ROFLMAO!: Gays and traditionalists trash Hallmark for "Don we now our fun apparel"

[Elspeth]

http://stlouis.cbslocal.com/2013/11/...eck-the-halls/
Hallmark Faces Backlash For Changing Lyric From ‘Gay’ To ‘Fun’ In ‘Deck The Halls’

Greeting card giant Hallmark said Thursday that it shouldn’t have changed the lyrics to “Deck the Halls” on a new holiday ornament that stirred a backlash from customers online.

The Kansas City, Mo.-based company has been defending itself after it began selling a miniaturized version of a tacky holiday sweater that changes the lyrics to the holiday carol. The ornament removes the word “gay” and emblazons the sweater with the phrase: “Don we now our FUN apparel!”

Critics took to Twitter and Hallmark’s Facebook page, accusing the company of making a political statement by using the word “fun” to replace “gay.” Some Facebook commenters said they would never again buy Hallmark merchandise and that the change amounted to the company rewriting Christmas classics in the name of political correctness. Others suggested removing the word “gay” demonstrated a homophobic bias.


The company initially responded by saying the multiple meanings attached to the word “gay” meant the sweater’s lyrics would be “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.”

The company updated its statement Thursday, saying it was surprised by the public’s response and that it now realized it shouldn’t have changed the lyrics.

“We’ve been surprised at the wide range of reactions expressed about the change of lyrics on this ornament, and we’re sorry to have caused so much concern,” the statement read. “We never intend to offend or make political statements with our products and in hindsight, we realize we shouldn’t have changed the lyrics on the ornament.”....

[Apocalypse]

Dear lord, I realize that is only an ornament. But if some one bought me a sweater like that, I think the term "GAY!!!" applies. Stated or not.

[Rockntractor]

[Novaheart]

I've always thought "gay apparel" was a little affected... long before I knew that gay had more than one meaning. For that matter "don we now" is a bit affected. It all sounds like those stage accents from the old movies.

[ReinMan]

I've always thought "gay apparel" was a little affected... long before I knew that gay had more than one meaning. For that matter "don we now" is a bit affected. It all sounds like those stage accents from the old movies.

Meh. Seeing how the song was first published in the mid-1800's, based on a melody that dates back to the 16th century, I think a little archaism can be excused...

[NJCardFan]

So let me get this straight. Political correctness has gotten so out of whack that it's now considered un-politically correct to use a word in it's actual context? Liberalism at it's best.

[Elspeth]

So let me get this straight. Political correctness has gotten so out of whack that it's now considered un-politically correct to use a word in it's actual context? Liberalism at it's best.

I was wondering how they actually made their decision at Hallmark.

I wonder if someone took this tacky, over the top sweater ornament, put "Don we now our gay apparel" on it, and someone in management thought it would read as an insult to gays. Sort of like Apocalypse's comment.

What no one expected is that traditionalists would see this as a slap against tradition and the real meaning of words.

[RobJohnson]

Hallmark admits they should of left tradition alone:

“We’ve been surprised at the wide range of reactions expressed about the change of lyrics on this ornament, and we’re sorry to have caused so much concern,” the statement read. “We never intend to offend or make political statements with our products and in hindsight, we realize we shouldn’t have changed the lyrics on the ornament.”....

The idea of the ugly Christmas sweater as this years ornament was a funny idea in my opinion.

[Novaheart]

For some reason, the only people who wear Christmas sweaters seem to be women and men with bleach or sun ruined hair which doesn't appear to have been washed today. Why is that? Speaking of which, do people from Vermont have some cultural aversion to bathing in the morning?