Disney Christmas light-up in Orchard Road 'disappointing', buries meaning of festival
SINGAPORE: The National Council of Churches of Singapore (NCCS) on Friday (Nov 23) called this year's Christmas light-up along Orchard Road "disappointing", saying that its exclusive focus on Disney characters buries the original meaning of the festival.
In a letter addressed to the Singapore Tourism Board's (STB) chief executive officer Keith Tan, the NCCS said that it is "deeply concerned" about the "increasing secularisation and commercialisation of Christmas" in Singapore, and how the Disney light-up is an "extensive" brand exercise.
Advertisement"Being an essentially religious festival, Christmas should not be viewed primarily as a money-making venture or an opportunity to market a particular commercial brand," the NCCS wrote in the letter, which was signed off by NCCS general secretary Reverend Ngoei Foong Nghian.
[h=3]READ: Orchard Road Christmas light-up 2018 to feature Disney, Pixar characters[/h]Disney Magical Moments is Orchard Road's first branded light-up in the 35 years of the annual event, and is the result of a collaboration between The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia, Orchard Road Business Association and the Singapore Tourism Board.
The light-up, which covers a 2.88km stretch of Orchard Road - from Tanglin Mall to Plaza Singapura - started on Nov 10. It features Disney and Pixar characters such as Mickey Mouse, Cinderella, Elsa and Woody.
AdvertisementAdvertisementIn his letter dated Nov 19 and also posted on the NCCS website, Dr Ngoei said that the council was concerned that the light-up - with its exclusive focus on Disney characters - has no meaningful connection to Christmas, which commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ.
"We recognise that Christmas is widely celebrated in Singapore and many parts of the world by people who are not Christians," Dr Ngoei wrote.
"We also recognise the legitimate interests of the STB and the Orchard Road Business Association to leverage on the general mood of celebration associated with Christmas to draw more tourists and Singaporeans to spend at Orchard Road," he added.
With the focus on Disney characters, however, "the original meaning of Christmas has been effectively buried under the thick layer of this extensive and sophisticated brand promotion exercise", wrote Dr Ngoei.
He clarified that the council was "not against the use of Disney characters per se", but wondered whether it should be the sole focus of what is "essentially a Christian festival".
He said he hoped that STB would take the views into consideration, especially in view of its three-year partnership with Disney, which was announced last year.
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SINGAPORE: The National Council of Churches of Singapore (NCCS) on Friday (Nov 23) called this year's Christmas light-up along Orchard Road "disappointing", saying that its exclusive focus on Disney characters buries the original meaning of the festival.
In a letter addressed to the Singapore Tourism Board's (STB) chief executive officer Keith Tan, the NCCS said that it is "deeply concerned" about the "increasing secularisation and commercialisation of Christmas" in Singapore, and how the Disney light-up is an "extensive" brand exercise.
Advertisement"Being an essentially religious festival, Christmas should not be viewed primarily as a money-making venture or an opportunity to market a particular commercial brand," the NCCS wrote in the letter, which was signed off by NCCS general secretary Reverend Ngoei Foong Nghian.
[h=3]READ: Orchard Road Christmas light-up 2018 to feature Disney, Pixar characters[/h]Disney Magical Moments is Orchard Road's first branded light-up in the 35 years of the annual event, and is the result of a collaboration between The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia, Orchard Road Business Association and the Singapore Tourism Board.
The light-up, which covers a 2.88km stretch of Orchard Road - from Tanglin Mall to Plaza Singapura - started on Nov 10. It features Disney and Pixar characters such as Mickey Mouse, Cinderella, Elsa and Woody.
AdvertisementAdvertisementIn his letter dated Nov 19 and also posted on the NCCS website, Dr Ngoei said that the council was concerned that the light-up - with its exclusive focus on Disney characters - has no meaningful connection to Christmas, which commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ.
"We recognise that Christmas is widely celebrated in Singapore and many parts of the world by people who are not Christians," Dr Ngoei wrote.
"We also recognise the legitimate interests of the STB and the Orchard Road Business Association to leverage on the general mood of celebration associated with Christmas to draw more tourists and Singaporeans to spend at Orchard Road," he added.
With the focus on Disney characters, however, "the original meaning of Christmas has been effectively buried under the thick layer of this extensive and sophisticated brand promotion exercise", wrote Dr Ngoei.
He clarified that the council was "not against the use of Disney characters per se", but wondered whether it should be the sole focus of what is "essentially a Christian festival".
He said he hoped that STB would take the views into consideration, especially in view of its three-year partnership with Disney, which was announced last year.
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