The minute I see stores, especially malls, pushing Christmas before halloween and thanksgiving, it makes my heart sink. It just takes away from the real spirit of the holiday. It becomes all about the gift and "what will I get"  Every year I make sure my family and I make a difference in some way, big or small, by giving back, donating our time to help at a shelter, buying food staples and giving it to the Greater Boston Food Bank, there are so many ways to help. As far as I'm concerned, yes Christmas has become too commercialized. It's not about the getting, it should be about the giving, in the real spirit of the holiday.

I agree with you 100%. I miss the tradition, spending time with family. We always put our tree up the day after Thanksgiving, coming down New Years day! There was a true meaning. Now parents park their butt outside  a store,waiting for a game system the costs a ton of money. No thankyou. Won't find me there. Just seems like the true meaning is gone. And that is very sad. It's is about giving, not recieving.

Definitely.

Several shopping malls in the area have decided that they won't display manger scenes at Christmas because that it too "religious," yet they sure want the Christmas dollars! They don't want to offend the secular people that celebrate Christmas too.

Jesus is the reason for the season.

As the meaning of Christmas has shifted and diluted by society commercialism has increased. Christmas anything is now Winter or Holiday and the holiday seems to be one big season that expands from Thanksgiving to New Year's.

Instead of mangers and creches on lawns we see the Grinch or Tigger with a Santa hat and do you know how hard it is to find a Christmas card that actually says "Merry Christmas"?

The one thing I always loved about Christmas was the difference in people. Strangers freely said, "Merry Christmas" and there seemed to be a brighter, lighter spirit with more smiles. Strangers were kinder, more considerate of others. Now you may hear  "Happy Holidays" or nothing at all. Smiles are fewer and the joy is all but gone.

I realize that not everyone believes in Christ but Christmas is to celebrate his birth. It seems to have been hijacked.

Meri said…

I realize that not everyone believes in Christ but Christmas is to celebrate his birth. It seems to have been hijacked.

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Exactly. We used to be happy that Christ was born and gave his life for us and we gave gifts as a response.

Now we give gifts because we're suppose to.

Merchants don't care as long as we buy gifts!

Let's start a trend of making gifts instead.

As long as I get to watch Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve I'm okay with the rest of it. It is a children's holiday and has been as long as I 've been around.

Makes me sad when I see lines of underpriviledged parents with their children in tow waiting to get free toys from charities. Those kids miss out on the excitement of seeing what Santa has left under the tree. No mystery at all.

It's definitely a time of year to be thankful and reflective. Were the past 12 months really that bad, afterall?

I do wish it wasn't so commercial but I also understand it as an essential season for retailers. The trick is to not forget why it exists and to be thankful inside.

I agree, Meri.  Christmas is nothing but a commercial holiday now -- it has been hijacked and the sad thing about it is that I doubt what we knew and experienced as a kid at Christmas will ever be back again on a broad basis. 

We make it into the Christmas we want - my shopping is pretty much done. Now we can avoid the stores and the mess! I do agree that greed has turned Christmas into a self-centered mess.

Our traditions start on St. Nicholas Day when we put up our tree, make some potica (Eastern European Walnut bread) and share it with our neighbors. The night our kids put their shoes outside of their doors before going to sleep - when they wake up, they get four chocolate coins and a Christmas ornament to put on the tree. They get to keep only  one of the coins though, the rest go to whomever they want. Last year my son all of his to the Salvation Army ringer because he wanted to "help the other children."

Honestly for us, it's about the nativity and talking about gifts with our kids. And, of course, keeping alive the traditions we knew growing up - making peppernuts together (we have a cookie party with friends and family), spending hours making verenika and traditional Mennonite food, singing hymns together (yes, we're corny like that), etc.

My kids are still pretty young - only 2 and 4 - but they need to know that it isn't about Santa and receiving gifts. That's why we start the season with St. Nicholas day and giving away the Potica (it takes like 6-7 hours to make) to kick start the season.

This is such a beautiful post.  "We make it into the Christmas we want."

The commercializtion of Christmas (and every other religious/traditional holiday) is hardly new.  But that shouldn't interfere with how we choose to celebrate our holiday.

The stores make it to commercialized however it all depends on how you present it to your family.  I have always believed in Santa Claus, the spirit of Christmas, and raised my boys that way.  My middle son one year stated that he did not believe and I said that was fine but his brothers and I still did.  He did not get a present from Santa Claus that year.  Ever since then he has believed.  

I don't think that buying kids everything they want is right.  We try to stress homemade gifts because they come from the heart.

Take back Christmas.  You get to make it into what you want.  There are many traditions associated with the holiday.  I use many of them.  I believe it is also a sacred celebration but it is acceptable to celebrate it as a day of giving.  Part of giving is also receiving the gifts of others...    Of course it has gotten commercial, and you can buy into it completely and be part of why it's commercial or you can celebrate it as YOU want.  Give to those you love.  Give something that matters.. a piece of yourself, love, a meaningful gift, some time, some food, something you created, something you made.

