Fall is the beginning of the holiday season. With Halloween items available in stores by the end of August, it is no wonder that by the time we reach Christmas we are ready to scream at all of the overblown holiday decorations. It seems nowadays that one event has barely finished before we are thrust headlong into the next, caught up in a vortex of holiday planning, shopping and buying. One holiday celebration tends to blend into the next, even overlapping in many cases. Is this ceaseless linking of holidays happening because consumers are eagerly looking ahead, or because manufacturers are forcing the next event on them?
Commercialism has certainly seen an upsurge of activity in the past 50 years or so, largely due to the increasing number of televisions in homes across the United States. Television watching accounts for the highest percentage of leisure time spent in many homes, especially by children. Whether or not an individual is actively watching the TV, just being within hearing of one can affect our thoughts and opinions of products, as our brain subconsciously processes the information passed through the ads in the background. It is for that reason many children may be asking their parents for a particular toy or game, while the parent wonders how and where on earth the child learned of the product.
Christmas provides the ultimate opportunity for advertisers to inundate the public with their wares, turning the holiday into a sales event. Flashy, colorful commercials with popular characters garner the immediate attention of children, mesmerized by the enticing songs and motions used to enhance the product being advertised. Soon the child will be mimicking the ad, and begin asking for the product. Parents soon flock the stores in search of the item, proving the “push” ads to be effective. Advertisers using the “pull” method can be even worse. The pull method consists of building ad campaigns of an item to frenzy, yet deliberately causing a shortage of availability of the product. People desperately shop store after store, then on the internet, searching for the items they’ve decided they must have. This is commercialism at its finest, although advertisers protest that they are only reacting to the demands of the public.
Television is not the only method used for enticing the public. All types of media, including radio, newspapers, magazines, catalogs, flyers and even store windows act as means of transferring the “must have” message to consumers. One reason many people love the Christmas season is that everything is decked out in the splendor of commercialism; decorations hung on every main city street, traditional Christmas music piped through stores, store shelves piled high with products as mall Santas listen to wish lists. The downside to this magnificent glitzy veneer is that people end up buying more than they need to, only to find out after the shopping frenzy is over and the money has been spent that the items really don’t meet expectations.
Does commercialism have to dictate the Christmas holiday season? Absolutely not. Even though the advertisements make the products seem so inviting, it is still the individual’s choice whether or not to buy. Families can take a stand against commercialism by firmly setting guidelines for Christmas spending, keeping it within realistic boundaries. Limiting television time can prove to be an invaluable tool in fighting commercialism, as it also limits exposure to the advertising glut. Parents can discuss with young children other ways to enjoy Christmas just as much without purchasing unneeded items. Volunteering as a family at shelters and soup kitchens, participating in community “mitten tree” programs that help needy families at Christmas time and spending valuable family time together in home activities can all be enjoyable and memorable experiences.
Commercialism is truly an overwhelming aspect of the Christmas holiday season. If it is true that, indeed, advertisers are merely responding to public demand, a solid commitment to cutting back on demand just may produce the opposite effect; bringing a return to family values to Christmas.