By Phil Byrd, Staff Writer
Christmas is around the corner, and as pumpkins turn to Christmas trees and headless horsemen turn to reindeer, American businesses prepare for one of the most profitable times of the year. This begs the question: why did the advent of Christ become a marketing ploy? And is that a good thing?
Originally, church fathers didn’t even celebrate Christmas. The time of year that Jesus was born was unknown, and Easter was the main holiday of the early church. Around the fourth century, Pope Julius I decided to institute the birth of Jesus as a holiday.
He chose December 25 as the date, likely because it coincided with the pagan Saturnalia festival, dedicated to the Roman god of agriculture, Saturn. As Christianity began to be the dominant religion in Europe, Christmas naturally adopted the traditions of the festival, such as causing mischief and celebrating excess, similar to today’s Mardi Gras.
While Christmas went through different phases, it largely fell out of fashion in America after the Revolutionary War. It wasn’t until Washington Irving’s 1819 book “The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent.” that many of the traditions we see today developed. In this book, families of different classes came together for a meal, mingling seamlessly in contrast to society at the time.
Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” brought forth a similar message of charity towards all humankind, and a newfound concern for children’s emotions led to most of that charity going towards spoiling the children of the time.
Santa Claus as we know him today didn’t come around until 1881, when Thomas Nast drew on an old poem, “An Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas,” or as we know it today, “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas,” and depicted the saint as a jolly, fat man delivering presents to children.
I know what you’re thinking. “Phil, why is this a bad thing? It sounds like a joyous celebration of life!” You would not be wrong. Now, let’s look at Christmas from a different perspective.
It is 1840, and stores begin to notice an uptick in sales in the final months of the year. Recognizing the newfound interest in Christmas and seeing the opportunity to grow their business, many stores began to advertise specifically for Christmas. As the winter-mania grew, so did the sales, and many found that the more spectacular they could depict the holiday, the more they could sell.
Fast forward to today, and total expected holiday sales are upwards of $1 trillion, with that number growing every year. The holiday season has become one of the most important times of the year for retailers, often working their employees to the bone, with some corporate entities requiring work on Christmas day. What had been an opportunity for familial joy has become a symbol of the greed and selfishness of man.
Those are two very different stories, and they exist on top of each other. Christmas is not an evil holiday. In fact, it is an amazing opportunity for community and fellowship. As we enter the Christmas season, it can be easy to get distracted by the bright lights and candy canes. While the decadence of Christmas can certainly be a lot, it isn’t a lost cause. Each day, try to love the people around you a little more, spoil your friends and become your group’s very own St. Nicholas. You will soon find the smiles on your friends and families’ faces mean so much more than any gift.
