Replying to The Commercialization of Christmas

Christmas is here once again, just as it came the last year.. Now as much as I hate to admit it im getting older. At this age, the whole Santa deal seems considerably more like an inside joke than an actual character. It is also the age where I have become more in tune and aware with things going on. With this new awreness however came a inconvenient discovery, subsequently wieghing down my "christmas spirit".

If you have time to kill, as I do, turn on a TV right now. Turn to any "primetime" channel, and wait for a commercial break. I can quarentee that the words 'Perfect Christmas Gift" will grace your ears. A few images of a middle-upper class caucasian family, shit eating grins plastered on thier faces as the wife removes the perfect top of whatever peice of shit kitchen appliance she recieved from her husband. Every fucking product is the perfect gift from late November until December 25.

Back in my day this was not the case. we didnt have the severity of the commercial industry sucking the spirit out of us like mosquitos. Kids these days dont know REAL Christmas spirit. Mind you, Who can say what it is. In my childhood chritmas spirit was represented by watching "bluetoes the christmas elf" with my family for christ sakes. These days you are hardpressed to find any child under 8 who isnt completly obsessed with material possesions, escpecially at this time of year.

Now if you were born pre 1990, you will probably know exactly what "christmas magic" I am talking about. Doesnt anyone remeber the days before santa was an elaborate joke, whos purpose now is to market product and just be another salesman. Since when does santas workshop make "my little ponies?" Take a quick gander at generally any 10 year old girls wish list. It literally consists SOLEY of brand names. 10 years ago, i would imagine that brand names reflected social status to a 16 year old, not some 9 year old who still hasnt outgrown her speech impediment. Im tempted to walk into a thrift store and buy the ugliest pair of sunglasses i can find, slap a "roxy" symbol on em' and had them to any superficial 9 year old followed by a "merry christmas". Im willing to bet that 5 out of 10 would wear them. Though not a direct reflection of Media marketing schemes, it does imply that such means of communication have raised yet another generation of a brand hungry society. What a common denominator, but at an alarmingly young age.

After all this, one might say that I am just dissapointed that my days of baby teeth and goosebumps books are long gone, and I am not afraid to admit that I am. I wished as hard as I could to grow up, unitl I finally realized I had. Where were the 4 stages laid out in seprate color coded quadrants from health class? This rant was simply my opinion on the modern day christmas. "Bratz Christmas" aired on YTV today. I nearly ripped my jaw from its hinges, and yanked over my scalp. This is what young, impressionable kids are watching. This is thier first memories of christmas. This IS thier idea of christmas. Tanya buying Nathan a trendy new vest from the new trendy store in the trendy new stripmall. Spreading holiday cheer is now regarded as "Uncool" unless accompanied by something purchased from lasenza girl or some surfshop. If the entire child population was a pie chart for what people would do if they won a million dollars, the kids who arent completly ass over teakettle for possesions for Christmas would be the "donate it to charity" slice. It seems as though the glorious media has yet again brainwashed another fresh batch, making it seem like the human race is growing much less genuine as the years go by. This is about as certain as the fact that I to will have the shit eating grin plastered on my face as I open some useless junk on christmas morning, and so will you.

Merry Christmas and best wishes,
Rory