Well, the title says it all. What do you think about Christmas being commercialized? On the one hand the entire Santa bit takes away from the religious meaning and makes a rather ubiquitous holiday more bearable to nonChristians, but on the other hand, the true spirit of the season, and the whole bit about Jesus of Nazareth being born, is lost in birght red and green coca cola advertising charachters.

I'm personally all for the commercialization of the major holidays. Christmastide always seems to have lessons taught about giving and being happy with one's lot, whether one celebrates the religous or the commercial aspects. It's a good lesson to teach, and I am not against any holiday that's primary purpose seems to be the giving and receivng of presents, which is all I do in observance of the season. So what do you think?

I love being at the stores and seeing something christmassy on the shelf, hearing the carols in the background and the overall atmosphere of Christmas.

It has become more than a celebration for Christians around the world, it is a time for everyone to be excited and have that feeling of the Holidays! A lot of people in the world do not believe that Jesus was even born, so they do not want to feel singled out by seeing a bottle of "Jesus-Cola".

As a plus, people love to give and receive presents on Christmas day. It shows how much you love the other person, and it makes them happy to know that.

Well, I love the commercialization of Christmas, because it's my birthday, and I'm not a big 'OMG my birthday let me make the day all about me'. That's also because I have a twin brother, though. =]

I want my Christmas as "Disney" as it gets. I'm even gonna feed the deers! And put out some porridge for Santa. Its all in my mind. If I like it that way, thats how its gonna be.
But I'm not going to feed the industry, buying a lot of products this year. I figure I can make it myself. (I like to PAY too, I pay all the year.Proudly hand out the money to contribute to the circulation. But Christmas should be "holy". Even if you're an atheist and consumer like myself)

Haha. I'd leave food out for deer, but we get raccoons here and then there's the road literally 30 seconds from my house.

But yeah, there is a limit to commercialization of x-mas. Like people having lights up in October (yes, october).

For me, Christmas isn't about wishing Jesus a happy birthday and celebrating its religious origin. If others choose to celebrate it in this fashion, fine, but that's not what I imagine when I think of Christmas. For me, Christmas is about the season of giving and being with my family rather than paying homage to a religious figure. I don't care if Christmas is commercialized- I actually rather like it. There's something about the festivity and the Christmas spirit that makes the season uniquely special.

Also there's the people that get into fights in their neighborhoods over thier lighting displays. Sorta defeats the purpose of having a beautiful display if the only reason is to be competitive.

As for me? I leave up my halloween decorations through december to scare away the carolers. But even scarier than people who put up thier lights two months earlier? The people that leave thiers up UNTIL two months earlier.

Haha. Yeah. My dad takes down the lights on the house first. That way, they don't get too ruined.

I've always hated the holidays--because for me, they mean an overload of work, assignments, and power outages in my community. Christmas cheer be damned and all. But I'll accept that I'm a secular spoilsport who is disappointed that the holiday only seems to highlight his fellow man's distaste for solidarity with eachother--"Peace on Earth, Good Will to men....".

As for the commercialization, that doesn't bother me so much--so long as its optional. I don't buy a Christmas tree, or Christmas lights, or Christmas decorations. But other people do. And by doing this, they're supporting the free market economy that defines this nation. They're fueling capitalism, increasing industrial productivity, providing for the creation of jobs for others.

So, Christmas' commercialization is fine by me. Perhaps it should be even more commercialized--more spending, more job creation, and so forth. So long as its optional.

My only regret is the the monopoly the holiday gets on all forms of media for about a month or so--TV, radio, newspapers, blaring Christmas music in every store every day until the event. Thank goodness the internet is an international, nonconcrete entity, or it'd be infected to. In the words of Lewis Black, "You Christians have created a beast who's hunger that cannot be satisfied..."

So, I don't mind the commercialization. Just the side effect on the media. Merry Christmas.

Christmas was never a big deal in our house, it still isn't. Working in retail for 2 Christmases has made me really dread it.

