Commercialization and loss of holiday spirit

[RoseGoesToYale]

I've always loved the holidays, especially christmas/xmas. I loved seeing people put up lights and trees and hearing carols and all the "tis the season-y" things things that come out. I used to spend christmas day on a plane, headed north to see family. That was the best part of it... I got to see my grandparents and my cousins and everybody would basically all cram themselves into grandpas house and spend a night or two, and all the good food. Sometimes we had silly family traditions, like a yankee swap or an ugly sweater contest (which my uncle totally cheated on, he was wearing a thanksgiving turkey polo shirt! Foul and fowl!) I digress... a couple years ago, that all went straight to hell, and there will likely be no more reunions.

 

Even so, I still loved christmas, until now, and I think I know why... the entire holiday is just commercialized. All the decorations, the lights, the carols... everything feels fake. I look around and think how many sweatshop workers did it take to make that inflatable santa? And when did the holidays become about giant front yard displays?

 

Even the poor are more materialistic than in the past. My stepdad did one of those "buddy santa" programs where you get the name of an underprivileged kid and you give them gifts. What did this kid (11 years old) ask for? Air Jordans, a hoverboard, and an Axe cologne set! Like what?? Don't underprivileged kids have a few more pressing needs, like notebooks for school, or actual books (I hear those are quite useful for education), maybe a simple bicycle. All of a sudden donation drives and centers are requesting "good" toys in original packaging, i.e. the ginormous playsets and electronic action figures, and everything electronic really. The expensive ones, and damn, I cannot believe how expensive toys are now. Dolls, teddy bears, comic books, coloring books, crayons? Nope, these are now insulting. Everything has to be high-tech.

 

The world seems more fragmented than ever because of these things, and social media. There's such a different feeling getting a holiday card with someone's well wishes than getting a mass "Merry Christmas! Happy Chanukah!" post on social media. Even the cards are getting too commercialized! What happened to a nice, simple, pretty holiday card? Now it's all tv and movie characters or too much freaking glitter! Or light up, singing cards! Also, what happened to handmade cards and gifts? Does no one make anything anymore? I guess it speaks more to the human condition now than just holidays... everything is either digital or commercialized. No one wants gifts anymore, they want cash or gift cards. It's that humanness that's missing from the celebrations.

 

Do you still have holiday spirit or have you gone the way of the humbug? If you have it, please tell me where I can get some. And for free, preferably...

[daveb]

I enjoy the holiday, for what I make of it. I enjoy the songs, the movies and tv shows, Christmas trees and lights and decorations, food that I make for myself, exchanging gifts with a friend or 2, making and/or buying things to send to people, and the fact that the weather is cooler and the nights are longer. I don't concern myself with what other people do. Really, like most things, I feel it's up to each person to make of it what they will. 

[Anthracite_Impreza]

24 minutes ago, RosyIcepick said:

Don't underprivileged kids have a few more pressing needs, like notebooks for school, or actual books (I hear those are quite useful for education), maybe a simple bicycle.

Why should poor kids have to get less just cos they're poor? Don't they deserve nice things too?

[Naali]

I've lost it. Never really had the holiday spirit except when I was younger anyway. Haven't decorated in like 5 years. My family is small and separated within the States; last year my family (mom, uncles) got together for my grandparents, but I was the youngest and partially alienated - I didn't want to be there in all honesty. As for gifts, I don't buy anything. Haven't had anyone to gift exchange, but this year I do but he told me not to give him anything haha.

 

The only thing I love about it is the colder weather.

[RoseGoesToYale]

7 minutes ago, Anthracite_Impreza said:

Why should poor kids have to get less just cos they're poor? Don't they deserve nice things too?

Sure, but nice things they need. Air Jordans aren't going to pull anyone out of poverty.

[Anthracite_Impreza]

10 minutes ago, RosyIcepick said:

Sure, but nice things they need. Air Jordans aren't going to pull anyone out of poverty.

Nor is a coffee, but I hope you don't think homeless people shouldn't have those.

