‘TILL YOU DROP: Consumerism celebrated at area stores
THIRD STREET PROMENADE — One year after Christian activist groups launched a campaign against retailers and cities across the nation over the absence of “Christmas” from decorations and greetings, Santa Monica is already awash in Christmas spirit.
Starting this week, Bayside District Corporation — a public-private company that manages business in downtown Santa Monica, including the promenade — began erecting three 22-foot tall plastic Christmas trees along the bustling shopping corridor, one per block.
Last year, right-wing groups lashed out at retailers that opted for the generic greeting of “happy holidays”and referred to their decorative trees as “holiday trees,” eliminating all references to Christmas in attempts to embrace customers of all faiths.
Bayside has not received any complaints about the Christmas trees on the promenade since crews began piecing them together on Monday, and there are no concerns of isolating patrons who celebrate other religious and cultural holidays such as Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, said Marivi Valcourt, Bayside’s marketing manager.
“People love it,” Valcourt said. The trees are just one element in Bayside’s holiday program, estimated to cost close to $100,000 this year. In conjunction with Santa Monica Place, the program includes an online auction of a playhouse, where the proceeds will go to the Santa Monica Police Activities League; a top model search and fashion show; a pet day with Santa Claus; a holiday arts and crafts weekend for children; and a children’s gift drive with PAL.
With more than a month left before Christmas, some retailers in Santa Monica have already rolled out their holiday, er “Christmas,” decor.
It’s been all about the holidays at Hear Music Starbucks on the 1400 block of Third Street Promenade. The popular coffee-music destination released its holiday themed products last week, serving up its famous gingerbread lattes in Christmas-red cups.
“Starbucks embraces diversity and seeks to provide beverage, food and gift offerings that help customers celebrate the holiday season,” said Montey Dunn, a local Starbucks representative. “Our seasonal coffee offering is packaged both as Christmas Blend and Holiday Blend.”
BCBG Max Azria, a women’s clothing store in the Santa Monica Place mall, decorated its windows in holiday lights, and Bath & Body Works decked out its body care store, also in Santa Monica Place, in red stockings and mittens, to the tune of “Let it Snow” in the background.
Though it will have the traditional Christmas tree and Santa Claus appearance this year, Santa Monica Place, where shoppers will see decorations starting today, will try to generalize its theme to the holidays as a whole rather than focus specifically on Christmas or Hanukkah.
“We’re a shopping center and we’re much more based on shopping than religion,” said Victoria Trimble,marketing manager for Santa Monica Place.“We celebrate everything here.”
GOING CRAZY FOR CHRISTMAS After facing heat from conservative groups for minimizing the presence of Christmas in its stores nationwide, while increasing products that pertain to Hanukkah, Wal-Mart has decided to go all out for Christmas this year.
“More than ever, Christmas will be dominating Wal-Mart holiday messaging and programs,”said Dan Fogleman, a spokesman for the retailer. “In the upcoming weeks, Wal-Mart shoppers will see and hear the words ‘Merry Christmas.’”
The retail giant has adopted “Be Bright” as its holiday slogan this year, a change from last year’s marketing campaign of “Home for the Holidays,” which generated a considerable amount of backlash from conservative groups.
“That to me looks fake” — CHRISTMAS, from page 1 JEFF DONLAN ANCHORAGE, ALASKA
A Wal-Mart Christmas commercial is also scheduled to hit television this week. Though Christmas is expected to dominate at Wal- Mart this year, the corporate office will look to cater to local communities by examining the demographics in the different locations that house Wal-Marts nationwide. For example, a store in a heavily Jewish neighborhood will sell Hanukkah items and employees will greet customers with “Happy Hanukkah.”
The shift in attitude comes after the marketing team listened to concerns from customers and associates.
“It is important for us to reflect the fabric of communities we serve,” Fogleman said.
David Hunzicker, who works in an office on the Third Street Promenade, doesn’t understand why there is controversy over references to Christmas.
“It’s part of our history,” Hunzicker said on Monday. “Why deny who you are?”
‘IT’S KIND OF UGLY’
A far cry from the traditional evergreen trees that stand in shopping malls and outdoor business districts across the country, the three plastic Christmas trees along Third Street Promenade were originally white and intended to look like ice and snow when Bayside purchased the decorations five years ago.
Last year, the decorations received a major facelift — a splash of green paint and some big colorful Christmas bulbs.
“Now it looks more traditional, more whimsical when you see the whole display come together,” Valcourt said.
By the time of its completion next week, the Christmas installation will include the trees with the old-fashioned bulbs, candy canes and woodland creatures at the base.
“It’s kind of ugly,” Hunzicker said on Monday, glancing at the tree on the 1400 block of Third Street. “I don’t know why they can’t bring in a real Christmas tree.”
According to Bayside’s Valcourt, a real tree is cost prohibitive because of the added security and safety measures it entails.
At The Grove in Los Angeles, an outdoor shopping center comparable to Third Street Promenade, a 100-foot tree from Northern California will be lit during an official tree-lighting ceremony on Sunday.
To a native of a city covered in snow, the decorations on the promenade might seem typical of a California beach community that has very un-winter like weather.
Jeff Donlan was visiting Santa Monica this week from Anchorage, Alaska, where the trees in the park and in the city are adorned with lights every holiday season.
“That, to me, looks fake,” he said, pointing to a plastic promenade tree. “But it’s just how it is down here.”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on November 15, 2006. Read the original PDF.