Media Contact: Georgia Seltzer, (202) 822-8200 x104, gseltzer@vpc.org

Campaign Research Notes – December 18, 2025

No matter the major holiday, the firearms industry is always there to exploit it and make the day about guns — with the ever-present goal of normalizing the presence of firearms in every aspect of American life while hopefully increasing sales.

And each year this includes Christmas — a season of peace and goodwill where for gun manufacturers Christmas trees, wreaths, warm fuzzy slippers, and ugly holiday sweaters are just props for the real stars of the holiday season: semiautomatic assault rifles and high-capacity pistols.

Never one to be left out, the pro-gun Gun Owners of America (GOA) offers a series of Christmas ornaments (at 20% off) featuring Santa Claus, a gingerbread man, a snow man, and a polar bear armed with assault rifles. In a recent promotional email, GOA explains, “With Christmas right around the corner, now is the perfect time to add a meaningful piece to your holiday décor or find a thoughtful gift for a fellow supporter of freedom.”

Below are examples of Christmas Instagram posts from gun manufacturers in 2024, plus the graphic from GOA’s current promotion of its heavily armed ornaments.

A slideshow with additional examples from previous Christmas seasons can be found here.

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The Violence Policy Center is a national educational organization working to stop gun death and injury. Follow the VPC on X/Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and BlueSky.