Group Wants Boycott Of 'Happy Holidays'

Dec. 19 - KGO (KGO) -- With the holiday season upon us one Sacramento man has taken it upon himself to change the way retailers do business this time of year. He's tired of hearing and seeing only "Happy Holidays." He wants "Merry Christmas" back - and he's calling for a boycott of stores that refuse.

The "Committee to Save Merry Christmas" is slowly, but surely getting stores to change their ways during the holidays. The group says it took three letters and a threat of a national boycott to get this chain, Target, to comply this year.

Manuel Zamorano is making a list and checking it twice. In the last four years, the Sacramento man has managed to get some of the country's biggest retailers to start using the phrase "Merry Christmas" again inside their stores and in their advertising.

Manuel Zamorano, Committee to Save Merry Christmas: "I believe that this whole attempt to remove 'Merry Christmas' from the public square is nothing more than political correctness run amok."

As the awareness of religious and cultural diversity increased, 'Happy Holidays' became the preferred message this time of year. But Zamorano convinced the likes of Macy's and Sears to include the phrase 'Merry Christmas' too or risk being on his list of stores to boycott. Most of the shoppers we talked to today agreed.

Stephen Johnson, Shopper: "Yes I definitely have to say 'Merry Christmas' because it is a Christian holiday - Christ's birthday."

But big other big name stores like Ann Taylor, Abercrombie & Fitch, Men's Warehouse and Lane Bryant have refused to change their ways and stuck with 'Happy Holidays.'

Charming Shoppes which owns Lane Bryant said in a statement: "We believe our general holiday messaging is a gesture of inclusiveness, creating an atmosphere where all are included and all are welcome."

And keeping it 'Happy Holidays' is just the way Jane Orkand wants it. She celebrates the Jewish holiday, Hannukah, and feels left out with so much emphasis on Christmas this time of year.

Jane Orkand, Celebrates Hannukah: "Personally, I would prefer that the sales person says 'Happy Holidays'. It gets to be too much for people of faiths."

Manuel Zamorano: "We're not saying to exclude 'Happy Holidays' or 'Season's Greetings.' We're just saying that can't be used for a reason not to say 'Merry Christmas.'"

A Rasmussen poll out last month showed 69 percent of Americans prefer that stores used the phrase "Merry Christmas" over "Happy Holidays."

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