I hate Christmas.
Beyond the trauma from a dysfunctional family. I hate Christmas.
Ok, maybe hate is too strong of a word. Here:
I dislike Christmas.
Why?
Well, I hate capitalism.
And hate is not a strong enough word.
And today’s Christmas is a byproduct of capitalism. Consumerism at its finest.
Yeah, I am the type of person that appreciates meaningful or useful gifts, rather than something I don’t need. I would appreciate and enjoy a dinner with family or friends, but that can be done outside of Christmas as well. So, there is nothing special about Christmas anymore. (Unless you’re religious, I guess, but that defeats my entire point)
Let’s be real, Christmas hasn’t been about family and kindness for some time now. And let’s think a bit. Christmas as we know it is a marketing scheme. A good one.
Let’s think about Santa Claus, Father Christmas or Julenissen. It was years ago during a lecture about Radio of all things, when the professor told us about Santa Claus. The marketing part, not the existing part. It was something like this:
Long ago in the land that is now Turkey, there was a man going around and doing acts of kindness for children. Of course, it is none other than Saint Nicholas, or Nick Claus, a name we grew up hearing in Christmas movies. Important fact: he is usually portrayed wearing blue. Years later, when Coca Cola was working on their Christmas marketing campaign, they commissioned an artist to draw St Nicholas. But there was a problem with the colour blue. You’ve probably guessed it – Pepsi. So, they changed it to red to represent Coca Cola, fed him, gave him rosy cheeks and a smile, and the rest is history.
I don’t know if it is true, the professor telling the story was, in the most respectful way possible, a bit senile. But the thing is that Santa Claus and Christmas are all about marketing. Consumerism galore.
Sadly, like every good marketing campaign, it worked so well that Christmas has become oversaturated. Christmas is just another day of the year now, but people just buy than usually. So how can someone who hates consumerism like Christmas. There is also so much suffering in the world that it feels shallow, as if only the privileged can be merry at Christmas. The thing is … I need cognitive dissonance to enjoy Christmas. And it is just so sad … I need Christmas to resolve everything in the world. To make my heart grow or to make me become a nice person. Needless to say, I watch A Christmas Carol every 24th of December, 12 o’clock every year. And I watch Hallmark Christmas movies until I have a mental breakdown about how bad they are. Christmas has my favourite stories, my favourite memories from childhood.
Maybe I don’t hate Christmas.
Maybe I just hate the fact that I can’t enjoy it anymore.
But wait, this is kinda sad … Let’s change the ending a bit.
Why does Christmas start in November? Last year on Halloween, I was still in my costume, went to the shop at night and they had Christmas decorations, preparing the store for the next morning. This year, first week of November, someone had an entire tree set up with lights and decorations. Why are we desensitising ourselves to everything these days? Why can’t we enjoy a holiday for what it is WHEN it is? Why are we in such a rush all the time?
I know I won’t celebrate Christmas this year, but at the same time, when was the last time I actually celebrated it? When was the last time I haven’t dreaded it? It is just so annoying. Why are people okay with celebrating Christmas like this? Why is it everywhere for too many months?
I blame Coca Cola.
Happy Christmas?
Wait, why hasn’t anyone told me Hallmark is doing a Christmas movie countdown?
Happy Christmas!
Christmas Satie, but it was kind of sad, kind of commentary
I hate Christmas.
Beyond the trauma from a dysfunctional family. I hate Christmas.
Ok, maybe hate is too strong of a word. Here:
I dislike Christmas.
Why?
Well, I hate capitalism.
And hate is not a strong enough word.
And today’s Christmas is a byproduct of capitalism. Consumerism at its finest.
Yeah, I am the type of person that appreciates meaningful or useful gifts, rather than something I don’t need. I would appreciate and enjoy a dinner with family or friends, but that can be done outside of Christmas as well. So, there is nothing special about Christmas anymore. (Unless you’re religious, I guess, but that defeats my entire point)
Let’s be real, Christmas hasn’t been about family and kindness for some time now. And let’s think a bit. Christmas as we know it is a marketing scheme. A good one.
Let’s think about Santa Claus, Father Christmas or Julenissen. It was years ago during a lecture about Radio of all things, when the professor told us about Santa Claus. The marketing part, not the existing part. It was something like this:
Long ago in the land that is now Turkey, there was a man going around and doing acts of kindness for children. Of course, it is none other than Saint Nicholas, or Nick Claus, a name we grew up hearing in Christmas movies. Important fact: he is usually portrayed wearing blue. Years later, when Coca Cola was working on their Christmas marketing campaign, they commissioned an artist to draw St Nicholas. But there was a problem with the colour blue. You’ve probably guessed it – Pepsi. So, they changed it to red to represent Coca Cola, fed him, gave him rosy cheeks and a smile, and the rest is history.
I don’t know if it is true, the professor telling the story was, in the most respectful way possible, a bit senile. But the thing is that Santa Claus and Christmas are all about marketing. Consumerism galore.
Sadly, like every good marketing campaign, it worked so well that Christmas has become oversaturated. Christmas is just another day of the year now, but people just buy than usually. So how can someone who hates consumerism like Christmas. There is also so much suffering in the world that it feels shallow, as if only the privileged can be merry at Christmas. The thing is … I need cognitive dissonance to enjoy Christmas. And it is just so sad … I need Christmas to resolve everything in the world. To make my heart grow or to make me become a nice person. Needless to say, I watch A Christmas Carol every 24th of December, 12 o’clock every year. And I watch Hallmark Christmas movies until I have a mental breakdown about how bad they are. Christmas has my favourite stories, my favourite memories from childhood.
Maybe I don’t hate Christmas.
Maybe I just hate the fact that I can’t enjoy it anymore.
But wait, this is kinda sad … Let’s change the ending a bit.
Why does Christmas start in November? Last year on Halloween, I was still in my costume, went to the shop at night and they had Christmas decorations, preparing the store for the next morning. This year, first week of November, someone had an entire tree set up with lights and decorations. Why are we desensitising ourselves to everything these days? Why can’t we enjoy a holiday for what it is WHEN it is? Why are we in such a rush all the time?
I know I won’t celebrate Christmas this year, but at the same time, when was the last time I actually celebrated it? When was the last time I haven’t dreaded it? It is just so annoying. Why are people okay with celebrating Christmas like this? Why is it everywhere for too many months?
I blame Coca Cola.
Happy Christmas?
Wait, why hasn’t anyone told me Hallmark is doing a Christmas movie countdown?
Happy Christmas!