[Evren]

11 minutes ago, RosyIcepick said:

Sure, but nice things they need. Air Jordans aren't going to pull anyone out of poverty.

No but they might make them happy. Books and notebooks won't pull them out of poverty either. Not if their parents can't afford to feed them enough so they can focus on their studies. They can't study well if they have a learning disability they can't afford to get treated. Even if they studied every all the time. They probably couldn't afford college and their parents can't help them. Maybe they asked for axe cologne because their clothes are dirty and people make fun of them for smelling bad. Or maybe it's just because they want it. Regardless I don't think an 11 year old asking for 3 nice things once a year commercialized a holiday that is supposed to be about gives nice things to other people.

[CajunAce]

I like to make gifts for my family. partly because it's cheaper and it's easier than trying to figure out what they want. No one in my family cares very much about getting huge, expensive stuff- mostly because none of us can afford it/ want expensive things. Our favorite holiday tradition is going on a short vacation together (which is hard because there's 10 of us now, including 3 little children).

[blunose2772]

I used to be big in Christmas until I had to work 6 Christmas seasons in retail including 5 Black Fridays. That would suck the holiday spirit out of anyone

[Gloomy]

I've just kind of learned to laugh at the irony of it. Especially with Black Friday, when people trample over each other for things mere hours after supposedly being thankful for what they already have. A few years ago a bus in my town had to temporarily change its route during the Christmas season to avoid the mall because none of the Holiday shoppers full of Christmas spirit would let the bus get through. Drive to a crowded holiday celebration where people are supposedly there to be jolly and have fun, and some people will drive like douchebags and argue over parking spaces.

 

I can still enjoy this time of year as long as I limit my time in malls and stay away from crowded Christmas celebrations(unless they have alcohol, I can tolerate crowds a little better when I've had a drink or two...). I'm not gonna lie, I do like getting presents, but I like other aspects of the season as well, especially the weather.

[LeChat]

2 hours ago, RosyIcepick said:

...My stepdad did one of those "buddy santa" programs where you get the name of an underprivileged kid and you give them gifts. What did this kid (11 years old) ask for? Air Jordans, a hoverboard, and an Axe cologne set! Like what?? Don't underprivileged kids have a few more pressing needs, like notebooks for school, or actual books (I hear those are quite useful for education), maybe a simple bicycle...

Where I live, the school districts and other city programs already hand out school supplies for low-income kids during the summer (i.e. notebooks, pencils, pens), just before school begins; so, I guess they're already covered, there, and don't need to ask for those school supplies as holiday gifts.

 

I was surprised, too, a few years ago, reading a small town's newspaper; several elementary school students in grades K-2 were asking for laptops and IPhones for Christmas. But, not all kids ask for expensive things like that. A few years ago, I overheard one kid asking his mother to buy him one of his favorite library books, when they were leaving the library; she angrily told him that she couldn't afford it and that he'd already read and checked out that book from the library, a few times and told him he should try reading something else. I felt sorry for him, because he was only asking for a book, yet his mother scolded him, as though he'd just asked her for a laptop or iPhone.

 

It is probably difficult for low-income kids to be surrounded by other kids and classmates who are given those gifts, like Air Jordans and the latest technological gadgets. Plus, if they're still very young and still believe in Santa Claus, only receiving school supplies--while all the other kids receive more exciting gifts--might dampen their spirit.

  

[alto]

I dunno.  Even though it's holiday season right now, for some reason i'm not thinking about this topic very much.  To me it's just another season.  Kinda sad, really.

 

Although I have an album of Christmas Music on my phone   And the Winter Solstice Ritual at my Birth Church is pure awesome.

[Captain Jay]

Well, I do agree that the holidays are getting too commercialized... though part of that might be how we usually start hearing about them midway through November (or earlier).

 

On that note, I don't know if it's just me, but the idea of getting presents seems to be becoming less exciting. It's like, I'll think of something I really want, and then spend the next couple of days persuading myself not to bother with it.

