Shopping the Holidays Away

The Commercialization of the Holidays

Photo by VisitGent / CC BY-NC 2.0

‘Tis the season for shopping. Everyone knows the holidays are coming up when all the stores in town start decorating and stocking their shelves with all kinds of holiday themed merchandise. Especially for holidays like Christmas, these celebrations are an opportunity for businesses to capitalize off of. In the 1840s, marketers began to see Christmas as a good way to make money, and ever since then, many holidays have become more and more commercialized. Though many believe the holidays have become too commercialized, there are positive aspects to celebrating both the commercial parts of the holidays as well as the spiritual, religious or cultural aspects. The best part about celebrating is the ability to choose which part you want to highlight.

One positive aspect of the commercialization of the holidays is its accessibility. With the large number of companies that deck their stores out with holiday merchandise of all kinds, it makes the holidays more accessible to everyone, as the stores will often market and promote the traditions associated with them. Additionally, there is a great economic benefit. Whether it’s shopping for gifts or travelling to see family, there is a large market covered during these times, a partial reason behind why the holidays become so commercialized in the first place. 

Some may argue that excessive shopping during holidays detracts from the spiritual or religious meanings. Even though there are benefits to celebrating the commercial parts of the holidays, we cannot forget about forging bonds, maintaining traditions and celebrating the core values of a holiday. Many holidays, such as Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Diwali are religious and cultural holidays. It is important to respect these holidays, learn about them and not let them be overshadowed by consumerism. That said, though the commercialization has increased over the years, that doesn’t mean that other traditions have decreased.

When we celebrate holidays, whether it’s about the shopping or traditions, no matter which we choose, we can grow closer to our friends and family. People should celebrate holidays the way they want to and respect those who may do things differently. At the end of the day, holidays are about creating joy and traditions—and there is no one right way to do that. Everyone should do what makes them, their friends and family happy, because that’s what holidays are all about.