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Email: "Most Americans Want To Hear “Merry Christmas”: Poll"

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BY LifeSiteNews.com By Thaddeus M. BaklinskiDecember 14, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A poll of attitudes to Christmas released by Rasmussen Reports recently says that the vast majority of Americans celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday and prefer to hear the traditional greeting of "Merry Christmas" over the politically correct "Happy Holidays."Furthermore the survey finds that 76% of adults believe religious symbols like Christmas Nativity scenes, Hanukkah menorahs and Muslim crescents should be allowed to be displayed in public spaces such as schools, government buildings and parks.Eighty-three percent (83%) believe public schools should celebrate religious holidays. This figure includes 47% who think the schools should celebrate all religious holidays and another 36% who believe they should only celebrate some. Only 14% think the public schools should not celebrate any religious holidays.Telephone surveys conducted in November and December found that 72% of adults generally use "Merry Christmas" when greeting people at this time of year, while 22% liked "Happy Holidays" instead. Sixty-four percent (64%) say they will celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday honoring the birth of Jesus Christ.Another 27% celebrate the holiday in a more secular manner, according to the survey. Six percent (6%) don't celebrate Christmas at all and 3% were not sure how to answer.As the culture wars over Christmas deepen with the approach of the holiday honoring the birth of Jesus, retailers are negotiating a tricky path in choosing whom to offend with their choice of signage. Thirty-seven percent (37%) of those surveyed by Rasmussen said they would avoid stores where employees are told not to say "Merry Christmas" and the signs say "Happy Holidays."Christian family groups are in fact organizing campaigns to encourage businesses, communities and individuals to "put Christ back in Christmas," as well as to identify and boycott retailers who censor references to Christmas in their Christmas advertising.The American Family Association (AFA) has published its 2009 Naughty or Nice Christmas List based on their research of America's top 100 retailers, and has initiated a two-month boycott of the clothing retailer Gap, and its subsidiaries Old Navy, Banana Republic, Piperlime, and Athleta.The AFA notes that "Gap continues to be the one company which is most defiant when it comes to recognizing the reason that people shop in December - and that is they Christmas shop."In the past the AFA has initiated campaigns that have convinced four major corporations to uncensor Christmas."Three years ago, [Lowe's, Wal-Mart, Sears, and Home Depot] were not recognizing the term Christmas in their advertising," said AFA director of special projects Randy Sharp, "but ... this year, all four companies have personally contacted the AFA, invited us to look at their advertising program, and it is chock-full of Christmas."The AFA's 2009 listing of top retailers and how they recognize Christmas is available here. http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/most-americans-want-to-hear-merry-christmas-poll/

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