Christmas and Consumerism
November 9, 2009 
2 Comments
It was the morning of November 4, and I was in a local grocery store looking for a quick lunch to grab before a long trip south. As I stood in line for checkout, I heard a familiar tune coming over the speakers. At first, I couldn’t place it. Then, when the vocals began, I recognized it.
It was “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” Looking behind me, I saw a display of candy canes and gingerbread. It was no longer necessary to wait for Santa Claus to roll into Herald Square to start the holiday season. The great encroachment had begun.
From now on, it will be a constant stream of carols, red and green Starbucks cups, and blowup Santas and reindeer, and the leaves have barely fallen from the trees. “Let it Snow!” cheerily proclaimed one Atlantic City store window on November 6. I saw my first Christmas commercial on October 25 this year, and every year it seems to get earlier. The pressure is on to have happy holidays, and according to the media, having happy holidays is only possible if we are reminded to have them.
There is a reason for this. The Christmas shopping season is one of the most important for American retailers, because of the frenzy to buy gifts. It seems that everyone has a reason to give a gift around Christmastime, whether it be for family or for friends. Christmas is a time to get together with family, and the advertisements on television frequently appeal to emotion and traditional values; they are brightly colored, women are in the kitchen and smiling, and small children are looking at the camera cutely. Holiday editions of catalogs are often the thickest, and the photographs and ad copy are warm and inviting. Whether it is an ad for a new camera, jewelry, or turkey gravy, an advertisement will find a way to insist that one needs a certain product to have a good holiday.
However, most Americans cannot afford the “happy holiday” that they desire, one marked by abundant gifts under the tree, a feast every night with family, and everyone smiling. Maybe due to this, depression rates are high around the Christmas season. Could it be possible that we are getting annoyed with the shoving of Christmas in our faces, day in and day out, when the ideal holiday depicted in the commercials rarely exists? Whatever it is, the barrage will continue until the television is turned on on the morning of December 26, and we breathe a sigh of relief as “Jingle Bells” is gone from the airwaves till next year.
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Oh! No! Marat! It seems you don’ t understanding what the essay is trying to point out! Obviously, your comment is so shallow! Try to dig deep-& remember this website for academic people! You feel this is just a blog of an ordinary people- just want to post what’s on his mind! Noo! It’s all Mass Media Ethics (well, that’s our subject in schoool that’s why I’ve happened to find this site – I’m researching!) It’s all about on how media negotiate our politics of emotion on holidays or christmas!7 It’s our topic in our school Subject ( Mass Media ethics)- this piece is all about! reality! on how media manipulate us! on how they create fantasy! — & you must know that is a fact! And remember this is not about acussation to media! Oh! no! If you think of that way! I could say your not educated! Ok! inorder for you to understand better! -Isn’t Media is a very powerful! It’s very influential! To us! right! now! People act according to what media dictates! And that’s not a wild guess! marat! It have a theory! That’s been teach ins school! There is Communication theory! subj- on how people behave in correlation to media!– So for you to easily understand for ex. jus refer to the campaign of Dove to Women! You know! that campaign of Dove- about women in all sizes, shape & color are beautiful!
because! we all know that there all lot of girls in the world that are insecure of thier appearance! Why! because! this is what they see in media! they are pressured of that perfect celebrities or models! They also want to look like them!-And just like in holidays!- media pressured us to have a perfect holiday! Like what the advertisement-were trying to show to us! and if were not able to achieve that so called perfect holiday – people get upset! Well, better to read more! –obviously u don’t know how to make thesis! If you happen to!It will be really hard for you!
I find this article lacking a substantive idea. It seems to be just a calculated display of an age old “hip” sentiment: that the consumption of material goods is morally wrong. People are most familiar with the problems that they harbor, and this social “evil” is thus pointed out most vocally by those who are themselves voracious consumers of material goods.
To begin with, you’re complaining about the decoration and music in a store that you’re shopping in. No one forces you to shop there. You can learn to prepare your food at home and save yourself the agony of Christmas decorations any time you wish.
Then you mention the media assaulting your senses with early advertisements and the horrible pressure of holiday wishes. I don’t understand the difference between watching a Christmas commercial and a commercial of another kind. It’s you who’s choosing to sit in front of the television and drink it all in. Why do you sit through commercials you dislike? As for having happy holidays, it’s profoundly stupid to interperet any such sentiment as anything more than what it says.
Then comes the next bit of rubbish:
“It seems that everyone has a reason to give a gift around Christmastime, whether it be for family or for friends.”
I fail to see the problem here. If you don’t want to give people gifts, you don’t have to. I only hope that you don’t fool yourself into thinking that this is some noble endeavor. I don’t notice any objection to receiving gifts here and I’ll bet you like that a lot more.
Again, you decry advertisements that you are subjecting yourself to. You don’t need to watch TV and flip through catalogs and it’s none of your business if anyone else does.
Most Americans can’t afford a lot of things, but smiling isn’t one of them. Furthermore, there’s no law that says you have to give gifts on Christmas. If people experience financial hardship during the holidays, it’s at least voluntary. Besides, advertisements or not, people who are less fortunate than you have no such qualms about material goods. If you have anything you can spare, donate it to the good will.
As for depression rates rising around Christmas? how about some evidence on that. People aren’t getting annoyed with Christmas being “shoved in their face”. People do this to themselves. People buy products willingly. Despite all your talk, you would pitch a fit if you had to relinquish your Ipod and cellphone. You would scream if your clothes were distributed to poor people. This country is materialistic because it can afford to be. If you spent one day in the third world, you would come to appreciate material goods a bit more.
Or maybe not. It’s certainly possible to be not want things and be happy. However, this is of one’s personal concern. If you don’t want something, why should it bother you if others do?
At any rate, maybe you’ve overlooked this because you don’t work, (or celebrate Christmas, I believe)but no one’s relieved when the holiday season is over. going back to work is more depressing that watching annoying commercials and having people give you crap.