YOU get to create the holiday you want.  No one says you must follow the holidays of others.  So .. don't.

Merry Christmas.

As Santa in the Polar Express says, "Just remember, the true spirit of Christmas lies in your heart."

Great Post, Angi.

I love love love the Christmas season.  Sure, I get pissed when I see stores with Christmas decorations out before Halloween, but I don't let it get me down.  I enjoy Halloween and autumn, and usually start putting up the Christmas decorations the week of Thanksgiving... sometimes before and sometimes after the holiday. 

No one in the family has small children (or any children as I am considered one of the "kids" at 32), so we just get everyone thoughtful gifts based on what we know they like.  Could be $10, could be $100.  It depends and who the heck cares how much it cost anyway? As fun as it is to open my own presents, I get more pleasure from watching others open up what we selected for them. 

We also have a holiday tradition of making homemade ravioli for Christmas dinner each year.  The grandparents used to do the work while the "kids" played.  These days the "kids" do the work while the grandparents yell at us and tell us that we are doing it all wrong.  (hey, it's an Italian family!) My Pop-Pop just recently passed and the whole process certainly will be different without him around.  We still have 2 grandmothers and a 93 year old great-aunt, though, so we will certainly enjoy and appreciate every moment with them this holiday season.

I try to keep it alive in our household. The meaning is more than gifts, it's giving from the heart. It is Christ's Birthday, I like the line you took from the movie Polar Express Meri, because it does live in our hearts. It really is about the spirit, the Merry Christmas's, there was just the feeling that you felt all around you during the season. Now when I walk into a store already (started last week) Christmas stuff out, it just felt like this is too much. Where has the true meaning gone? In the home, we can instill the traditions, play the christmas music as we decorate the tree, keep that going. And it truly is sad when a child doesn't have anything to open on Christmas, or even a new warm coat to wear, or a decent meal to eat. Making and giving is a wonderful feeling. Makes your heart feel warm and fuzzy.

My husband and I do not exchange gifts, if there is something we need, socks, etc., we pick it up during the year. The kids don't ask for much or anything at all, although they are grown. Even when they were little they didn't. I think what my neighbor said to one of her children a few years back, when questioned about Santa. She said the day you stop believing is the day he stops giving. They are in there 20's and still believe.

To me seeing all the stuff in the stores already makes me sad, it feels like it takes the true meaning away, the looking forward too of the special time with family. Like BayouBengal said, "hijacked, and the experience we knew as kids". Very well put.

Since early October some local stores have Halloween, autumn, Thanksgiving, and some trees, decorations, and yes Christmas/holiday cards on display & for sale.  We keep our traditions--and really do enjoy our family times, special foods, and simple, meaningful little gifts.

Nichicca, yes it will be different without your Pop-pop, whom you will think about with fond memories.  Although some years ago, my father died on Dec 23.  We reflect each holiday.

Great posts everyone.  I do get disappointed when I see Christmas decor in stores right now, but not because of the commercialization of it - instead I get sad because I feel like they are rush our year away.  Can't we enjoy Halloween and Thanksgiving first? 

I love Christmas time with friends and family and agree with all of you who said we can make Christmas special ourselves, regardless of what the stores do!  I make plans to see friends and family during the entire 2 weeks surrounding Christmas and it is great to spend time together.  My mom and I usually hit up a few decorated spots and houses each season and that's, again, another way of spending time together.

Overall I know it's not about the decorations, however the decorations DO put me into the holiday spirit!  However, I don't need to see them in October.

It's always been commercial but I do think we can make Christmas into what we want to and my family is trying hard to do that. It was once a big family affair and a lovely time. We all got together and it was about the kids, we went to church (my dad didn't, but my mom and all of the kids and their kids when they had them did). We had a beautiful home cooked meal and we all pitched in. It was about love.

Then Mom got sick and life revolved around her. She passed on and dad ended up in a nursing home and, no matter how hard we tried, we fell apart. It got nasty. It got all about gifts and who bought whom what and who spent the most. Then dad died and we skipped getting together completely.

This year, we are determined to keep mom's spirit alive. She was the spirit of Christmas to us and she would be sad that we all just toss things into a shopping cart and give them to each other whenever. So we're going to try to get together - sisters, brother, and their families - and be kind to one another. Focus on the kids. Listen to Christmas music. Enjoy each other. Enough with the high ticket gifts that no one even really wants and the bickering. This year, we have to take Christmas back as Chris above said.

I hope it works!

Let us know how it goes Patty, I am sure if you are all determined that you can make it work.  Are you planning to cut out gifts (except the kids of course)?

I know how hard it can be to see traditions change, especially when it is because of a loss in the family.  But I can tell you that we got through it and you will too.  It just takes time to create new traditions.  Good luck!