[Tanwen]

5 hours ago, blunose2772 said:

I used to be big in Christmas until I had to work 6 Christmas seasons in retail including 5 Black Fridays. That would suck the holiday spirit out of anyone

I've worked in retail since 1993 and worked every Christmas - this year I've said 'No'

[.diva plavalaguna.]

I won't rehash the whole poor kids deserve nice things thing since several others already said everything I was thinking, pretty much. Just that if I was going to give a nice toy to anyone, it would be to a kid who literally can't get it any other way and might rarely if ever see something nice like that in their life. Also, kids are kids...they see other kids with a cool shiny thing, they want it too. -shrug-

 

Anyway, I can't say that I really ever had any holiday spirit. I never liked all that Santa crap. I can't stand Christmas music (and I grew to dislike it even more after being trapped in retail during the holidays). And it's gotten way weirder in my family now. My aunt's hubby's family have kind of taken over things, but they are kinda...idk. I don't wanna disparage them because they haven't actually done anything, but I just definitely don't relate to the way they do holidays. It used to be centered on my dad's parents at their house, but now it's fallen more to this other family and we don't really associate with them at all (well I especially don't, I don't really talk to the majority of my extended family at all). They're the sort who do Black Friday early as fuck on Thursday. I am not bothered by commercialism in the holiday. I'm  not religious and just don't give a fuck, tbh (but entitlement is something else). But I just get the feel they couldn't care less about our side of the family. This year Thanksgiving was just me, mom, dad, and bro sitting at the grandma's house. It felt like we were struggling for topics to talk about the whole time. It was just very awkward. And I have nothing that I want to say since nothing goes on in my life, aside from all the sad depressing shit I don't want to get into with anyone else. But yeah, they couldn't even be bothered to stick around and have an actual family meal, which just says to me that they don't really think of us as part of their family. Oh well. I bet if stores were open on Christmas day and the deals were decent, they'd cut that short, too.

 

As for gifts...I always say that I like to give more than receive, as long as the recipient actually likes and uses what I give them. I hand-make my stuff since I can't afford to buy anything nice, and unfortunately most of the time I feel like what I have to give is just a disappointment. Add that to the fact that I feel like I am myself a gigantic disappointment, and it makes me wish I didn't have to bother with gifting. This year I hope that I'll execute well on the making part and the gifts will actually be appreciated. I'm only making for my immediate family and my grandma. Tbh I can't remember the last time I saw anyone else, before TG. Probably not since last Christmas. Meh.

 

I always feel like everyone is waiting for me to say something wonderful is happening in my life. It ain't. So if I ever had any spirit...it's definitely leaving me. I'm over some of the aspects of all of this. Our family is never gonna be like it used to be. 

[Zectarash]

My main issue with the holidays is the socially obligatory gift giving, or "oversentimentalized trading with no negotiating," as I often put it. Basically, people often end up giving gifts because they don't want to feel guilty about being the one that doesn't give a gift, or even a good enough gift, followed by either guilt or disappointment depending on who dumped more money into gifts that year. I mean, if the gifts are handmade or if both people find discounts the other one wasn't ever going to, then the madness almost makes sense, but most of the time that isn't even the case. A whole lot of hassle could be saved if people just bought their own trinkets this time of year!

 

Anyway, that's my two cents on the holidays.

[Sally]

On 12/3/2018 at 3:32 PM, RosyIcepick said:

Even the poor are more materialistic than in the past. My stepdad did one of those "buddy santa" programs where you get the name of an underprivileged kid and you give them gifts. What did this kid (11 years old) ask for? Air Jordans, a hoverboard, and an Axe cologne set! Like what?? Don't underprivileged kids have a few more pressing needs, like notebooks for school, or actual books (I hear those are quite useful for education), maybe a simple bicycle.

Gifts are presents.  When you were a kid, did you want a notebook for school?  Or did you want what other kids have, so you don't have to feel so out of it?   That's not "materialistic", that's natural.  

