Hallmark nixes 'gay' from Christmas carol

[The Straight Story]

No more gay apparel?

Since the 1800s the world has sang the widely known lyric "Don we now our gay apparel" in the song Deck the Halls.

Kansas City-based Hallmark changed the words for one of its new holiday ornaments. Keepsake Artist, Matt Johnson, designed the ornament, a red sweater, to say "Don we now our Fun apparel." The ornament's description on the website says, "When it comes to Christmas sweaters, gaudy can be good! Hang up this flashy sweater to make your tree's outfit complete. With its catchy phrase, Don we now our FUN apparel! everyone will be in on the joke."

The ornament has brought complaints to Hallmark's Facebook page, like Karl who wrote, "Changing the words to Christmas Carols – REALLY?" You can be sure that myself and many others won't be buying your cards anymore." Diane wrote, "If you can't be original then you are nothing at all."

....

Hallmark sent us this response:

"Hallmark created this year's Holiday Sweater ornament in the spirit of fun. When the lyrics to "Deck the Halls" were translated from Gaelic and published in English back in the 1800s, the word "gay" meant festive or merry. Today it has multiple meanings, which we thought could leave our intent open to misinterpretation. The trend of wearing festively decorated Christmas sweaters to parties is all about fun, and this ornament is intended to play into that, so the planning team decided to say what we meant: "fun." That's the spirit we intended and the spirit in which we hope ornament buyers will take it."

http://www.kctv5.com/story/23834107/hallmark-nixes-gay-from-christmas-carol

[snooper2]

1. OMFG

I can actually see, if you REALLY wanted to be outraged, it could go to the left or right side of the political spectrum with this...




All I can say is, Hallmark, Epic Fucking Fail- Your planning team should get a coal bonus this year

[tridim]

2. I assume the Flintstones theme will be next on the chopping block.

Fred, Barney, and their families certainly shouldn't be allowed to have a "gay old time" in this day and age!!!!!1111

Idiot conservatives.

[unblock]

6. well, technically, they were having a gay old time in a very different day and age (to wit, stone)!

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

3. That settles it...

When we gather in the kitchen to pack fudge this holiday season, Hallmark isn't getting any!

[xchrom]

5. I CAN'T DECIDE WEATHER TO BE OUTRAGED OR

that was SO fucking rude

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

7. Why not both? (nt)

[el_bryanto]

4. I just love the phrase "everyone will be in on the joke."

Seriously - what does that even mean? I suspect that it means that some Ad Copywriter was embarrassed at what he or she was being asked to promote.

Bryant

[icymist]

8. Yet, there's a war on 'Christmas' huh?

Shall we also change the name of Enola Gay to Enola Fun?

[unblock]

9. WAR ON CHRISTMAS!!

give it to bill o'liely!

will he defend christmas and fight to keep the gay in christmas carols??

[Tanuki]

10. Sounds like apparel that has decided to stay in the closet. n/t

[Nye Bevan]

11. I wonder what the late Marvin Fun would have thought of this? (nt)

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

12. Guffaw! (nt)

[KY5]

13. Gee, can someone tell them they're not in Moscow?

What is considered "homosexual propaganda" over there is not over here.

At least the LGBT community still has The Flintstones theme song.

[tblue37]

14. From the Hallmark response:

"When the lyrics to "Deck the Halls" were translated from Gaelic. . . ."

[font size="+1"]Don't they mean from "Funlic"?[/font]

[Blue Owl]

15. This is as silly as Bill-O's "Ho Ho Ho" nonsense!

C'mon now Hallmark...

[Spirochete]

16. And Marcia Gay Hardin

will be forced to change her name to Marcia Fun Hardin...