Hallmark Apologizes For Ornament That Says 'Don We Now Our Fun Apparel'
"Don we now our fun apparel," reads the ornament featured on Hallmark's website, reports Dan Amira at nymag.com.
The company has faced criticism on Facebook and Twitter, most notably from CNN anchor Carol Costello.
"Homophobic?" Costello writes on Facebook. "I say, yes you are."
Hallmark initially issued a non-apology, but eventually sounded contrite in a statement yesterday:
"We've been surprised at the wide range of reactions expressed about the change of lyrics on this ornament, and we're sorry to have caused so much concern," Hallmark writes in a statement cited by Amira. "We never intend to offend or make political statements with our products, and in hindsight, we realize we shouldn't have changed the lyrics on the ornament."
Amira writes that he doesn't think the company needed to apologize.
"Words change over time. Nobody uses gay to mean "lighthearted and carefree" anymore. In the year 2013, gay means homosexual," he writes. "And Hallmark is selling its products in the year 2013."
The item still appears on Hallmark's website, but it's listed as "no longer available."