It's just another day for me, except now I have to take 2 weeks off work because of it.

I think it's way to commercial now, The meaning of Christmas has gone, it's now all about who got the better presents. For my family we care more about spending that time together.

who cares! a holiday is a holiday is a holiday and everyone should be happy there's a holiday.

I like the commercialization of Christmas...It tends to cheer people up...Well most people.

96% of Americans Celebrate Christmas. Of that total, 14% are not Christian. I truly hope that a significant number of that 14% of the 96% observe the holiday for the right reasons.

For the longest time now, Christmas hasn't been about the present under the tree with my name tag on it. I am a hard person to shop for. I'm very content with what I have that can't be given and what I want cannot be given. And it hasn't been about a baby that was more then likely born in May rather then December. Nor the trees, lights, carols, and the fat men in suits.

No, for the longest time, Christmas has been about man proving that he can be kind to strangers. How many times in the year do we give what we have in our pockets to the homeless man on the corner. One month. How many times in the year do we tell him to "get a job, you bum"? Eleven months. How many times do we all watch a black and white movie that shows the worth of one man? How many times do we see wait for the next episode of 24 to see who Jack Bauer kills?

No, Christmas is the darkest and coldest time of the year, yet somehow miraculously becomes the warmest and brightest time of the human spirit. A time where men and women around the nation will gladly brave the cold for hours at a Wal-mart, ringing a bell for charity. I don't see people sweating it out in July for the homeless. How many times do you buy that expensive toy for the child you will never meet, who will other wise never recieve the gift? How often do we sing about peace on earth and good will towards man versus love scorned and angry violence?

People often hate Scrooge and the Grinch. How ironic. They are the two people who actually get it. It comes with ribbons, it comes with out tags, It comes with packages, boxes, or bags. They are the only too people who see the light while the others help Santa. Should we not be like Scrooge? Keeping Christmas all the year. Not just the 25 of December, but every other day?

Imagine a world where people did, without the presents, the trimmings, the trappings, what they do every December. Give to the poor, help a stranger for nothing of the good feelings of being kind, and acted in a way we generally do not: Humanily. Every December I see the mirical that the human spirit can produce when they stop thinking of themselves and start thinking of others. Every January First, I lament for it will be another eleven months until it is time to do it again. Christmas should never start to early, it should never stop. If we went through the motions of Christmas that do not involve the feasting and the gluttony, but the giving and caring. The remembering the people we car about and the poor and humbled amoung us. If we truly lived every day like Christmas was today, would not the world be a better place? Trim a tree if you want and hang a wreath if you care but they are nothing compared to true spirit of Christmas.

Merry Christmas to All! Every Day of the year.

I love Christmas. I'm one of those annoying people who puts the Christmas lights up in November (although I wait until the end) and get a tree as soon as they're available (only real ones for me!) and I constantly have Christmas carols blaring. Drives my boyfriend nuts. :D

It's not the presents that I love. I will admit, it is nice to receive them (who doesn't like it?) but I love the feeling I get when I know that I got someone the perfect present, and to hear their genuine thanks makes my heart grow three sizes.

I don't know why I love Christmas so much, I just do. I love decorating and looking at other people's beautiful lights and decorations, but I don't think that's entirely why. It's the feeling I get - everybody is in a good mood, everybody is generous and giving (like hszmv said) and there's just a certain feeling in the air that makes me glow.

I've decided I'm getting married in December and the wedding will be Winter Wonderland/Christmas themed. I'm a freak, I know. But it's okay. 'Tis the Season right?

While I certainly don't celebrate the Christian aspect of Christmas I really abhor the commercialization of Christmas.
I don't get the same feeling from the holiday that I did when I was younger. It used to be about putting up lights and trees, baking special treats, seeing friends and family you hadn't seen in awhile, etc. Now it seems that it is all about the money and gifts.
I absolutely detest Christmas shopping as well. Too many people, too many screaming kids, too much noise, too many smells (usually bad), too many long line ups....it's all just too much for me.
This year I have decided to not stress out about getting the perfect gift for everyone or whether I've spent enough and just try to enjoy myself....we'll see how it goes.

