[Ivan Medina]

Outrage forces Aussie shopping centre to take down Christmas decoration​

For many, Christmas is the season for bringing family and friends together, and making memories. It's also a joyous celebration shared by many cultures around the world – from those who celebrate the traditional Christian holiday to those who have different beliefs they honour in their own right.

But, as the Pacific Werribee Shopping Centre recently discovered the hard way you can’t meddle with Christmas. The cause of outrage? The shopping centre placed a sign that said 'Merry Everything' to be mindful of their customers' different religious, cultural and spiritual practices.

Pacific Werribee shopping centre received backlash after placing a ‘Merry Everything’ sign for Christmas. Image: Facebook.

The signage was meant to evoke a message of peace and goodwill and create an inclusive space for all shoppers. However, shortly after the decoration went up, it was taken down after a wave of immediate backlash.

Many claimed the piece 'diluted' traditional Christmas values, while others accused the management of trying to 'water down Australian traditions’. One wrote on Facebook: 'Merry everything. Who came up with that? Ridiculous. We are a multicultural society and respect all those events during the year, even to others outside the community. But can we just be able to celebrate our holiday with the same respect?’.

On the other hand, some shoppers applauded the move, seeing what the shopping centre was trying to accomplish and praising their attempts at cultural inclusivity; and some were indifferent. ‘Boo hoo, who cares if it is Merry Christmas or anything else?’ wrote one social media user. ‘Yeah because how dare we include everyone in the holiday festivities. Some people will fight the air if it looks different.’ said another.

Even so, the backlash was too much, and Pacific Werribee eventually reinstalled the traditional 'Merry Christmas' sign. This situation does raise a question: why did the shopping centre veer away from traditions?

May we find peace and joy in the coming Christmas season! Image: Freepik.

Key Takeaways

• Pacific Werribee shopping centre in Victoria replaced their 'Merry Christmas' signage with the words 'Merry Everything' in an attempt to cater to Australians from different cultural backgrounds.
• This decision was met with backlash from shoppers accusing the shopping centre of watering down Australian traditions.
• Many members of the public voiced concerns over the revised signage, leading to the reinstallation of the traditional Christmas greeting.

We could all use a little bit of hope and a dose of kindness this time of the year – no matter what your beliefs are. What do you think about this, members? Share your thoughts below!

 

[elaine41]

We need to stop devaluing our Christian heritage on which this country was built. If it's alright for all the immigrant religions to have their own festivals WITHOUT including the rest of us, then why do we have to change our traditions in order to "include" newcomers? They emigrated to this country knowing that it is a Christian country & that they would have to either join in the festivities or ignore them as they chose. It's my time to celebrate the Birth of Christ & I want to be able to do this without having to water down my celebration.

 

[jimmepoggin]

We need to stop devaluing our Christian heritage on which this country was built. If it's alright for all the immigrant religions to have their own festivals WITHOUT including the rest of us, then why do we have to change our traditions in order to "include" newcomers? They emigrated to this country knowing that it is a Christian country & that they would have to either join in the festivities or ignore them as they chose. It's my time to celebrate the Birth of Christ & I want to be able to do this without having to water down my celebration.

Christmas was a pagan festival and nothing to do with the mythical birth of your imaginary friend

 

[elaine41]

Christmas was a pagan festival and nothing to do with the mythical birth of your imaginary friend

So sad for you that you do not know my Friend. Believe me, he is not imaginary. If you don't believe in Him then why do you celebrate Christmas at all since it is a celebration of His birth

 

[Clancieblue]

We need to stop devaluing our Christian heritage on which this country was built. If it's alright for all the immigrant religions to have their own festivals WITHOUT including the rest of us, then why do we have to change our traditions in order to "include" newcomers? They emigrated to this country knowing that it is a Christian country & that they would have to either join in the festivities or ignore them as they chose. It's my time to celebrate the Birth of Christ & I want to be able to do this without having to water down my cele

Christmas was a pagan festival and nothing to do with the mythical birth of your imaginary friend

We need to stop devaluing our Christian heritage on which this country was built. If it's alright for all the immigrant religions to have their own festivals WITHOUT including the rest of us, then why do we have to change our traditions in order to "include" newcomers? They emigrated to this country knowing that it is a Christian country & that they would have to either join in the festivities or ignore them as they chose. It's my time to celebrate the Birth of Christ & I want to be able to do this without having to water down my celebration.

