Neiman Marcus is under fire after pulling the word “Christmas” from the title of its shopping guide.
Earlier this month, the Dallas retailer unveiled its annual publication that it now calls the Holiday Book instead of the Christmas Book, a decades-old publication that’s popular among fans of the chain. It features ideas for shoppers including its well-known “Fantasy Gifts.”
The decision didn’t sit well with some on social media, drawing attention on X, formerly Twitter, and Threads, which is part of Facebook, and other platforms with some saying they should have retained the name “Christmas” and that they wouldn’t shop there. The New York Post reported on the change this week, and others joined, including Newsmax and The Washington Times.
Yet Neiman Marcus said it’s been using the term “holiday” broadly for decades, and it has also become an industry standard. That reflects the entire season that starts before Thanksgiving and runs through the New Year, it said.
“Neiman Marcus has a long heritage of celebrating the holidays with our customers, and we are honored to be part of their traditions,” the company said in a statement. “This year, we’ve named the catalog the Holiday Book in the spirit of being more inclusive as we welcome customers of all backgrounds, religions, and traditions to celebrate with us this season.”
Neiman Marcus — while noting the New York Post report was a sensationalized story with misinformation — said the “Christmas spirit is alive and well” at the company through Christmas music, decor and assortment. The retailer also noted Christmas-themed experiences including “Breakfast with Santa” and Christmas tree lightings.
The Holiday Book originated in 1915 as a Christmas card inviting customers to the store to start their holiday shopping. It added the popular “Fantasy Gifts” in 1959 to address press inquiries about unusual Christmas gifts.
The shift between the use of the words “Christmas” and “holiday” has drawn attention in the past couple of decades when there are changes at well-known brands. That includes retailers such as Starbucks and the cups they provide during the holidays.