I hate Christmas BECAUSE of the commercialization. I really have to say this - sad I know, but I live one village away from a big shopping area which you can reach by car. They have big car spaces there, but in november and december everything gets so crowded. Even on the streets far more away there is so much traffic.
For me christmas is a silent thing. I am not a practicizing christ, but I like to stay with my family and we celebrate it on two days, so every family part is covered from my boyfriend to mine ones.
So the silent thing doesn't exist in december because of this business with shopping. It just so seems, that everyone is so stressed, that the real reasons for christmas get left behind.
And in january the whole thing isn't over, no. Then the shopping districts get crowded because many many people have to change their presents they got into other things...

I am not one of those who don't give presents, but I prefer to not overreact by buying presents and to just be happy, with what I get without having this commercialization tension.

Georgiababe- That wedding sounds wonderful...a real white wedding hopefully!

I love christmas...it may just be me but i love giving prezzies and espacially recieving them..! I adore christmas decorations and the pretty lights....and yes i do hate scrooges and grinches..they need to lighten up and have fun! Tis the season....

Merry Christmas Everyone!

i LOOOOVE christmas i love everything about it i get uber exited even just the opening of the advent calender leading up its fun im nearly 15 but i find christmas is the one time you can act like a proper kid let yourself go and not worry about things i love the playing sharades eating so much food you cant stand and reading the craker jokes even though you know they will be awful not to mention the presents i also love the family time my mum is worked to hell right now (studying law) but chrismas time she gets to let go and enjoy it also my birthdays 6 days before christmas which makes it even better not to mention the decorations and watching the queens speech and falling asleep to it then being up all night for sleeping in the afternoon god i shouldnt have typed this im even more exited now :P

I really don't care about the commercialization of Christmas. I don't care because Christmas is a pagan holiday. God never consecrated this day, so it's not a holy day. Only God can make things holy; not humans. There's nothing sacred about it, so I have no reason to feel negative about the commercialization. Humans decided to celebrate this day as the birth of Christ. It's not even the correct day. I'd rather the name be changed to Santa Claus day or something stupid like that since Christmas is all about lieing to kids about the existence of Santa Claus, giving gifts (rather kids expecting gifts and forgetting about giving or helping others), snowmen, reindeer, etc... I used to love Christmas as a child, but I consider it rather silly now in some instances.

How does God make something holy?

Actually Saint Nicholas was a real person... the basis for the Santa Claus story. On the flip side there are those who would argue that the biblical account of Jesus draws upon many pagan elements, notably Dionysus.

Anyway, back on topic.

I have mixed feelings about the commercialization of Christmas. I do enjoy the festivities and the decoration. However, the one thing that does bother me is how people seem to basically focus in on this one day to show peace and kindness towards others, when ideally it should be a year-round proposition. In this sense too, I tend to think that the commercialism tends to dilute the meaning and spirit of the holiday. Ah well :D

This isn't a religious discussion, so I won't go into all of that. I thought you weren't religious, so why be concerned about it?


Yes, I know about Saint Nicholas, etc., but Santa Claus doesn't exist and it's fairy tale in my eyes. The Santa Claus story is silly IMO. Anyway, how can the biblical account of Jesus draw upon pagan elements when Jesus existed (and still does) before humans were created? I think it's the reversal.


I enjoy some of the festivity and decoration of Christmas, but I don't understand why there is the "Christmas spirit." That sounds soooooooo silly! Christmas is a fake special occasion/day created by humans. Spirit has nothing to do with it. Why LIE to children telling them that Santa Claus is going to pay a visit, leave them presents, etc.? Why not be honest, instead of condoning dishonesty, and tell them the truth? I consider Christmas just another day and nothing special about it. I like giving gifts and being kind to people, but not only one day of the year.

