We all know the feeling when we step into a Walmart on Nov. 1 and all of a sudden it’s a sea of red and green. There is tinsel hanging from the ceiling and aisles devoted to candy canes and Christmas decorations.
If you’re most of America, you groan, roll your eyes, and lament the loss of a good old-fashioned holiday season where family time and peace are priorities. The commodification of all holidays, but especially Christmas, has, indisputably, taken over and is nearly impossible to avoid.
However, materialism associated with holidays and authentic Christmas spirit are not mutually exclusive.
Just because we buy presents for people and stores put up decorations too early doesn’t mean that Christmas doesn’t still signify peace and goodwill. Just because black Friday sales are off the charts and you’ve been stressed for weeks about what to buy your aunt doesn’t mean that you don’t still get a tingle of joy completely unassociated with presents on Christmas Eve. The materialism associated with Christmas has become a manifestation of the holiday spirit, but it is not the only one.
Children still wait up all night on Christmas Eve to try to see Santa Clause and essentially, the gift buying and giving process works to re-emphasize the priorities of family and giving. The essential nature of searching for presents is founded in wishing to give someone something that will make them happy.
This involves spending time thinking about what that person would like, acknowledging how much you appreciate them, and being willing to spend money to make them have a better day/month/year. While many people simply get caught up in the process of shopping, it’s important to remember that, by its nature, giving presents is a self-less act that reinforces what Christmas really does stand for.
Here’s my point: while materialism can be irritating or stressful and make it seem like the holidays revolve around spending money, it has become so omnipresent out of a sense of caring for the people in our lives. Without the desire to spread happiness and giving to those around us, materialism and commodification wouldn’t exist. So be like Elf next time you walk into a Walmart or Target and skip around to the Christmas music and obnoxious decorations, instead of being a cynic.