Absolutely with you Elaine,couldnt have said it better.Have a joyous Christmas.

 

[Pontiac]

We need to stop devaluing our Christian heritage on which this country was built. If it's alright for all the immigrant religions to have their own festivals WITHOUT including the rest of us, then why do we have to change our traditions in order to "include" newcomers? They emigrated to this country knowing that it is a Christian country & that they would have to either join in the festivities or ignore them as they chose. It's my time to celebrate the Birth of Christ & I want to be able to do this without having to water down my celebration.

If people don't like our traditions in Australia go back to the country you came from and stop trying to change Australia

 

[Suzanne rose]

Christmas was a pagan festival and nothing to do with the mythical birth of your imaginary friend

I totally agree Christmas is a pagan tradition but Jesus isn't a mythical person.

 

[Suzanne rose]

In the early 90s my kids went to a public school in Lakemba and my daughter was in year 6 and my son year 1.
Come Easter we couldn't celebrate Easter.
Come Christmas we couldn't celebrate that either . You see there was a newly built Mosques across the road and the school within maybe two years filled up with children from that faith.

The last Easter the school held an Easter hat parade and the school got complaints from the Mosque for allowing it to go ahead and was angered because a few hats had crosses on them.

It was because of this Xmas activities were banned

A few parents including myself marched into the principals office but the response was his hands were tied and he didn't want to upset the heads of the mosque
We all pulled our kids out. And today that school is still a public school but is 100 % Moslem and the mosque is part of the committee.

I want to know how was it able to get that far.

I believe in diversity but when you move to another country you need to obey their law of the land and don't try to change things.

If we went to Saudi Arabia or Iraq we would have to obey their laws including women covering their heads

 

[jimmepoggin]

So sad for you that you do not know my Friend. Believe me, he is not imaginary. If you don't believe in Him then why do you celebrate Christmas at all since it is a celebration of His birth

I do not celebrate christmas My grand daughter had an imaginary friend too but she grew out of it

 

[Jo Piper3]

I do not celebrate christmas My grand daughter had an imaginary friend too but she grew out of it

How sad for you.

 

[mOiOz]

We need to stop devaluing our Christian heritage on which this country was built. If it's alright for all the immigrant religions to have their own festivals WITHOUT including the rest of us, then why do we have to change our traditions in order to "include" newcomers? They emigrated to this country knowing that it is a Christian country & that they would have to either join in the festivities or ignore them as they chose. It's my time to celebrate the Birth of Christ & I want to be able to do this without having to water down my celebration.

Oi!... Firstly, not everyone who is not Christian is an immigrant, just as not all immigrants are non-Christian.
Secondly, Australia is not a Christian country, it's a multi-cultural country.
Thirdly, just because it's called "The Christmas Season", does not only refer to, or permit only, Christians to celebrate at this time. To the majority, it may be so (and that won't be for very long either - not by the way things are going).
Fourthly, what's the crime in wishing others a happy holiday and how on earth does that affect YOUR Christmas?
It is not only Christians who purchase gifts for Christmas. or any other celebration. The stores have a right to acknowledge their support too,
They are not disrespecting your belief, don't disrespect theirs!
Pretty selfish if you ask me and certainly not very Christian of you!

 

[Isis]

Outrage forces Aussie shopping centre to take down Christmas decoration​

For many, Christmas is the season for bringing family and friends together, and making memories. It's also a joyous celebration shared by many cultures around the world – from those who celebrate the traditional Christian holiday to those who have different beliefs they honour in their own right.

