Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Lowes refuses to call them Christmas trees but calls them Family trees instead...

Lowe's refuses to call them "Christmas trees," chooses to call them "Family trees"

In an effort to avoid the use of the term "Christmas tree," Lowe's has renamed their Christmas trees and are now calling them "Family trees."

In their Holiday 2007 catalog, containing 56 pages of Christmas gifts, Lowe's advertises hundreds of gift items, including scores of "Family trees." In fact, the word "Christmas" only appears two times in the entire holiday catalog. The ads mentioning "Christmas cover only 12 square inches of the 5236 square inches available.

Lowe's even has one of their Family trees turned upside down on a stand. We are not sure what the significance of that is.

Lowe's evidently did not want to offend any non-Christians, therefore they replaced "Christmas tree" with "Family tree." Of course, if Christians are offended that is evidently ok.

An on-line search of Lowe's does reference some "Christmas" items. In fact, a word search of their Web site gives the exact same number 174 of the word "Christmas" as it does the word "holiday." Most of the items mentioning Christmas appear to use the promotional line given by the manufacturer.

Their Holiday 2007 catalog features scores of products, including lights, wreaths, trees, and yard decorations. Most people would associate these items with Christmas, but not Lowe's! Except for two obscure references, they refer to everything in their catalog as "holiday."

Click here to see the front cover of the catalog and a page featuring their "Family trees." catalog ad.


here is a pic of one of the upside down trees...this one is in a stand.......I guess if the shape is correct......they might resemble a cross ......but most trees are not shaped in that manner and it looks very odd upside down...

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this one is made specifically to be HUNG upside down and has more of a shape of a cross...

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I am shaking my head on this one...especially the UPSIDE DOWN Christmas tree?????? That was an old 12th Century tradition in Central Europe.......apparently Target is also offering or displaying some trees upside down in some areas (NOT in my area thank the Lord)......but to me there is something very WRONG with the upside down tree.

The Christmas tree is symbolic......the top pointing to HEAVEN....something HOLY......

**Hanging fir trees upside down goes back to the Middle Ages, when Europeans did it to represent the Trinity. But now, Christmas trees are shaped with the tip pointing to heaven, and some think an upside-down Christmas tree is disrespectful or sacrilegious.

The trees were recently introduced to retailers for in-store displays, so more ornaments could be displayed at eye level to the buying public. And they left more floor space to hold extra stock of decorations.

But the upside-down Christmas trees have caught on, and are being sold to the public as a novelty piece. Target.com has a version that sells for $399 and comes pre-lit. Hammacher Schlemmer’s website has not been able to stay in stock.

Upside-down Christmas trees are either hung from a bracket on the ceiling like a chandelier, stood upside-down on a stand, or mounted tip-down on the wall.

and here is more:

By the 12th century it became a custom, especially in Europe to hang the Fir trees upside down from the ceilings to symbolize the Holy Trinity. The Upside down Christmas Trees was also considered to be the symbol of Christianity. But the real history behind the hanging of the Trees upside down still remains vague. Presently the trend of hanging a Christmas Tree has changed, because nowadays the tip of the Christmas Tree is made to point towards Heaven, as many think that an upside down Christmas tree is a sign of contempt. Christmas Carnivals offers information on the History of the upside down Christmas Tree.

Of course it is not like I WORSHIP the tree because I don't....but it still bothers me. While it is only a symbol to me I cannot imagine hanging one upside down.

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