Shoppers see Bible as a comfort gift
By Karin Miller
Associated Press
FRANKLIN, Tenn. — Gary and Terri Dixon used to feel tentative about buying Christmas presents with religious overtones. But in this uncertain holiday season, the ultimate gift of spiritual comfort for Christians — the Bible — suddenly seems perfect.
Associated Press
"People are more accepting," Gary Dixon said as the couple left the LifeWay Christian store in Franklin, Tenn., a Nashville suburb, with two Bibles among their purchases. "Before Sept. 11, it was hard to give Bibles as gifts, but now the door is open."
As Americans search for strength during the first Christmas season since Sept. 11, Bible sales have soared.
Other Americans have reached the same conclusion. While overall sales figures for religious books appear to have been mixed since the Sept. 11 attacks, two of the nation's biggest Bible publishers say sales have soared nationally.
Zondervan Corp. of Grand Rapids, Mich., one of the world's largest publishers of Bibles and Christian books, says sales jumped immediately after the terrorist attacks, then started to slow by early November.
But since the Thanksgiving weekend, their customers — particularly Christian bookstores — are reporting weekly sales as much as 40 percent higher than last year.
"I think Sept. 11 caused people to be more interested than ever in gifts that provide comfort, encouragement and making sense of all that's happening in the world," said Cris Doornbos, executive vice president of sales.
Thomas Nelson: thomasnelson.com Zondervan: zondervan.com Jewish Celebrations: judaicagiftstore.com
Nashville-based Thomas Nelson Publishing, the largest publisher of English-language Bibles, is marketing a red-white-and-blue "Extreme Word" youth Bible that has been quite popular.
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The Bible has a blue spine, a red cover with white stars and a quote on the front from Psalm 33:12: "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord."
It includes prayers for the nation and its leaders, as well as Scriptures that offer hope in times of crisis, said Phil Stoner, executive vice president. "We're finding that young people are much more patriotic than the prior generation. They are very much interested in what's happening and what the Bible has to say about these events."
Doornbos said Zondervan decided against publishing a special Bible after Sept. 11.
"We need to be responsible and didn't want to be opportunistic," he said. "It was tough to wrestle with because we want to meet the needs."
Mike Bayly, manager of the LifeWay store in Franklin, can hardly keep enough Bibles in stock.
His store is one of 106 affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. On the day after Thanksgiving, his sales were six times higher than last year's.
Bibles aren't the only strong-selling items. Other spiritual gifts, including books on prophecy, children's videos such as "The Prince of Egypt," and cookie-making kits that help illustrate Christmas stories are doing well, too.
"Anything that blends patriotism with faith is huge," said Les Dietzman, president of Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Family Christian Stores. Dietzman mentioned T-shirts with an outline of the United States superimposed over the phrase "jesussaves" and bracelets woven with the national motto: "In God We Trust."
The blending of patriotism and religion isn't limited to Christians. A big seller for Hanukkah this year is a red-white-and-blue dreidel.
"I'm not sure that Hanukkah or Christmas has been tied before to being American and being proud of America," said Teri Brager of Scotts Valley, Calif., who co-owns the Web site for Jewish Family Celebrations. "This year it definitely is."
