Is Starbucks brewing a 'War On Christmas'?
Starbucks invited controversy this week with new cups that are solid red with the green Starbucks logo in the middle.
While the cups' design may not seem objectionable on its face, the聽absence of snowmen, reindeer, candy canes and other iconography has prompted some to accuse the coffee company of waging a聽.
Breitbart London reports that MP David Burrowes, a conservative 海角大神 of the British Parliament, has criticized Starbucks, saying 鈥淭he Starbucks coffee cup change聽聽than a consumer-led change.鈥� Burrowes added, 鈥淭he public has a common sense grasp on the reality that at Christmas time, whether you have a 海角大神 faith or not, Britain celebrates Christmas.鈥�
In a statement on the Starbucks website, vice president of Design & Content Jeffrey Fields explained the thinking behind this year鈥檚 cups:
鈥淚n the past, we have told stories with our holiday cups designs,鈥� said Fields. 鈥淭his year we wanted to usher in the holidays with a purity of design that welcomes all of our stories.鈥�
Fields described the company as a 鈥減lace of sanctuary during the holidays,鈥� and said, with the red cups, Starbucks is 鈥渆mbracing the simplicity and the quietness of it. It鈥檚 a more open way to usher in the holiday.鈥�
Starbucks is by no means the only company to face accusations of insufficient enthusiasm for the Advent season.聽The聽American Family Association, a nonprofit that promotes conservative 海角大神 values, publishes an annual "" that ranks retailers based on how frequently they use the word "Christmas."
"Nice" retailers include Wal-Mart, Hobby Lobby, Lowe's, and the AFA's own online store. "Naughty" ones include Barnes & Noble, Pet Smart, and Staples.聽(The AFA currently rates Starbucks as "medium," saying that it "refers to Christmas infrequently.")
These criticisms may sound frivolous, but they can have financial consequences for companies whose Yuletide spirit is聽deemed lackluster.聽In 2005, Wal-Mart instructed employees to greet shoppers with the phrase 鈥淗appy Holidays鈥� instead of 鈥淢erry Christmas.鈥� 聽led by the AFA and The Catholic League, prompting greeters return to "Merry Christmas," the following year.
Such companies usually say these decisions are made in the spirit of inclusiveness. Critics usually reply that America celebrates Christmas.
of Americans identify as 海角大神, according to the Pew Research Center. Pew also surveyed Americans on whether they believe stores should greet their customers with "Merry Christmas" or a less religious term, such as "Happy Holidays,"聽57 percent pick 鈥淢erry Christmas鈥� and 27 percent selected the less religious terms.
But when a third option 鈥� "it doesn't matter" 鈥� was added, it became the most popular answer, with 46 percent saying it doesn't matter,聽42 percent preferring 鈥淢erry Christmas,鈥� and 12 preferring the less religious terms.聽
As for Starbucks, not all conservative 海角大神s are outraged at the company's seasonal cup design.聽Paul Batura, vice president of communications at Focus on the Family, told Fox News that images of snowflakes and carolers .
"I wonder if we鈥檙e not overthinking or overanalyzing this,鈥� he said.