[Guest Deus Ex Infinity]

On 12/4/2018 at 12:32 AM, RosyIcepick said:

Do you still have holiday spirit or have you gone the way of the humbug? If you have it, please tell me where I can get some. And for free, preferably...

I lost mine many many years ago due to the multiple reasons metioned before BUT I still celebrate Christmas in my very own way,disconnected from any season or artificial atmosphere. 

 

Every time I'd help or support people in need. Everytime when I'd share or give freely from the very buttom of my heart. Everytime I'd feel accepted or loved by others. Every single moment of peace and harmony... It's not something to be reached or found from the outside, it's something coming from inside . 

 

THAT'S the spirit of Christmas in my life. Day after day after day. 

[pickles.]

On 12/3/2018 at 3:32 PM, RosyIcepick said:

Even the poor are more materialistic than in the past. My stepdad did one of those "buddy santa" programs where you get the name of an underprivileged kid and you give them gifts. What did this kid (11 years old) ask for? 

Maybe he doesn't know he's part of a group called "the poor," and someone should tell him ASAP. 😉

 

To be honest, I usually don't like any kids asking anyone to buy them anything ever.  Like kids whining for treats at the store, or even throwing tantrums (and parents giving in, and thereby reinforcing the behaviors).  Sets my teeth on edge.  So I can understand a certain amount of dismay over what the kid asked for.  On the other hand, Santa is supposedly someone you can ask for stuff, so asking would come with the territory.  Not that I know any 11-year-olds who still believe in Santa, but they might have more faith in a buddy Santa.  So, basically, the kid was set up (hoho)!

 

Christmas seems like its own religion to me (and I don't mean the Christian aspects in particular, but just all the things you're supposed to do (which are mostly secular)).  I don't much do religion, so I skip most of that, but I do love having time off from work and getting together with my family.  For those reasons I love the holidays, and I would just want more, more, more.

[MoraDollie]

I saw a mother fucking Christmas advertisement on October 1st. At this point, they're going to be doing freaking Christmas commercials year around. 😠

Honestly the most "traditional" Christmas thing I really don't like are "white elephants" gift exchanges (if you don't know what they are, basically everyone brings a gift, you take turns and when it's your turn, you can choose a gift from the pile or "steal" a gift from someone else). EVERY SINGLE FUCKING ONE I've been to, someone has been seriously ripped off ("I gave you a hug while everyone else left with an actual, physical present :'D") OR someone starts crying (or sobbing) because a gift got "stolen" from them that they really wanted (often happens with kids in the room who participate). 

[uhtred]

Has Christmas become more commercial?  It feels to me that it has been commercial for a very long time.   The whole modern gift-giving idea is at least victorian.

 

Before that though, the Catholic church certainly profited (in a purely financial sense) from religion - just look at the gold in ancient cathedrals. 

 

Earlier religions seemed to always involved the material as well.   

 

There is this fantasy of an earlier "pure" Christmas spirit - but did it ever really exist?

[Tanzanite]

I'm surprised that I still have any spirit left, but I found some ways to spice things up. I bought a harmonica a few months back and thought I could learn some Christmas songs since instrumentals don't annoy me. Since I don't watch cable all that much and opt for internet most of the time, I can watch all the Christmas specials I want and not get sick of them. I think I can even stomach that A Christmas Story movie for a few more years despite that movie being beaten to death through all of those replays and advertisements. I think I'll try making nonalcoholic eggnog this year.

[Skycaptain]

Christmas is a Pagan festival which has been usurped and remodelled. 

Originally it was a festival of feasting and drinking to celebrate the passing of the winter solstice, the start of longer days, and imminently spring and the improvement in food supply. That people now devote Christmas to Mammon and Bacchus is merely an extention of what has gone on since before Christianity was invented 

[Captain Jay]

Oh, I just thought of something else. Every once in a while, I'll pass by a store with a banner saying that it'll be open on Christmas, and it makes me think "I'll bet their employees are thrilled to hear that. Or at least the ones who don't have seniority."

 

I can't think of much else to say. Maybe that's for the best. So far, there are almost three days' worth of nodding in agreement in this thread.

