Jennifer Aniston is facing some backlash after she shared a photo of what some considered an “insensitive” Christmas ornament on social media, according to USA Today.
In an Instagram story over the weekend, the “Friends” star shared a picture of a wooden ornament, engraved with the words, “Our first pandemic 2020.”
However, it wasn’t long before social media users began to question whether the ornament was in good taste, given the impact of COVID-19 on millions of people, Fox News reported.
The photo was not shared with a caption and Aniston has not addressed the backlash publicly, according to CNN.
“I’m sorry but that’s so insensitive to put an ornament saying ‘pandemic 2020,’” wrote one Twitter user, according to USA Today. “Innocent lives were lost because of this pandemic. ... Do better Jennifer Aniston.”
So far, the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the deaths of over 300,000 people in the United States and over 1.7 million globally, according to Fox.
Another Twitter user wrote that the ornament was “the opposite of empathy.”
However, fans of Aniston have come to her defense, pointing out she has been a strong supporter of wearing a mask and supporting small businesses during the pandemic, according to CNN.
Meanwhile, Brittany Sutton, co-owner of the shop Rustic Raleigh, which created the ornament, told USA Today she was “delighted that Jennifer Aniston decided to decorate with one of our good-natured ornaments.”
“These were designed to spread some holiday cheer (with a rustic flair) during these challenging times,” Sutton added.