Almost half of Americans say that Christmas is their favorite holiday. No other holiday can even hold a candle to the cultural, and material significance of Christmastime. But when did Christmas songs, movies, events and merchandise become so integral to the holiday season? When did Christmas become commercial?
Our modern Christmas is an amalgamation of traditions that Americans borrowed from around the world, popular culture, and massive marketing. The Roman holiday called Saturnalia, a celebration of the winter solstice, became popular all across Europe, including Britain. Over time, the holiday adopted a framework around Christian beliefs. 200 years ago, the American Christmas wasn’t such a lollapalooza. December 25, the feast day of St. Nicholas, came in the coldest, and most desolate winter months. A humble, candlelit meal was a staple of the holiday, traditional carols were sung, and presents, typically food, were exchanged among family and friends.
So, how did we come from small-scale candlelit dinners, to the extravagance we expect from Christmas today? In the mid-to-late 19th century, merchants realized that the holiday season was a prime time for marketing and sales. Depictions of Santa Claus, a figurehead for the spirit of generosity, were plastered all over department stores in the New York, and Boston areas. In 1862, the first mall Santa was seen in a Macy’s. The first secular Christmas songs, such as Up on the Housetop and Jolly Old St. Nicholas, were composed to be played in front of storefronts to attract more customers. And, the iconic Macy’s Thanksgiving parade debuted in 1924, signaling the start of Christmastime and becoming a staple of the American holidays forever.
In 2022, Americans spent a total $950 billion dollars on Christmas presents, decorations, and other festive goods. That number continues to climb every holiday season. However, Christmas’s commerciality is not without its critics. A lot of people, mainly practicing Christians, find that the holiday has become such a spectacle, that it has lost sight of its original purpose, as a religious celebration. Still, others argue that Christmas would not be nearly as widely popular if not for the aspects of marketing, and product placement.
It’s hard to imagine a Christmas without All I Want for Christmas is You playing over the speakers in our favorite stores, Hallmark movies to watch, or without our favorite festive Starbucks drinks. However, now is the time for us to examine what Christmas should really mean to us, and how we should best express the spirit of the season.
