A Capitalist Christmas

Posted by Eric Rios on Dec 7, 2010 in Telegram Past News

December is here, and that means it is time for the holidays. This means many different things, for many different people. Students are preparing for finals, and their 3 week long break. Others are shopping for Christmas presents, decorations, and trees. As soon as Christmas time nears, advertisements and shopping sprees ensue. But, what really is the true meaning of Christmas? Christmas, originally, was a holiday celebrated on December 25th, for the purpose of celebrating the birth of Jesus. Simply put, it was a celebration to commemorate a religious figure. Now, it has turned into a tradition of giving and receiving gifts and shopping. The monetary aspect seems to have taken over the entire holiday. As soon as December begins, there are endless advertisements on TV, using Christmas as a way to persuade consumers to purchase their products. Black Friday is a perfect example of how this holiday has been ruined by materialistic ways. People even pass up being with their family for thanksgiving just to save money on their holiday shopping. Since when does caring for someone mean that you have to spend money or give them gifts? In my opinion, corporations nowadays take advantage of Christmas to sell, and they take away from the true value of the holiday. Seriously, who is Santa Claus? Where does he come in on the story of the birth of Jesus? I have nothing against the guy, its just that he is being used as a way for corporations to sell their products.  Christmas should revert to its original form of simply being with loved ones and celebrating its true meaning.