer anymore but it is a
blessing to get a 'real' card in the mail!" ~ DEE "We buy
our Christmas cards from our local Christian Book store.
Not only are we supporting our local family-owned business
but ensuring our feelings/sentiments of the meaning of
Christmas is expressed. There are card
companies that not only do Christmas cards but year-round
cards from a Christian perspective. We have decided to
support those who stand on Christian principles and not
try to cover all bases for the almighty dollar!" ~
Andrea "I haven't noticed any fewer Christian Christmas cards in Northern CA. I agree that there are more non-religious cards available, along with Hanukkah and Kwanzaa cards, so I find a greater variety for sale. Have you checked with the manager/management of the stores you frequent to see if it's truly the card company making fewer religious/Christian cards, or if your store has decided to limit these types of cards?" ~ Sean
"I do not think Christians should demand more religious cards be made for the holiday season. Christmas is a Christian celebration, not one-size-fits-all. Christians have the right to celebrate Christmas in any and all ways that suit them. I fully support this. However, Christmas is not everyone's season any more than Kwanzaa, Hannukah, etc. are. We need to be respectful of other people's traditions. Many people around the world do not recognize Jesus as anyone important to them. This is fine and we should accept it. If we allow ourselves to become fanatical and insist that all of our religious celebrations must be honored by everyone, how are we any better than the radical fundamentalists of other religions whom we detest so much? Let the world alone and celebrate Christmas the way you see fit. Think about it!" ~ Melody in WA "Light
and Life is a Christian publishing company that makes
beautiful cards." ~ Melissa "People
will look at the picture, but for me, what someone has to say
in his/her greeting is the most important because that means
they are thinking of me and mine. There is nothing more
special than that feeling of giving and having someone confirm
they care. I personally like the cards that represents the
piece in nature and her beauty. As far as the card world is
concerned, the more people who buy one type of card, the more
the greeting card companies will make to sell. The
consumer has the power to buy or not to buy. Making your own
creation is even more special." ~ Margot "The
sure-fire way to find the religious-themed cards you want is to
buy them from Christian bookstores like Berean. Plus, it helps
Christian businesses stay profitable. I think rather than make
demands on nationals chains which may or may not listen or care,
we should take our business to stores that work hard to meet our
needs." ~ Lisa "I, too, noticed years ago that the Christmas card industry was getting away from Christian themed cards. I took it upon myself to search and save inspirational poems and short stories throughout the year and then pick one for my 'Christmas Cards.' This year I copied 'The Dash' with permission and with the author's name on it. At the top of the page I typed a little blurb about 'Merry Christmas from Our Family to Yours,' etc. Then I typed the poem. I copied it at the local office supply store on green paper for 6 cents a copy and mailed it out. To save some money on stamps, I emailed it to some people, especially clients and men who may or may not appreciate the mailed card. Very simple, very inexpensive, very much appreciated. I have gotten several calls thanking me for this and asking if they could copy it and send it on to their family members." ~ Brenda "I think we need to remember that forcing Christmas will not change hearts...and that money talks. If people are buying religious-theme cards, manufacturers will make more. 'Supply and demand' works! Encouraging your friends to stick to the real Christmas theme, as you are doing through this post, is one way. Perhaps also consider shopping at a local Christian bookstore or online." ~ Jennifer "I
tend to do everything as cheaply as possible. I shop
the day-after-Christmas clearance sales for my cards
for the next year. Last year I found some 'Season's
Greetings' cards, that had a fairly meaningless
message inside. I just wrote my own more religious and
meaningful message and printed out as many as I needed
on my computer. Then I had my 10-year-old daughter
glue them into the cards over top of the meaningless
message. The outside still has the politically correct
'Season's Greetings,' but the inside has a message
that reflects our true feelings about the the birth of
Christ and it's celebration. One thing I never do,
though, is buy Santa cards -- no matter how cheap
they are. It's just not right to put a
Christ-centered message on a card with a picture of
Santa." ~ Grace "I buy my Christmas cards at 90% off after Christmas at Target. Sometimes I can get Christian-themed cards and sometimes not. So I include in my cards small paper holy cards from the local Catholic bookstore. They are very non-denominational, with Nativity scenes on the front and a scripture verse on the back. The holy cards are very reasonably priced in boxes of 100 and I like to think that people hang onto them longer than a Christmas card; they might slip one into a dresser drawer or as a bookmark for a Bible. It is a small gift that reflects the meaning of the season for me." ~ Catherine in Minneapolis "As
Christmas cards have become more secular, I have
tried to make sure I only purchase those that fit my
Christian beliefs. I think this way the card
company's realize there is a market for religiously-themed
Christmas Cards." ~ Lisa, AR "Your
local Christian bookstore will have a plethora of
beautiful cards with the message of Christ's birth.
And most are marked down 50% the day after
Christmas. I do like to continue to shop for
religious-themed cards at the discount store,
however. I found some really nice ones at Shopko
this week. For most retailers, it comes down to
money. If there is a demand for Christian cards and
they sell well, they will continue to stock them. If
your store doesn't have any, ask to see the manager
of that department or to speak to them on the phone
and let them know in a polite way that you will have
to shop elsewhere because you could not find a card
to satisfy your needs. If all else fails, there is
always the option of internet shopping.
Dayspring.com has beautiful cards and you can send
free e-cards there as well." ~ Lydia Editor's Note: Thanks to these subscribers for taking the time to respond. |
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