But, as the Pacific Werribee Shopping Centre recently discovered the hard way you can’t meddle with Christmas. The cause of outrage? The shopping centre placed a sign that said 'Merry Everything' to be mindful of their customers' different religious, cultural and spiritual practices.

View attachment 34695

Pacific Werribee shopping centre received backlash after placing a ‘Merry Everything’ sign for Christmas. Image: Facebook.

The signage was meant to evoke a message of peace and goodwill and create an inclusive space for all shoppers. However, shortly after the decoration went up, it was taken down after a wave of immediate backlash.

Many claimed the piece 'diluted' traditional Christmas values, while others accused the management of trying to 'water down Australian traditions’. One wrote on Facebook: 'Merry everything. Who came up with that? Ridiculous. We are a multicultural society and respect all those events during the year, even to others outside the community. But can we just be able to celebrate our holiday with the same respect?’.

On the other hand, some shoppers applauded the move, seeing what the shopping centre was trying to accomplish and praising their attempts at cultural inclusivity; and some were indifferent. ‘Boo hoo, who cares if it is Merry Christmas or anything else?’ wrote one social media user. ‘Yeah because how dare we include everyone in the holiday festivities. Some people will fight the air if it looks different.’ said another.

Even so, the backlash was too much, and Pacific Werribee eventually reinstalled the traditional 'Merry Christmas' sign. This situation does raise a question: why did the shopping centre veer away from traditions?

View attachment 34696

May we find peace and joy in the coming Christmas season! Image: Freepik.

Key Takeaways

• Pacific Werribee shopping centre in Victoria replaced their 'Merry Christmas' signage with the words 'Merry Everything' in an attempt to cater to Australians from different cultural backgrounds.
• This decision was met with backlash from shoppers accusing the shopping centre of watering down Australian traditions.
• Many members of the public voiced concerns over the revised signage, leading to the reinstallation of the traditional Christmas greeting.

We could all use a little bit of hope and a dose of kindness this time of the year – no matter what your beliefs are. What do you think about this, members? Share your thoughts below!

Don’t understand the problem. A devout Christian I see what Xmas is all about, love to everyone.

 

[Anoush]

If people don't like our traditions in Australia go back to the country you came from and stop trying to change Australia

100% agree with you Pontiac,,,I have been saying that for years,,,my daughter's friend went to live in a certain country because her husband was transferred there,,I asked how they would go with the dress code,,,,they had a compound where they could wear what they chose but take one step outside they had to dress as that country dressed ,,should be like that here

 

[MariaG]

I have been reading the different points of view with interest.
I want to ask some questions.
If Christmas is a Christian celebration acknowledging the birth of Christ, where does a Jolly man wearing a red suit fit in to the equation?
I will put in a note that I am catholic, went to a catholic primary school, played an Angel in the nativity play and liked all those things. Because of the ruthless hype, I have become less and less a Christmas fan.
If you give gifts, where does this fit in? If you sit down with a family and gorge on banquets, where does this fit in?
If you just want to spend the Christmas period with those you love, then, you would be closer to the spirit of the season.
I have no problem with the sign put up in the centre. It's just a sign...not a directive.

 

[Sheryl 58]

We need to stop devaluing our Christian heritage on which this country was built. If it's alright for all the immigrant religions to have their own festivals WITHOUT including the rest of us, then why do we have to change our traditions in order to "include" newcomers? They emigrated to this country knowing that it is a Christian country & that they would have to either join in the festivities or ignore them as they chose. It's my time to celebrate the Birth of Christ & I want to be able to do this without having to water down my celebration.

 

[Suzanne rose]

I have been reading the different points of view with interest.
I want to ask some questions.
If Christmas is a Christian celebration acknowledging the birth of Christ, where does a Jolly man wearing a red suit fit in to the equation?
I will put in a note that I am catholic, went to a catholic primary school, played an Angel in the nativity play and liked all those things. Because of the ruthless hype, I have become less and less a Christmas fan.
If you give gifts, where does this fit in? If you sit down with a family and gorge on banquets, where does this fit in?
If you just want to spend the Christmas period with those you love, then, you would be closer to the spirit of the season.
I have no problem with the sign put up in the centre. It's just a sign...not a directive.

