’tis the Season

by Rachel Head & Selig Freeman


Merry Christmas! Tis the season for people to drink hot coco, have awkward family get together, and of course the ever favorite experience of corporate carnality. Step into any shopping mall in the USA and you will be greeted with Christmas cheer and gumdrop sugar fairies as the speakers blast twenty different versions of the same over-played, tired, holiday song about how great snow is. Now, all of this is great and totally appropriate... In December. But what happens when Christmas is advertised way to early; say after Halloween? We choose to discuss the over-sold, under appreciated topic of Christmas. This holiday has been transformed from a family friendly, and quite frankly religious experience to ‘who can get the most stuff this Christmas?’

The first celebrated Christmas was December 25, 336 AD. But, the members of the church who celebrated that first night would not recognize what we have transformed the holy day into. In fact they wouldn’t have the slightest clue what we were doing. Something they might start off with is “Why is there a tree in your home?” It wasn’t until near the eighth century in Germany that the now well know Christmas “tree” was introduced. Sometime later we started to create stories about this popular holiday. In England, Charles Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol in 1843. What makes us so focused on this holiday? How many books about the Forth of July can you name? And that is our country celebrating its birth! Flash-forward to now, America 2013, we can buy anything and everything Christmas. Towels, music, lamps, dish wear, clothing, candy, everything Christmas. Where did we go wrong? Where did the religion leave and Wal- Mart step in?

Now, we are in no way saying that Christmas should be restricted from those practicing other religions or lack thereof, we are just suggesting that it should be less focused on the consumer aspect. So many people have this ideal that they deserve their Christmas gifts. You spend 364 being good just so you can spend one day getting presents. When it comes to gifts it’s always what do I want, what am I going to get, I sent my Christmas list yesterday. Our culture spends so much time focused on the future of opportunity it forgets to remember the days leading up and the people in those days. I know that personally, my mother always seems to shut others out during the holidays, not because it is intentional by any means! She just gets caught up in the stress of wanting a perfect holiday with perfect gifts and perfectly happy children who adore what she got them.

Why do the holidays have to be so stressful? What we should be focusing on during the holidays is others. And NOT just what should I buy them so they will like my present more than what this other person is going to give them. The use of Christmas and the surrounding holidays as a way of profit shows quite a bit about our society in general. We as a culture value success, whether it is monetary or social, over family and religion. Sure, there are some individuals who go against the grain and really show a good case for traditional Christmas family bonding and love. But let’s face the facts- you don’t care how much Great-aunt Barb likes your sweater you gave her as long as she likes it more than what your cousin gifted her.

We would just like to wish Merry Christmas, and a happy New Year everyone. Enjoy the family quarrels and disappointing gifts of socks. We know we will enjoy ours. And maybe, just maybe, take a moment to breath and truly enjoy your family. Not everything has to be about money you know. Happy Holidays to all.