Like snowflakes, the ’tis the season headlines at first seem pretty, harmless, and unique.
And then the flurry turns into a sodden blizzard.
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“’Tis the season to celebrate the birth of the Bill of Rights.” Two-page ad in the New York Times (Science Times section) on December 15 – Bill of Rights Day – from the Freedom from Religion Foundation. Part of the text reads: “The framers of our godless and entirely secular Constitution, revering freedom of conscience, wisely created a government free from religion. They understood there can be no religious liberty without the freedom to dissent.”
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“’Tis the season to efficiently heat your home.” Thanks for the tidings of comfort and joy, PG&E! (Hat tip: Tireless ’tis-spotter Andy Behr.)
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“’Tis the season.” Pandora home-page ad for ad-free Pandora. Hat tip: Roger Julian.
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“’Tis the season for: 25% off all Slippers.” Email from Planet Shoes received December 9.
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“’Tis the Season” for the New York Philharmonic. Ad in the New York Times Arts & Leisure section, December 13.
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I can’t resist including this screen grab from 2013.
“Tis’ the season for sneezing!” A cliché, a bad pun, and a very confused apostrophe: you win the ’tissy trifecta, KETR of Tyler, Texas!
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Back to current events:
“’Tis the Season” (with backward apostrophe) to gamble away your paycheck at Graton Resort & Casino. Ad in the San Francisco Chronicle main news section, December 13.
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“’Tis the season for LAYERS OF LUXE.” Chico’s online ad. At least they pointed the apostrophe in the right direction and spelled luxe correctly – I see a lot of lux, a spelling that means either a unit of luminosity or a brand of soap*.
Alas, the apostrophe goes wayward on the Chico’s website.
“‘Tis the season to give.”
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“Tis the season. Where there’s mistletoe, there’s mischief” … and a missing apostrophe. Detail of Jo Malone ad, Page 67, New York Times T Style Magazine, December 6.
Jo Malone makes fabulous fragrances. Headlines, not so much.
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The California Academy of Sciences – a wonderful institution, let it be said – trots out this chestnut every December.
“’Tis the Season for Science.”
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You know what ’tisn’t the season for? Creepy gingerbread men…
“‘Tis the season to treat yourself to a tour.”
…and tours of assisted-living facilities. The backward apostrophe is the cherry on top. (San Francisco Chronicle, December 7. Hat tip: Andy Behr.)
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The New Yorker defaulted to ’tis in the “Goings On About Town” section of its December 7 issue.
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“’Tis the season for shopping at the Official DNC Store.”
Email from the Democratic National Committee. Is there equal ’tissing for Republicans?
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I’m not a lone combatant in the War on ’Tis. The San Francisco Chronicle’s copy desk has issued a list of 14 holiday clichés to be avoided – like, you know, the plague – and #1 on the list is:
Previously in this year’s ’Tis Watch.
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* Am I the only one who parses the Lux URL as “House o’ Flux”?
House o' Flux sounds positively Dickensian. Ick.
Posted by: Jessica | December 16, 2015 at 07:11 AM