(AgapePress) - The Florida-based Christian law firm Liberty Counsel has developed a checklist cataloguing retailers who either censor or acknowledge Christmas. The "Naughty and Nice" lists are part of the legal group's "Friend or Foe" Christmas Campaign, a yearly effort to combat those who attempt to curb expressions honoring the true meaning of Christmas.

So far, stores on the "Naughty" list include Lowe's, where employees are not allowed to say "merry Christmas" to customers; Banana Republic, whose website refers to a "Holiday Gift Guide" with no mention of Christmas; and Best Buy, whose spokesperson says the use of "merry Christmas" is disrespectful. Meanwhile, among the stores on the "Nice" list are Dillard's, Hobby Lobby, JC Penney, Jo-Ann Fabrics, L.L. Bean, and Wal-Mart.

Liberty Counsel president Anita Staver says Christian consumers can play a part in fighting against retailer censorship of Christmas. "They need to be on the lookout when they go to stores," she advises, "and if they wish the people there a merry Christmas, they should expect to hear a merry Christmas in return."

Anita Staver

Christian consumers should not have to expect to walk into a store and see "all the trees labeled 'holiday trees' and 'holiday wreaths,'" Staver contends. "They should see 'Christmas trees' and 'Christmas wreaths.'" Still, she points out, stores such as the Gap, Home Depot, K-Mart, and Bed, Bath, & Beyond have all censored the word "Christmas" this season.

"We had a report from Toys 'R' Us that a Pennsylvania guest relations coordinator had written a customer that the store aims to be neutral about Christmas," the Liberty Counsel spokeswoman notes. "But when the corporate division found out about this," she continues, "they said that Christmas is always celebrated at Toys 'R' Us and [that they] disagree with the actions of that store."

Meanwhile, Staver adds, some stores that have had a policy of censoring Christmas are backpedaling, and Liberty Counsel is glad to see the response that its "Friend or Foe" Christmas Campaign is getting. The campaign is having a definite impact, she says, and she encourages Christian consumers to be on the lookout for stores, schools, and other government or commercial entities that try to censor Christmas.