After 98 Years, Major Department Store Drops the Word ‘Christmas,’ Sparking Outrage
For almost 100 years, Neiman Marcus has put out its yearly Christmas Book.
It is a catalog for wealthy people with a taste for the extravagant, as well as for a dreamer who wants to let their mind wonder about what life would be like with some of the things up for sale.
The New York Post is reporting that the company's CEO, Geoffroy van Raemdonck, is shaking things up. One of the drastic things he has decided to do is remove the word "Christmas" from the catalog.
Now, it is important to note that in 2025, Neiman Marcus will be sold to the company that owns Saks Fifth Avenue, HBC. Some employees of Neiman Marcus have told the New York Post that they think this is a "last hoorah" for CEO Raemdonck.
The catalog was changed under the radar, too. There was no press release or big announcement, just the reveal that left people wondering what the heck happened to the Christmas Book.
This isn't the first time a major retailer has stopped using the word Christmas. Back in 2005, Walmart dropped the word as well, and shifted toward the use of Happy Holidays.
With all of the cultural differences in America, large companies want to get every dollar they can and keep their reputations high. It makes some sense why companies are moving toward this all-inclusive holiday greeting.
But if you're one of the lucky ones that will get the Neiman Marcus holiday book, now titled A Neiman's Fantasy, rest assured that there will still be the same type of dreamy items in it, just not labeled as Christmas presents.
Examples of this year's goodies include a $1.9 million 18th-century drawn carriage that once belonged to the Spanish royal family and a $777,777 Namibian safari.
Hey, if you got it, spend it. You can't take it with you to the grave.
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Gallery Credit: Carena Liptak