As the holidays draw near, a sense of wonder seems to fill the air. The crisp chill of late autumn, the Christmas decorations being brought out of storage, the gifts you pick out for your friends and family. It all feels very nostalgic, pleasant, and even magical as the year comes to a close. Don’t forget the classic songs that play continuously on the radio, all the specials and sales you see in stores and in online shopping sites…
Does it seem a little repetitive? The songs you know by heart, maybe not because you love them so much, but because that’s all that seems to play during December? The same songs being played over and over because they’re guaranteed hits? Or the constant promotions and sales that are plastered all across shopping sites, malls, and big businesses, incessantly reminding you of how it’s the perfect time to go shopping for Christmas gifts?
Eventually, as you grow older and gain more financial responsibilities, the allure of a nice, shiny gift for your loved ones to show your appreciation and love may become a burden on your finances, especially if you’re on a limited budget while getting through college. Maybe you’re working multiple jobs at a time just to afford tuition, maybe you have rent and utilities to keep up with. No matter your situation, Christmas being marketed as the perfect time to buy something special for the people you care about, especially with the presence of discounts and special sales, can make people feel obligated or pressured to buy gifts for friends or family.
Similarly, the monotony of songs that fill radio stations seem to give off a feeling of “the rich get richer.” Popular hits, such as Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” are played frequently, gathering millions of streams within just a few weeks as the season grows near. Even while many newer artists have created original songs relating to the holidays, only few have become popular enough to be a Christmas staple among the likes of “White Christmas,” “Silent Night,” and “Let It Snow!” These songs tend to have a slower pace to them, radiating a more relaxing, dreamy feeling, as if it’s the perfect song to listen to while settling down by the fireplace and looking out at the falling snow.
You have to wonder why the older, classic songs many grew up with are still played so often, even as many newer remakes and original songs are made to entertain without feeling too repetitive.
My idea for why this happens is because nostalgia sells in a consumption-heavy society. A bittersweet feeling like nostalgia perfectly encapsulates what people miss most about the holidays; the sense of wonder that you felt during Christmas when you were growing up, excited to open your presents on Christmas morning under the vivid, sparkling lights of the tree. Companies are able to subtly manipulate you by pulling at your heartstrings, in a way. If they continuously play classic songs that you heard every holiday season, it reminds you of the joy you felt as a child. People are naturally attracted to things, like music or material goods, that make them feel joyful. That way, they are more inclined to stream Christmas classics and buy gifts to spread that same nostalgic joy.
So, is this to say that the magic of the holiday season that people feel has only been a facade to disguise the commercialization of Christmas? Well, it depends on your perspective of the holiday. In religious perspectives, Christmas has centered around acts of charity, prayer, and decorating, mixing Christian and pagan traditions. These aspects of Christmas are alive and well today, even as more secular aspects of Christmas have become popular, such as gift-giving and throwing parties.
To some religious people, the commercialization of Christmas, particularly focusing on the promotion of buying gifts and streaming seasonal music, may take the focus off of what religious people believe the holiday stands for, such as celebrating the birth of Jesus, partaking in acts of charity, and more. To other religious people, or people who don’t follow any particular religion, the commercialization of Christmas may take the focus off of what they believe is important, like valuing quality time with family or friends, and may push the focus towards buying more and more for loved ones, since the current societal view, in regards to consumerism, promotes buying material goods as an expression of care.
To conclude, the magic that surrounds the season hasn’t truly been lost, just overshadowed by commercialization. The supposed loss of Christmas spirit with each passing year seems to develop from the focus of the holiday being pushed towards spending and consuming, rather than the qualities of the season that many love and prioritize. Don’t let this discourage you from enjoying the season to the fullest, however. Enjoy the music, the spectacle, the time with friends and family. The memories you make with the people you love will last you a lifetime.
