Thanksgiving has been my favorite holiday since I realized that “giving is more important than receiving” during the Christmas season. Thanksgiving is when I spend quality time with my family. There are no gifts during Thanksgiving so I don’t have to worry about forgetting someone or wondering if they will like what I got them. Thanksgiving is also the last holiday left, which hasn’t been completely taken over by insane marketing and materialistic ideas. Marketing geniuses can’t squeeze money out of every angle of Thanksgiving like they can with Christmas. We have lost focus on what the true meaning of Christmas is. Stores set a record by putting up Christmas decorations by the end of September this year, a whole month earlier than last year. Each year, I feel like Christmas starts earlier and earlier and loses it’s meaning. Sure, my family still gets together for Christmas Eve and Christmas day to celebrate and give our presents and eat good food but I feel like the day isn’t as special and meaningful as it’s supposed to be. When I researched Christmas a while ago, I was blown away that the Coca Cola Corporation re-invented the image of Santa Clause that is widely accepted today. Santa used to be a little dwarf and they changed him into a tall, old, and big jolly old man. I do admit that I like the new Santa and I love walking into a store and hearing Christmas carols and I love all of the decorations in the cities and around campus but it makes me wonder… have we lost the true meaning of Christmas?
2 comments:
I somewhat agree with what you are trying to convey. My mother constantly rolls her eyes when my step dad and I play Christmas music just two weeks before Christmas!!!!! But for some people starting the holidays early just builds up the excitement. I went to highland park this last weekend for a nice dinner and every tree was lit up in the most beautiful lights. The trees were twinkling for at least a mile. The white lights just reminded me that the time is getting close and i get get even more anxious for December 25th!!! The day after Christmas I always say to myself its over? I always feel it went by so fast, and maybe thats how others feel when they start decorating their stores in september. That early is a little exaggerated, but I think the middle of november is a good cut off. Anyway I 100 percent agree with what you are saying about the media and having santa claus be the spokesperson for Coke completely diminishes the true meaning of what he stands for. Hopefully this Christmas will mean something to people than just coke and presents.
I lost my love for Christmas when I found out Santa Claus isn't real... I still love being with my family and the other traditions, but its lost its magic. I agree with you that it has become completely commercialized and no longer mysterious and magical like it was when I was a kid. I have fallen in to the commercial trap and now Christmas is all about the presents. It is very sad that it has come to this. I hope my brothers can keep the Christmas magic as long as possible. Maybe having them will bring it back to our family as well.
On another note, your comment that giving is a greater worth than receiving, is completely true. I have always enjoyed giving presents to my family, but now its become what present is the best present. Really, being together is the greatest present of all. A great tradition, I think, is for families to all together give back to a less fortunate family.
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