Monday, November 12, 2007

Family Trees

Aren't you looking forward to decorating the family tree next month with lights and ornaments? Yes, it isn't a Christmas tree anymore, but a "family tree." See page 2 of the Lowe's catalog.

Is it just me, or is there something positively Orwellian about this? Where I grew up, you would hear Jews refer to them (laughingly) as "Hannukah bushes." But no one, I repeat, no one, called them "family trees."

If Christians were a tiny little fraction of the population of this country (say, 1-2%), I could understand if Lowe's had no idea what our traditions were. But we are still a strong majority--and to see a phrase that has been in continuous use since at least the middle of the 19th century suddenly replaced with this bizarre euphemism is a little scary--almost like the powers that be have decided to phase out Christianity in the United States.

What's next?

UPDATE: Lowe's is now apologizing for a proof reading error. What? This doesn't make any sense at all.

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