First the beekeeper. Then the CEO. Now the Christmas lights installer. I guess no job is safe at Chesapeake Energy.
In what's being considered a death-blow to the local hot chocolate industry, the once proud Oklahoma City employer Chesapeake Energy has announced it will not put up its famous, over-the-top, jingle in your face Christmas lights display this year. OG&E shares dropped 3% on the news.
Via NewsOK.com:
Chesapeake Energy Corp. announced on Wednesday that they won't be turning on its annual holiday lights.
This would have been the 15th year for the Chesapeake Holiday Light Display in which more than one million bulbs light up the energy company's campus near Western and Classen.
In the past, it has taken 30 workers about two months to install all the lights, but this year the work never began.
That's just sad! This "War on Christmas" takes no prisoners. The Oklahoman is really referring to Christmas Lights as Holiday Lights? Ridiculous!
This is really bad news for the metro. Where are all the annoying couples supposed to take winter engagement photos? Where will students from Casady and Heritage Hall tell the limo driver to go when leaving the Christmas Dance? Ski Island??? No way. Thanks for ruining Christmas, Chesapeake.
As a last-ditch effort to get them to reconsider, maybe we should contact the chubby pastor dude who ignited the Starbucks controversy. You know this will piss him off. Maybe he can get enough people to come down here and decorate the campus with pretty lights just like Jesus would have wanted? That will show the PC Police who's boss.
Actually, I don't think this decision was motivated by political correctness or out of respect to other religions. Chesapeake's simply broke, and, well, it looks really bad for a corporation to spend a ton of money on Christmas decorations just a month or two after they terminated 500+ people. Plus, they have to save cash for executive Christmas bonuses.
Fortunately, Chesapeake was able to spin this bah humbug moment into a bag of presents under the tree for Tiny Tim:
Gordon Pennoyer, Director of Strategic Communications, released the following statement:
“We are refocusing our holiday plans on programs we believe make the greatest impact on Oklahoma City. In lieu of the holiday lights display, Chesapeake is pleased to partner with the Oklahoma City Thunder in delivering leadership support for the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program, which provides holiday gifts to disadvantaged children in our community. Additionally, we will continue our partnership with the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma by matching donations to the organization during the holiday season. We hope all Oklahomans will join us in lighting up the lives of those most in need during this holiday season.”
Wow. Chesapeake pulled the whole "We're going to help brighten the day of disadvantaged children" card. That's smooth. You win Chesapeake. Kids are way more important that a bunch of stupid lights. We respect your decision. Merry Christmas.
