With the holiday season fast approaching, we have been under the constant advertisement for sales since before Halloween was over. Each holiday is basically already over before the day ever actually comes, because new displays need to be put up over two months in advance. I can understand the excitement for all the holidays, but I feel like everything is just getting out of hand. When Halloween basically mixes into Christmas, completely skipping all that time in between, I find myself a little annoyed.
However, what actually angers me on this whole situation isn’t even the fact that we skip forward. If we honestly were just skipping forward because we are excited for the holiday season, that would be one thing. But the main reason behind the acceleration of Christmas is strictly for profit. Every holiday has become based around material profit and the greed of the companies, as well as the customers.
When Thanksgiving no longer exists because everyone plans their days around Black Friday shopping, I physically just feel sick about society. The time dedicated to being thankful is spent standing in line, abandoning a majority (if not all) of their family, is a joke. I have never participated in Black Friday shopping because the true meaning of the holiday meant more to me; my family meant more to me. Why would I want to just ditch them to join tons of other people, all fighting against me to selfishly get items for a little bit cheaper of a price? Yes, there are good deals, but I don’t think any amount of money saved will make up for the time you’re missing out with family you may hardly see throughout the year.
Black Friday isn’t even a Friday anymore. Stop acting like it’s another holiday when it’s simply adapting to the demands of the public. The fact that it keeps moving to earlier times shows that people want to keep giving up more time in order to save a dime. And what infuriates me more is the fact that most of the “gifts” people are getting for the holiday season aren’t for anyone else. They are getting it for themselves because they want it and it’s such a great deal.
Thanksgiving isn’t the only holiday that I feel is abused by corporate greed and customer materialism. I feel like Veteran’s Day has been abused by these actions, as well. When basically every single store has “Veteran’s Day” sales just because it’s a holiday, I feel like the true sentiment is lost. While people should be thanking a veteran or those currently serving, they are out getting the last minute sale offered on Nov. 11. Please start looking around and acknowledging those who deserve to be honored rather than just being happy to save a certain percentage. When they have put everything on the line, the least we could do is pay them the respect and maybe give that money toward Wounded Warriors or other organizations that actually benefit the veterans in society.
And now I’ll address Christmas. I’m purposefully going to avoid the whole Starbucks cup controversy. However, it is a good example of how corporations have become more influential on the holidays than the real reason for celebrating. Snowmen, snowflakes, and Santa don’t represent the true meaning of Christmas because they are not Christian in any way. When society uses those as the defining images for the holiday, then we have an issue. But they make more money for businesses and bring in higher sales than anything else. People accept it for “Christmas,” and that’s how society depicts the holiday on a mainstream basis.
And I also feel that other religious holidays during this time are often overlooked because everyone focuses on this misconstrued symbol of Christmas. I hardly ever see anything for Hanukkah or Kwanzaa. Again, they are just covered under this mask of snowflakes and Santa Claus. Everything during this time of year is about presents; presents that corporations make money on—presents that are so easily accessible because every single store is pushing sales.
Don’t get me wrong, I love giving gifts. I’m just that type of person at all times of the year. But I try to share and understand the holiday that everyone's celebrating and the true meaning behind it. I will often make my own gifts or join them in caroling to raise funds for charity. I may even just make a donation in someone’s name. Yes, I still buy things for people. It happens, but that’s not what my holidays revolve around. I just wish that the sales, merchandise, and materialistic attitudes weren’t constantly being forced down the people’s throat. I hope that everyone can stay true to their beliefs, no matter what they are. Appreciate those around you and celebrate your holiday for the true meaning behind it, not the corporate greed reasoning that is plastered all over the media.
I just need it to be a holiday again—not a day about money, or gifts, or savings. I need it to be a day of everyone appreciating each other and coming together over a common belief behind the day. I want it to be about people, not materialistic objects. I simply need a holiday. That’s it.
