‘Woke’ Christmas act Aussies say needs to stop
Sydneysiders have erupted in fury over the Martin Place Christmas tree that says “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas”.
Sydneysiders are furious over a Christmas tree in Sydney’s CBD.
The 14.5-metre tree outside 25 Martin Place, formerly known as the MLC Centre, was designed by luxury fashion house Dolce & Gabbana and is just a short walk from the City of Sydney’s official tree.
Despite adding plenty of sparkle to the buzzing hub, the designer display has drawn controversy online – all because of what isn’t written on it.
Instead of the usual ‘Merry Christmas,’ the glittering banners around the tree read: ‘Happy Holidays,’ ‘Warm Wishes,’ and ‘Season’s Greetings.’
This detail has outraged some online, with political commentator Matthew Camenzuli taking to X to call the tree ‘offensive’ and an example of political correctness gone too far.
“Australia, if we do not begin to push back now, we will lose everything that made our nation great,” he wrote. “It’s Merry Christmas! Anything less is offensive to Christians, and Australia is a Christian country”.
Of course, Australia is actually a secular nation, but Christianity is the most common religion, with 43.9 per cent of Australians identifying as Christian in the 2021 census.
Still, many commenters agreed with Mr Camenzuli, calling the tree “too woke” and criticising the brand for watering down tradition to please everyone.
Others particularly hated the term “Happy Holidays,” arguing it feels more American than Australian.
All this uproar got me wondering – is this how Aussies really feel?
So, I went to Martin Place to find out.
One young tradie told me, “I think we should say Merry Christmas, it’s the season of Christ”.
Another woman admitted, “I think it’s a little bit sad that Merry Christmas is getting phased out because it’s such a tradition, and I don’t really see why people get offended over a small thing”. When asked what she thought about the brand potentially trying to be more inclusive, she replied, “It is a religious holiday, so if you’re not celebrating Christmas, what really are you celebrating?”
Nearby, a group of women in town for their annual social tap-dancing concert didn’t hold back.
“It should say Merry Christmas – this is Australia, not America!” one said.
Another added, “I don’t care” about inclusivity.
Another man called Shady summed up his thoughts by saying: “We need Christmas vibes, give me a Ho Ho Ho”.
And just when I thought no one cared about the 56.1 per cent of people who don’t identify as Christian, a woman in a festive shirt stopped to chat.
“I think it’s really great to be more inclusive around the holidays,” she said. “I really appreciate everything Sydney does to make people feel more included.
“I don’t think the tree is too woke, I actually think DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) is really important.”
Another passerby, who looked suspiciously like Santa’s younger cousin but wasn’t particularly pro-Christmas, said, “I think we’re moving away from traditional Christmas anyway. I think for most people it’s just about families and friends catching up – why not have Happy Holidays instead of just Christmas?”
Many, however, couldn’t get over the shift.
One man shook his head and said, “I think it’s a bit stupid … we’ve been saying Merry Christmas for a couple of hundred years. This is all part of brands’ agendas to make everyone a bit softer”.
Whatever side people took, it was clear … people have strong feelings about this issue in both camps.
News.com.au has contacted 25 Martin Place for comment, as well as Dolce & Gabbana.
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Originally published as ‘Woke’ Christmas act Aussies say needs to stop
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