GREETINGS from ABOVE

Valley billboard ladies stay on message

By LINDA M. LINONIS

Vindicator Staff Writer

NILES — The Merry Christmas Billboard Ladies believe people should decorate a Christmas tree, sing Christmas carols, eat Christmas cookies and — most of all — wish one another “Merry Christmas.”

Substituting “happy holidays” for Christmas just doesn’t cut it with Linda Bennett of Niles, Joanne Brown of Poland, Judi Hanna of Boardman and Pat See of Canfield.

They’re polite but frank about their observation. “We’ve observed a subtle change. ... People don’t realize it,” Brown said about the replacement of “Merry Christmas” with “happy holidays.”

The women didn’t just complain about the situation, they did something about it. In 2007, they raised $2,800 and paid for four billboards with the messages “I miss hearing you say Merry Christmas” and “Why have you stopped saying Merry Christmas?” Both were signed “Jesus.”

Last year, the billboard women started with $1,600 in donations. In 2007 and 2008, the group collected just under $6,000 for billboards. The funds enabled them to pay for 10 billboards in Mahoning, Trumbull, Columbiana and Stark counties.

This year, there are 12 billboards so far with the messages “It’s OK to say Merry Christmas” and “I Miss Hearing You Say Merry Christmas” and both signed “Jesus.” The billboards are in Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties, Cincinnati, Akron, Philadelphia, a small town in Pennsylvania and in Florida, Georgia and Texas towns. So far, the billboard group has garnered about $6,000 in donations.

Location and size determine the cost of billboards, which are red with white lettering. The messages are displayed from around Thanksgiving to Christmas. Some billboards may cost $500 while others cost thousands, depending on the company and location.

“We don’t have big contributors,” Bennett said. “And I think that sets the tone. ... It’s a grass-roots effort.”

She said donations usually are $5, $10 and $20 with some $100s in there. “We got a donation of a dollar from someone. That person didn’t have a lot to give but gave,” Bennett said.

Though the economy has been shaky, people are still giving, the women said. “People believe in this cause,” Brown said. One youth group has had candy sales for the last two years to contribute about $300 each year.

“People continue to be enthusiastic about the project,” See said. “And it’s gone beyond what we expected.”

Bennett said the effort continues to depend on “word of mouth” along with coverage on Ohio News Network. They’re also appearing on “Fox and Friends,” a morning television show on the Fox News Channel, on Mondays until Christmas.

The original idea for the billboards came out of the women’s frustration after hearing and seeing too many “happy holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas.” The women, who are Roman Catholics, said they wondered why America, a predominantly Christian country, was taking Christ out of Christmas.

Bennett said they have seen various figures, but note on their Web site that 78 percent of Americans describe themselves as Christian. “We don’t want to offend anyone,” Brown said, adding she didn’t want to be put off either. The women questioned whether “happy holidays” was perceived as the “politically correct” greeting.

Christians, she said, should be concerned that Christ is being edged out of Christmas. President Ulysses S. Grant signed a congressional bill June 28, 1870, to make Dec. 25, which the bill noted was “commonly known as Christmas Day,” an official holiday. Brown pointed out this act of Congress didn’t make Dec. 25 a “happy holiday” and clearly identifies it as Christmas.

“Christmas revolves around the birth of Christ,” Bennett said.

The women acknowledged the commercial side of Christmas and pointedly noted that the sales and profits of Black Friday and the Christmas season are tied to the Christmas spirit of giving. “If it weren’t for Christ’s birthday and giving gifts to celebrate, there would be no Black Friday,” Brown said.

“We want to be in every state," Bennett said of their ultimate goal. Until that time, the billboard women will continue their effort, hoping it will become an ecumenical project. It also remains an all-volunteer project.