[The Dryad]

I've personally never thought about how truly materialistic the "traditions", of holidays were, plus how time consuming until I actually worked retail on Black Friday, it was miserable, I was miserable. And although I feel like I should've made more than $12/h, I also feel grateful and saddened that people who made those toys made much much less than me, for so much more work. We always pray for the less fortunate around the world, while we blindly support the systems that help keep corporations afloat to prey on these people, so really words are just empty without action. I just really feel strongly about capitalism these days, and it ruins the holiday joy that I want to feel....which is impossible once you see the BS through the glitter and the fake snow.

 

But.... I'm fairly certain I'll buy a couple of vintage pieces off of Etsy to treat myself, and wear my grandma's old Christmas sweater, and some elf socks I got from my best friend back when I was in high school. And I'm probably going to end up making a tofu "ham"/roast variation, and maybe a sweet potato pie. And watch Charlie Brown and vintage Grinch (the new one looks really good too). Maybe make hot chocolate.

[kiaroskuro]

On 12/4/2018 at 12:32 AM, RosyIcepick said:

I've always loved the holidays, especially christmas/xmas. I loved seeing people put up lights and trees and hearing carols and all the "tis the season-y" things things that come out. I used to spend christmas day on a plane, headed north to see family. That was the best part of it... I got to see my grandparents and my cousins and everybody would basically all cram themselves into grandpas house and spend a night or two, and all the good food. Sometimes we had silly family traditions, like a yankee swap or an ugly sweater contest (which my uncle totally cheated on, he was wearing a thanksgiving turkey polo shirt! Foul and fowl!) I digress... a couple years ago, that all went straight to hell, and there will likely be no more reunions.

 

Even so, I still loved christmas, until now, and I think I know why... the entire holiday is just commercialized. All the decorations, the lights, the carols... everything feels fake. I look around and think how many sweatshop workers did it take to make that inflatable santa? And when did the holidays become about giant front yard displays?

I feel pretty much the same way about the holidays.

For me, it's the Christmas season that I love, not Christmas Day itself. Not since my grandparents died and my family fell apart.

The commercialisation simply boggles my mind. For instance, in the past few years retailers in Germany started selling a wide range of advent calendars, filled with perfume bottles, LEGO, whiskey, hightech stuff and beauty products and food of all kinds. Whatever happened to the good old, simple paper calendars with pictures, or (cheap) chocolate?

 

I just try my best not to go mad and focus on what I used to love about the Christmas season. @daveb, you definitely have the right attitude.

 

14 hours ago, Deus Ex Infinity said:

Every time I'd help or support people in need. Everytime when I'd share or give freely from the very buttom of my heart. Everytime I'd feel accepted or loved by others. Every single moment of peace and harmony... It's not something to be reached or found from the outside, it's something coming from inside . 

 

THAT'S the spirit of Christmas in my life. Day after day after day. 

This reminds me so much of myself. I've always loved this quote by Charles Dickens: " I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year."

It's hard to explain, but I feel christmassy when I experience true love and friendship and solidarity. For me, Christmas stands for comfort, love, a place where you are accepted. (But that doesn't mean that I don't love my fir trees and candles and snow 🙂)

[Skycaptain]

@Captain Jay, I used to work in a motorway service area. Twelve hours at treble time was a massive help to an hourly paid employee 

[daveb]

2 hours ago, kiaroskuro said:

advent calendars, filled with [...] LEGO

My friend sent me a Lego Star Wars advent calendar (and coincidentally I sent her the same thing at the same time), for the fun of it.  

Now we have little gifts/toys to open each day until Christmas.  

[Sally]

This conversation on the commercialization of  Christmas has gone on every year all my life.  

[Homer]

As I work shifts, there are only two kinds of days. "Have to get up" and "don't have to get up". I don't get the "holiday spirit" because to me it's just a day. Or a few days. Days where I avoid going shopping or visiting cities because of all those people and Giftmas markets blocking the sights, but just days nonetheless.