You left out the drinking and fights that happen at family Xmas gatherings .
And your right what does Santa and Rudolph and Xmas trees have to do with Jesus ? Absolutely nothing

 

[Sheryl 58]

Agree with you. So often our wonderful Christmas celebrations are pushed into the ground. I love hearing Christmas carols, seeing all the displays but you don't see or hear as much now. Even woolies and Coles have their decorations and Christmas goods to buy a"shoved in the corner" as they offend people. This is not the country I grew up in for sure

 

[MariaG]

You left out the drinking and fights that happen at family Xmas gatherings .
And your right what does Santa and Rudolph and Xmas trees have to do with Jesus ? Absolutely nothing

I didn't want to mention those. Luckily, we are not drinkers. It's not pretty to watch...Ho.. flamin Ho.

 

[Colette 3799]

I recon most of the people of Islamic, Hindu any other religions are really not offended when wished a Merry Christmas. Where I worked most of the taxi drivers we dealt with were not Christians, but would happily accept wishes of Merry Christmas and return the wishes back to us. Many of the people I worked with didn’t celebrate Christmas but accepted those who did and we respected those who didnt. The trouble comes with the politically correct brigade who are worried about upsetting people when most of the time they are more than happy with good wishes of any kind. Why can’t everyone just be kind to each other and leave it at that

 

[Riap]

How stupid.

Outrage forces Aussie shopping centre to take down Christmas decoration​

For many, Christmas is the season for bringing family and friends together, and making memories. It's also a joyous celebration shared by many cultures around the world – from those who celebrate the traditional Christian holiday to those who have different beliefs they honour in their own right.

But, as the Pacific Werribee Shopping Centre recently discovered the hard way you can’t meddle with Christmas. The cause of outrage? The shopping centre placed a sign that said 'Merry Everything' to be mindful of their customers' different religious, cultural and spiritual practices.

View attachment 34695

Pacific Werribee shopping centre received backlash after placing a ‘Merry Everything’ sign for Christmas. Image: Facebook.

The signage was meant to evoke a message of peace and goodwill and create an inclusive space for all shoppers. However, shortly after the decoration went up, it was taken down after a wave of immediate backlash.

Many claimed the piece 'diluted' traditional Christmas values, while others accused the management of trying to 'water down Australian traditions’. One wrote on Facebook: 'Merry everything. Who came up with that? Ridiculous. We are a multicultural society and respect all those events during the year, even to others outside the community. But can we just be able to celebrate our holiday with the same respect?’.

On the other hand, some shoppers applauded the move, seeing what the shopping centre was trying to accomplish and praising their attempts at cultural inclusivity; and some were indifferent. ‘Boo hoo, who cares if it is Merry Christmas or anything else?’ wrote one social media user. ‘Yeah because how dare we include everyone in the holiday festivities. Some people will fight the air if it looks different.’ said another.

Even so, the backlash was too much, and Pacific Werribee eventually reinstalled the traditional 'Merry Christmas' sign. This situation does raise a question: why did the shopping centre veer away from traditions?

View attachment 34696

May we find peace and joy in the coming Christmas season! Image: Freepik.

Key Takeaways

• Pacific Werribee shopping centre in Victoria replaced their 'Merry Christmas' signage with the words 'Merry Everything' in an attempt to cater to Australians from different cultural backgrounds.
• This decision was met with backlash from shoppers accusing the shopping centre of watering down Australian traditions.
• Many members of the public voiced concerns over the revised signage, leading to the reinstallation of the traditional Christmas greeting.

We could all use a little bit of hope and a dose of kindness this time of the year – no matter what your beliefs are. What do you think about this, members? Share your thoughts below!

Today you are told it's not merry Christmas for fear of offending. This sign is the compromise