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Happy Holidays!
19/12/2007 14:20 - (SA)
New York - Merry Christmas or Happy
Holidays? The verdict is in and more Americans this year are
opting to wish people a happy holiday.
In its fourth annual survey, gift basket company
GiftBasketsDeluxe.com analysed its gift card messages and found
a record number of 60% of gift baskets were sent using
the term holidays as opposed to a more traditional Christmas.
The company said this was a stark reversal of the previous
three-year trend when Christmas prevailed.
Only 27% of those surveyed used the term holidays
instead of Christmas in 2006 compared to 43% in 2005 and
58% in 2004.
"For something to more than double in one year indicates
that a major factor has changed," said Don Crowther, president
of GiftBasketsDeluxe.com, in a statement.
"Perhaps it is because of the election season (note that
the previous high was in 2004, a national election year), or
perhaps it is due to the increasing sensitivity to other
cultures and their holiday celebrations."
But not every one agrees.
One US store, the jean and boot barn Hewlett & Dunn in
Collierville, Tennessee, is offering its customers a five percent
discount if they say "Merry Christmas".
"My grandfather believes in Christmas and did not think
taking Christmas out of the stores is right," said Amber Lanius
whose grandfather Jerry Gatewood has owned Hewlett & Dunn for
the past 18 years and began his Christmas campaign last year.
"Christ is in Christmas and our customers love we have done
this. We've only had one complaint, but most people say Merry
Christmas and thank us for it."
- Reuters
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