Last year in War Against Christmas: Why not carry it to the Mall Owners? I noted the depressing experience of Christmas shopping in a shopping center from which all signs of the season had been relentlessly eradicated:

Surely it is not unreasonable to feel if one is going through the ghastly experience of dealing with a Christmas gift list, some reminder of the pleasanter aspect of the season should be heard? Particularly if one belongs to the majority of shoppers, who also are the majority of the Nation, and whose Creed and cultural tradition was that which founded and developed America?

This seems to be a fashion. Sorry, Santa, you don't match the decor Teri Pecoskie thespec.com Fri Dec 10, 2010 reports of the Burlington Ontario Mapleview mall:

With Santa tucked out of sight, pop music still blaring over the sound system and no sprigs of holly to be found, shoppers are beginning to question whether the Burlington shopping centre is waging a war on Christma..."We have people walking by who will actually stop and complain," said the owner of one ground floor kiosk who didn't want to be identified. She said she's concerned that voicing her customers' criticisms will lead to a clash with mall management.

The Mall management offered a truly ludicrous reason:

Mapleview marketing director Eva Bosnjak...said the mall was forced to switch up its Christmas look after the centre underwent a massive renovation last year. She said the old, more traditional decorations no longer fit into the space.

I believe this pattern of refusing to respect the preferences of the shoppers you are ostensibly trying to attract has become common, reflecting the oligopolistic power of the big mall owners…and their preferences. VDARE.com would welcome hearing of other examples. This item should of course have been written and posted early this month. Thanks to the friends who have worried why I have only blogged twice in six weeks. Yes, health and personal issues were at work. But the reality is all my VDARE.com work is voluntary—and volunteerism only carries so far. I did my day job. If Peter Brimelow had been able to commission one of our starving freelancers, the blog would have been done. But the funds were not there. Please support VDARE.com