Bargain Hunt presenter David Harper has criticised what he calls 'woke Christmas cancel culture' and 'virtue-signalling' after The Bowes Museum in County Durham rebranded its festive market as a 'seasonal wonderland' without using the word Christmas. The antiques expert urged families to boycott venues that avoid the term and spend their money elsewhere.
Speaking to The Express, Harper said: 'The only thing these companies love more than virtue signalling is money, so it’s a good idea to avoid spending our hard-earned and much lusted after cash with any organisation that intentionally removes the word Christmas from their events, or marketing.' He added that he would instead visit Raby Castle in Durham, which he described as having 'an amazing Christmas celebration'.
The Bowes Museum defended its decision, stating that the name 'Winter Market' was changed 'some years ago to better reflect the seasonal programme of events we hold across the year'. The museum said the market, which starts on December 12, includes 'a lively programme of artist-led workshops, carolling and festive activities' and is 'for everyone to enjoy'.
The controversy follows a similar row involving Tesco, which angered shoppers by labelling a classic Christmas cake as 'fruit cake' and selling 'evergreen trees' instead of Christmas trees. Social media users accused the supermarket of hypocrisy, with one writing: 'Tesco doesn't want you to have Christmas anymore but they'll still happily take your money.'
Tesco responded by saying it is 'proudly celebrating Christmas' and that product names are 'designed to help customers understand what is in the pack'. The supermarket noted that its stores feature 'Merry Christmas' signage and a dedicated Christmas section online.
The trend of rebranding Christmas-related terms has been seen elsewhere, including the University of Brighton advising staff in 2022 to refer to the 'winter closure period' instead of Christmas, and several UK Christmas markets being renamed 'winter markets' in 2023 to promote inclusivity.
