Has Christmas become too commercialized?

[suzybeezy]

I'm guilty of over-indulging my children on Christmas - because I was over-induldged as a child. I enjoyed it - so I hope one day my children will look back on their Christmas memories with the same fondness I do. I don't enjoy crowds so I do all my shopping very early - usually done before Nov 1st. This way we can enjoy the season more relaxed.

We've really gotten away from just making Christmas day the day we pause and recognize and celebrate Jesus's birth - its something to honor and celebrate each day!

 

[Rai1234]

how bout atheists have an atheist day and then see how they feel when Christians come to try to 'christianize' it...

I might suggest you look into the history of this a little more.

 

[Steve Petersen]

I understand giving children toys for Christmas. It is a very magical time, and no matter how much kids talk about celebrating the birth of Christ, the kids want to get the birthday presents.

As an adult, I no longer think that it is about gifts. Sure, I may exchange a few gifts with close friends, but I find that Christmas is much more about remembering to live in peace, with peace on earth and good will to all men. I enjoy Christmas far more without all the stress of shopping, and focusing more on spending time with family and friends. If I do buy a few more gifts, it is for kids who have few toys, so that they can still share the fun of Christmas, too.

However, it seems that over the years, people talk about spending as much as a couple thousand on gifts at Christmas. People often equate the amount spent with how much the giver loves you. While I bought the few gifts I did buy, people were stressed out, yelling at clerks, being snarky, and generally unpleasant. Most people say that the season often makes them stressed out or depressed and lonely.

So, have we just lost the meaning of it?

Yes, Christmas has become too commercialized, thank God!

That way (a more worthy holiday, IMO) Thanksgiving is gets spared commercialism.

 

[keith99]

I'm guilty of over-indulging my children on Christmas - because I was over-induldged as a child. I enjoyed it - so I hope one day my children will look back on their Christmas memories with the same fondness I do. I don't enjoy crowds so I do all my shopping very early - usually done before Nov 1st. This way we can enjoy the season more relaxed.

We've really gotten away from just making Christmas day the day we pause and recognize and celebrate Jesus's birth - its something to honor and celebrate each day!

Are you sure you have seen real over-indulgance?

Usually my family gets together at someones house and we exchange presents. (That excludes presents from parents to their children. Those have always happened earlier in the day).

This year there was confusion. Long story short, most of us met at my brothers house of Christmas and a second get together at my niece's house on Sunday. Part of this was because my Niece's boyfriend has a son from a previous marriage and they wouldn't ahve him until Sunday.

It is at my Niece's where I learned what over-indulgense was. What should have been the vast majority of the gift exchange should have happened on Christmas. Only gifts being given by or to my Niece, her boyfriend and his son would eb exchanged on Sunday. Not very many.

Oh wait, except for her boyfriend's son. His Grandmother was there and it was a neverending stream of gifts. Many not that appropriate (NFL collectables, kids want stuff to use, not to collect). One that was really typical was the hotwheels cars he got. One big package with at least 20 and probablly more like 40 hotwheels cars. Toys to inventory, not to play with.

My Nephew was smarter than I, he left as the gift orgy was getting started. Typically with my family gist exchange is a nice break between dinner and desert. Not this time. It was an eternity. Mom left before desert with the excuse that she needed to get home before total darkness. (Mom is older but responisble. A good driver actually, but her night vision is not what she would like and she strongly prefers to not drive, or at least not drive far at night).

I want to make the point the kid involved did very well. Even though the barage of gifts meant he got no chance to actually enjoy any of them he kept a good attitude. But it did get to the point where he was saying it was too much.

I'm not sure I can capture the emotional impact. Perhaps this will help some. Many families have various dishes (food) that someone makes that people look forward to. In ours there are 2. I do not know how far back they go. For most of my life they were refered to as my Grandmother's fruit salad and her cheescake. She is long dead. (I'm 57 and our family has always tended to have children late, or at least not early). The cheescake is always talked about and looked forward to. This year it made an appearance only on Sunday. Over half the people left before it was served.

 

[Meepy]

Atheists have enough fun with Christian holidays.



There are 2 movies called Jack Frost. One is about a dad that becomes a snowman and the other is about a serial killer that becomes one.

I AM Jack Frost.

 

[JFitz]

What is your opinion on Santa Claus? My boyfriend (has been a Christian all his life) never grew up with Santa whereas I did. I have no problem with Santa as long as kids know that the reason for Christmas doesn't have to do with Santa at all but is the celebration of baby Jesus. My boyfriend hates the idea of Santa. haha

 

[Meepy]

What is your opinion on Santa Claus? My boyfriend (has been a Christian all his life) never grew up with Santa whereas I did. I have no problem with Santa as long as kids know that the reason for Christmas doesn't have to do with Santa at all but is the celebration of baby Jesus. My boyfriend hates the idea of Santa. haha

well he definitely is a jolly old fellow.

St. Nicolas, the real "santa", was a bishop who helped the poor and would leave presents to children. However he was very orthodox and was quite strong in his condemnation of heretical sects. Some of those writings would be kinda off-end compared to what people think of Santa today.