I'm always amazed at the amount of money we spend on christmas shopping every year. It's nothing new and if people do have money to spend I suppose nothing is better than to spend it on gifts for the people closest to you. Christmas only comes around once a year, and all else aside, it is a nice opportunity to show your appreciation of your loved ones.
What gets worse though is how it has become more and more of an industry. We're used to seeing more commercials on TV for products that would make wonderful presents for your friends and family and the mailbox fills up with flyers and magazines advertising the perfect present for whoever it may be. This starts in the early days of November even. It is a business and for certain stores it is their most important time of year. I haven't started my limited christmas shopping yet, but I have noticed how the stores and advertisments have gotten more ruthless and whatever tiny bit of shame there ever was in the business, it is certainly gone by now.
The other day I was in a shopping mall, and outside a toy store there is a Santa with an alarmingly fake beard and highly visible pillows under his worn out red jacket. He is shaking the hands of the passing children and their parents and working hard to fool at least the youngest with an occasional attempt at a jolly ho-ho-ho. He's asking what the little kid wants for christmas and gets an uninteresting reciting of his wish list in return. Interupting the slightly overeager youngster he puts his hand on a tower of boxes containing some kind of toy crane building sets. "Wouldn't you love to open up one of these on christmas eve?". The kid lights up and immediately turns to his mother with wanting eyes and a, I imagine, much rehearsed smile. "Please mommy, can I get it?". Santa the Sales rep. discreetly leans forward and says to the mother; "It's on sale. Only 399." The parent is both surprised and slightly upset by this approach from Santa and starts to walk away. "We'll see, sweetheart." Needless to say, not a good enough answer for the kid who starts screaming and crying as his mother gently pulls him away from the store. Santa Claus scrathes his beard in dismay and starts canvassing the mall for his next mark.
Imagine the lovely car ride home the mother has with her child yelling and kicking at her from the back seat. What kind of a mother wouldn't let her son have a present from Santa Claus himself?
On my way out I passed a decorated christmas tree with a price tag on it. It does not get more symbolic than that.
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