The things I love most about Christmas are mostly free. My favorite thing to all through the Christmas season is that every night I locate the "Star Of The East" that guided the Magi to Bethlehem. We drink eggnog - a real treat because that's the only time of the year we drink it. We take a drive to see all of our neighbor's Christmas decorations and then go to Midnight Mass. The only money spent is for the egg nog and the gas,

But every year Christmas gifts are put up for sale earlier and earlier - this year some were put up as early as July! Mailboxes are stuffed with catalogues - I feel sorry for every postman who works through the holidays. Kids - even my grandchildren - have their lists ready early and they lobby grandparents, uncles, aunts and parents to get everything on their list.

I don't really blame the kids but the commercialization really gets me down. I think it's exemplafied every time I see a sign that reads X-MAS. There used to be a Christ there but now He seems to be an afterthought at best.

gaelforce said…

 I think it's exemplafied every time I see a sign that reads X-MAS. There used to be a Christ there but now He seems to be an afterthought at best.

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I bought some decorations once, little picket fences with the greetings in red. They all said:

MERRY CRHISTMAS!

No one even knows how to Spell Christmas anymore!

Regarding "xmas", we need to stop thinking it is a bad term or that it means x-ing out Christ. 

From Wikipedia (and Snopes): The "X" in Xmas is from the Greek letter Chi, which is the first letter of Χριστός, Christ in Greek.

More: The word "Christ" and its compounds, including "Christmas", have been abbreviated in English for at least the past 1,000 years, long before the modern "Xmas" was commonly used. "Christ" was often written as "XP" or "Xt"

Basically it is just an abbreviation that started from years and years and years ago and society reads too much into it.  I use it xmas all the time, just b/c I like abbreviations.  I don't mean anything by it.  When I say "BDay" I'm not taking the "Birth" out of a Birthday, so think of it that way when people say xmas.

Not trying to step on anyone's toes, I just want to pass on the information because this has come up for years from people I know and I try to tell them it doesn't mean I'm xing out Christ.  He's still present in Christmas!

Now does this sound like tooo much? I came home from work tonight, 10:30pm and 2 houses in my neighborhood already have Christmas lights up & on? I could understand if they were Halloween, but defitintely Christmas. I love the Holiday season and spirit, this I'm sorry is way too much, too soon.

Since it seems like my extended family looks at giving Christmas gifts as a chore (we practically exchange gift cards in different denominations all the time, or even get lazier and send emailed gift codes), and me and the Mister don't do too much in the way of purchased gifts, I just decided to put the brakes on all the gift card nonsense.

We save our $ and give to The Heifer Project (heifer.org - I need to review it), so someone who really needs sustinance can have an animal that will benefit them and others for years. It has really restored the spirit of Christmas for us and we feel good inside instead of annoyed because we have to wait in long lines to activate gift cards and mail them out.

The spirit of Christmas did get ruined for me over the years because of the commercialization. But now it's back.

Thanks for the abbreviation info, vivasuzi. I always get in trouble for that too, so I appreciate someone else who is spiritual explaining it.

..."the true meaning and spirit"... of everything, is in perfect correlation to exactly what you choose to believe.

pitcherday, how does that work? Is that where it feeds or something like that for a family? Milk... (I hope your not talking about Hugh or wait that's Heifner....lol). J/K....

Let me know. And I also didn't know that had a spiritual meaning either, they say you learn something new everyday! ;~)

Thanks for explaining that to us. I did not know it had a spiritual meaning and has been around that long..

Daryln, that sounds like WAY too much!  Actually my priest once told us that really the tradition is supposed to be that you decorate on/right by Christmas and then leave your decor up to celebrate the birth of christ for like a month.  Our church turns from "regular" to "christmas" on Christmas Eve and not a day before.  Then the christmas decor is up for about a month.

PitcherDay your story makes me happy we got everyone on board to do no more presents for adults!  Glad you put the brakes on that one.  And your welcome for the explanation.  I use it all the time and my mom used to say it was bad too... good thing for wikipedia and the internet :)  Now I can use my abbreviations all I want.

I wonder if my department will adopt a family this year.  We have the past few years but things changed this year and we moved to a new department, there were layoffs, wow I can't believe that was all this year that this happened!  It's fun to buy for a family knowing that they will really appreciate it.

darlyn, it's where you buy an animal (or a share of one) for a family. Which kind of animal depends on where the people are. The recipients of the animal(s) agree to give one or more of its offspring to another person/family in need and in the meantime, use it's wool, honey, eggs, milk, and manure (for fertilizer) for themselves. Buying one animal (or a flock, or a hive) gets paid forward many times.

Yes, WAY to much. That's why I started this thread, seems like people have lost the true meaning. Everyone has there own way of celebrating the Holidays, there are many different religion's, I respect that. Just seems the meanings are gone for a lot of people. Growing up, you just felt it in the air, people's attitude seemed to be different, Christmas caroling. My sister's and I use to do that.

You hardly hear of those kinds of things, the enjoyment of lights, now you have to worry if your decorations will be there in the morning. Just sadden's me sometimes. Seemed like more came from the heart, caring. I know families in there own home still carrying on traditions, I certainly do, and will continue to do so. I hope future generations still do.