I really don’t have anything to contribute to this topic as I don’t understand why people need a special day in order to act humane to each other .





You just touch the surface of one of many lies that have been hidden under the Christianity banner and all of them condones dishonesty/lies hidden under/between/amongst "Truth" which can only equal false truth. It is so cleverly done most people don’t see it, but when pointed out, most would prefer to hold on to the lies/dishonesty and would even want to hurt anyone that would dare shine some light on the lies and willful deception (s) hidden under the banner of Christianity to give it (the lies) legitimacy.
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Why not? Having grown up in a family where religion wasn't really an issue, I look back more fondly on excitedly running down the stairs to see what Santa brought rather than celebrating Jesus. I think that the Santa Claus tradition is something that adults generally frown upon because it's dishonest but it's something that most children seem to really enjoy. My cousin and her husband (who are Christian to the extreme) are raising their daughter without Santa Claus in the Christmas equation and, though it's not my place to judge, it isn't what I would do if I had children. It isn't so much lying to the kids as it is concealing to the truth, and most of the kids I know still enjoy coming downstairs to see what they've gotten after learning that Santa isn't real. Why not let your kid be a kid while they still can?

On the basis that you are dissing Christmas because "God never consecrated this day, so it's not a holy day. Only God can make things holy; not humans.". So I'm asking how does God make something holy?



http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_jcpa2.htm

Why should one be any sillier than the other?



It's the idea of what Christmas is supposed to represent... "peace, love, and goodwill to all", e.g. the Christmas spirit. What's so silly about that? Like I said before, it's a shame that many people focus on that one day as opposed to practicing it year 'round. Again, I do think that the commercial aspect takes away from that.

If you're calling Christianity a bunch of lies, then I don't agree with you. I don't blame Christianity for parents lieing to their kids about Santa Claus. People who aren't religious at all lie to their kids about him, so don't blame Christianity.


Lieing is sin and I don't condone sin. Yes, it is lieing. No need to try to hide what it really is. It's not concealing the truth. It's plain out lieing. Why would it be ok to lie to kids? Lieing to them teaches them that lieing is ok, that it's ok to be liars. I don't accept that and I wouldn't do that to a child of mine if I had one. IMO Christmas teaches people to be or become materialistic. It teaches children to be materialistic. Why is it ok for them to expect all these gifts? Are they giving to anyone whose actually in need? It teaches them to be selfish. Children love Christmas because they expect things. They want the toys, etc. Why should parents go in debt to buy kids things they don't need? I support your cousin and her husband's decision in not celebrating Christmas regarding Santa Claus. Santa Claus is fake and doesn't exist. They're not harming their child by not lieing to her about this non-existent man. I have nothing against celebrating Christmas, whether it has anything to do with Christ or not, but I don't support the lieing about Santa Claus, elves, and reindeer. If kids weren't going to receive anything for Christmas, then it wouldn't nearly be as exciting to them. Doesn't that tell you anything? Kids can still enjoy their chilhood without Santa Claus.


Dissing Christmas? I'm not "dissing" Christmas. I enjoy some things about the holiday, but it's still a pagan holiday. It's not a religious holiday, because God didn't make it holy. He didn't "tell" humans to observe it. There's a big difference between the religious and holy holiday of Passover and the non-religious and pagan Christmas holiday. God told his people to observe one and had nothing at all to do with the other. I hope that answers your question.

Jesus existed before humankind, so I'll never believe his story was taken from others. My religion is not fake and not a bit silly. You don't consider Santa Claus delivering gifts with flying reindeer to every "good" child in the world in one night silly??? Little elves making toys for kids is not silly? If that's not silly, then I don't know what is.

The idea of Christmas, or the so-called Christmas spirit, doesn't make sense. The less fortunate don't need things the rest of the year? Only one day is important? The less the better - is that it? I fully support the commercialization of Christmas because it's not a religious holiday. It's pagan and that's where it belongs.