Christmas is a holiday celebrated by a branch of religion—particularly by Christians and Catholics and those celebrating the birth of Christ, people who fell in love with the story of the shepherds and the three wise men following the star. Even in that ancient story, gifts were given. Could this have been a predictor of what was to come for this holiday? I do not think that anyone could have predicted how commercialized this one day would end up.
The Christmas run-up now starts around the first week of November; that is, the best part of six or seven weeks is used to prepare for this one day. Personally, I hate how early it starts, but what I hate more is the consumer-driven world that now powers this holiday. I’m not a Scrooge or Grinch; I really do like Christmas and the time spent with family—I just do not like what it has become. The reckless spending, monetary expectations and materialistic nature that now drives this day is surely not what Christmas should really be about, right? It makes us forget about the real thought-provoking issues surrounding Christmas, such as those who are lonely, hungry, disadvantaged and just not as fortunate as ourselves. I imagine that those who spend Christmas alone do not find the holiday quite so commercialized. But for me, that is the saddest part of it all—a holiday celebrated with family and friends becomes more consumer-driven when together.
The average amount of money spent last holiday season by an average family (two parents and two children—whether that family is a modern average family is another debate!) was thought to be around $1,000. Now, that $1,000 could have been put into a college fund, into a retirement plan or just saved for a rainy day, but instead it was wrapped up in glittery Santa-covered wrapping paper, drunk in the form of brandy or eaten in the form of turkey. Of course $1,000 is relative—if you drive a Ferrari and are very well-off, then $1,000 to spend on Christmas is different—but the majority of the world is not in that financial position and $1,000 is a lot of money. However, there is a serious side to spending this money, and this is where the real tragedy lies. Nowadays, people are finding it easier and more accessible to take out short-term and ‘pay day’ loans to help them pay for Christmas, but the interest on these loans in astronomical! Before they know it, the debt has built up again and Christmas then becomes unaffordable. Even when the Christmas season is over and the celebrations die down, the debt does not. Families are left with massive bills that they must try to repay for the rest of the year, and any disposable income that may have existed certainly does not anymore, meaning that providing necessary items in the future is a struggle. Now you have a mountain of debt to pay, zero savings and have to cut back for the next eight months. Was it all really worth it?
Years of advertisements and pressure from society has caused our commercialized views of Christmas, and the biggest sinner of them all is Santa Claus himself. For a lot of people, the magic of Christmas comes from the belief that Santa will fly over our houses, jump down the chimney and deliver presents under the tree and in our stockings. This fantasy places unbelievable pressure on parents to deliver goods just as the fairy tale states, believing that this is what will really make children happy. It is a harsh reality when you find out that Santa is not the true provider of all the gifts, but when this illusion faded, I imagine it must have been a relief for my parents. But for other parents who are just starting to play Father Christmas, it must be tough, what with the products children are now demanding such as PlayStations and the top gift this year, thought to be the ‘two-wheeled hoverboard,’ costing just shy of $325!
A second reason why I believe Christmas has become commercialized is parents' unconditional yet blind love. Most parents strive to give their children an upbringing equal or superior to their own. Every day, they attend jobs that they hate, work long hours and put the needs of their young before them. It is a shame that some parents feel the way to declare their love and care is in the form of presents. Although I am not saying "do not buy children presents," I do feel that parents should not put themselves under the pressure they do to provide expensive gifts with the belief that this will make their kids happy; in a lot of cases, children are unhappy not because of what they did or did not receive, but rather because of circumstances.
I am definitely not suggesting to skip celebrating Christmas or exchanging gifts this holiday season—I am simply suggesting that you think about and understand the gifts you are giving and the opportunity cost involved. This Christmas, spare a thought for those who are not celebrating Christmas in the style that you are and for those who have saved for months to ensure that Christmas is affordable and that they do not drown in debt. We should make a conscious effort to remember what this holiday is all about rather than getting wrapped up in its materialistic side.
