I've always just assumed things have gotten more commercialized, maybe because it felt like Christmas was becoming more secular (but is that even true...). I will say, it feels like Christmas gift-giving has exposed the heightened consumerism of the rest of the year. When my mom was a kid, Christmas was the only time they get presents; those would be the toys or tools they played with or used (and shared) for the rest of the year. Fast-forward to our current extended family practice, and I'm just holding off on buying a narrow category of goods - things I want but don't need - for a mere two pre-Christmas months to give my Secret Santa something to buy. We're effectively giving up impulse purchases for Advent.
The October Christmas ad is cool to see. During the annual tradition of everyone talking about how early Christmas products are appearing in stores this year and how it gets earlier every year, I've always wondered if that's actually the case or if, after a whole year, we just forget how early it does all start. This example makes me feel more confident it's the latter!
This article fitted in with something I was thinking about just now. Stores and towns develop at junction points or portages or harbors where two rivers join or navigation ends. People have to pause and decide, and perhaps equip themselves for the next part of the journey.
Commerce also develops at corners in the timeline. Solstices require preparation for the next season. Weddings and births are portages into a new mode of life.
I've always just assumed things have gotten more commercialized, maybe because it felt like Christmas was becoming more secular (but is that even true...). I will say, it feels like Christmas gift-giving has exposed the heightened consumerism of the rest of the year. When my mom was a kid, Christmas was the only time they get presents; those would be the toys or tools they played with or used (and shared) for the rest of the year. Fast-forward to our current extended family practice, and I'm just holding off on buying a narrow category of goods - things I want but don't need - for a mere two pre-Christmas months to give my Secret Santa something to buy. We're effectively giving up impulse purchases for Advent.
The October Christmas ad is cool to see. During the annual tradition of everyone talking about how early Christmas products are appearing in stores this year and how it gets earlier every year, I've always wondered if that's actually the case or if, after a whole year, we just forget how early it does all start. This example makes me feel more confident it's the latter!
This article fitted in with something I was thinking about just now. Stores and towns develop at junction points or portages or harbors where two rivers join or navigation ends. People have to pause and decide, and perhaps equip themselves for the next part of the journey.
Commerce also develops at corners in the timeline. Solstices require preparation for the next season. Weddings and births are portages into a new mode of life.