(AgapePress) - The American Family Association says it will begin in June 2006 reminding national retailers that the word "Christmas" is not a four-letter word for most Americans, and it deserves to be included in store promotions and greetings in November and December.

AFA founder and chairman Don Wildmon does not want retailers to have the same excuse some used this past Christmas season. "We will start this summer to give retailers plenty of time to include the simple sentiment in their promotional activity," says Wildmon.

AFA and other pro-family groups, as well as conservative radio and TV personalities, raised the issue over the Christmas holidays in 2005, when it became obvious that many retailers had removed the word from their promotions.

"Christians are growing tired of being ignored except when stores want their money," says the AFA founder of the Mississippi-based ministry. "The outpouring of frustration over the banning of the word 'Christmas' was amazing."

For example, AFA ended its boycott of Target after that company changed its policy and announced that it would include Christmas in advertising and in-store promotions. Nearly 700,000 people had signed up at AFA's website to join the Target boycott.

Other stores also made changes after being deluged by complaints from AFA supporters. Lowe's, for example, announced that it was going to "avoid confusion" and sell "Christmas trees" instead of "holiday trees." Walgreens, Sears, Kroger, and Wal-Mart are among companies which responded positively.

"This was dramatic evidence," notes Wildmon, "of the simple but effective power of consumers communicating their concerns to the businesses where they shop."