The True Meaning of Christmas Has Survived Its Commercial Exploitation.
The True Meaning of Christmas Has Survived its Commercial Exploitation. The Christmas holiday throughout the 20th Century and presently until today, has been an integral part of the U.S. economy. Commercial exploitation of Christmas has been systematic and thorough (Barnett, 84). This means that corporations and retailers spend millions of dollars each year to promote their products during the holiday season in a variety of different ways. For example, Christmas commercials for various department stores being aired during primetime television shows when they know most people are home watching television.
Just as Christmas itself was not officially recognized and sanctioned in the United States until the mid to late nineteenth century, Christmas gift-giving did not become common until the same period (Miller, 90). Between 1820 and 1870 advertising in Philadelphia and New York newspapers for Christmas gifts was uncommon, with New Year 's gifts or holiday gifts ' being more commonly mentioned (Miller, 91). Yet by about 1870 Christmas gifts started to be promoted more heavily. American businesses display their toys, clothes, specials, jewelry, etc. through a variety of repetitive television commercials, newspaper ads, circulars, and magazine advertisements in an attempt to bring in the most customers. The Christmas "shopping season" starts the day after Thanksgiving and lasts right up to New Years Day, with the day after Christmas specials. Each year it seems that department stores start to display their holiday features earlier and earlier, as they attempt to remind shoppers that the upcoming holiday season is approaching. The promotion of Christmas in advertising aims to attract attention and the public 's desire for goods by associating them with well known holiday symbols (Miller, 93). The most common symbols used are Santa Claus with his sleigh and reindeer, the lit up Christmas tree, carolers singing songs, candles, bells, mistletoes, and
Just as Christmas itself was not officially recognized and sanctioned in the United States until the mid to late nineteenth century, Christmas gift-giving did not become common until the same period (Miller, 90). Between 1820 and 1870 advertising in Philadelphia and New York newspapers for Christmas gifts was uncommon, with New Year 's gifts or holiday gifts ' being more commonly mentioned (Miller, 91). Yet by about 1870 Christmas gifts started to be promoted more heavily. American businesses display their toys, clothes, specials, jewelry, etc. through a variety of repetitive television commercials, newspaper ads, circulars, and magazine advertisements in an attempt to bring in the most customers. The Christmas "shopping season" starts the day after Thanksgiving and lasts right up to New Years Day, with the day after Christmas specials. Each year it seems that department stores start to display their holiday features earlier and earlier, as they attempt to remind shoppers that the upcoming holiday season is approaching. The promotion of Christmas in advertising aims to attract attention and the public 's desire for goods by associating them with well known holiday symbols (Miller, 93). The most common symbols used are Santa Claus with his sleigh and reindeer, the lit up Christmas tree, carolers singing songs, candles, bells, mistletoes, and
Bibliography: 1) Barnett, James (1956). The American Christmas: A Study of National Culture, New York: Macmillan. 2) Miller, Daniel (1993). Unwrapping Christmas, New York: Oxford University Press. 3) Weber, Bruce (1995, December 15). "When the Magic of Oz Materializes in Midtown", The New York Times section travel, p. 1. 4) Belk, Russell (1987). "A Child 's Christmas in America: Santa Claus as Deity, Consumption as Religion", Journal of American Culture, 10/1: 87-100. 5) Hutter, Mark (1987). "The Downtown Department Store as a Social Force", Social Science Journal, 24/3: 239-46.