By Dave Jones: Columnist
Christmas comes but once a year, and when it does it’s full of cheer… right? That’s how it’s supposed to be at least, but the meaning of Christmas seems to have changed significantly over the years. The question is, what does the festive season mean to us now, and has it changed for the better?
We all know that Christmas is tied to the Christian religion – it’s in the name, after all – but its roots go much deeper than that. People have been celebrating the occasion for different reasons across many cultures, from the pagan celts and romans to the druids and nordic folk.
Most of these celebrants were farmers and those who worked the land, so why would they rejoice in winter? Well, it’s because that’s when harvest ended for the year and they had ample opportunity to spend time with their loved ones instead of tending to crops.
The roman Saturnalia especially had a close resemblance to the Christmas we’re more familiar with.
In the same way the modern festivities have a run-up to the main event, Saturnalia lasted for a week and represented much the same ideals the Christmas stereotypically does. It was a time for good food, good company and giving gifts to those closest to you.
There are still elements of that today, of course, and some people still try to keep the meaning of Christmas in their hearts but there are a fair number of cynics who claim that it’s become too commercial. And there’s some reasoning behind their logic when you look at how it’s developed over recent decades.
Take the classical image of Santa Claus, for example, who we all know as a jolly figure clad in red and white. Actually, this is largely the result of the Coca-Cola company, who developed his look to sell carbonated drinks. True, even before that Father Christmas’ image was fluid depending on popular illustrations of the time, but Coca-Cola’s creation seems to be here to stay for the foreseeable future.
So commercialism undoubtedly has some effect on the festivities. After all, £602 was the average amount people planned to spend on Xmas gifts in 2023. That’s a lot of shopping to do, and it’s the largest sum in the past five years! However, there’s more to the topic than consumers simply falling for convincing advertisements. There’s some interesting psychology behind it all.
When we recall Christmas past, we usually find that the simplest things – not the great occasions – give off the greatest glow of happiness – Bob Hope
First of all, there’s the expectations that go with both giving and receiving presents. This is only natural – what if you give a loved one a gift that’s a worse quality or costs less than the one you receive? Or how would you feel if you bought less presents than you’re given? There’s a lot of social pressure behind the process.
That’s not all, though. Stress is rife at Christmas and comes from many places. Unlike in times of old when the year’s end represented a time for celebration, there’s arguably more pressure to end the year with a proverbial bang. And when you add in the stress of Xmas shopping, preparing meals, arranging social functions, kids at home for the holidays and a multitude of other little changes, things can get crazy.
And the result of this rising pressure? Spending! It’s no secret that people tend to spend more when they’re feeling tense, and the Christmas period is no exception. The science behind this is that spending money releases dopamine, which reduces stress and makes you feel happy. Thus, you spend more and more, and if there’s any period that gives us a good excuse to go wild with our wallets and purses, it’s the festive one. They’re rather negative reasons, but they’re not the only ones. In fact, seeing the year off with aplomb can also be a good thing!
When we’re children, we embrace the festivities and the magic behind the season but that tends to wear off to some degree as we become adults.
As a result, the chance to act like kids again is a welcome relief, and Christmas is the perfect time. Between the exciting snacks and meals, visits with friends and family, beautiful decorations and the idea of presents to unwrap, we allow ourselves to lose our inhibitions… if only for a little while. We’re also “allowed” to dedicate time to our social calendars, which often get buried beneath work and everyday responsibilities.
As for Christmas presents, they also go way beyond mere social pressure. For some, buying gifts is another way of showing love. Where some people might not be too comfortable showing their emotions in other ways, giving gifts is a great compromise – they say actions speak louder than words, after all!
So what does Christmas mean in the modern day era? It could be an excuse to forget. A busy year and troubling world news followed by a chance to relax. Who could resist getting caught up in the hustle and bustle to celebrate those worries away. If that’s the case, it would explain why people indulge so much during the festive period.
That’s one way of looking at it. Another way to see it might be that we celebrate Christmas not to forget, but to remember. It’s a chance to look back at everything that has gone on in the year and either celebrate the good times we’ve had or welcome in the new ones to come, which will perhaps bring better days to us.
And to do so among the company of those we love? Could we hope for anything more?
