by Stephanie Law
I saw the C word twice in the weekend.
Actually, to be fair, I saw it once in the post shop and heard it once on a radio advertisement.
Yes, we’ve finally progressed far enough into the year to see and hear the word Christmas. Seriously? A letter doesn’t take four months to send, even if it is by snail mail.
Now cue the domino effect where all businesses start bombarding us with Christmas fliers, brochures and sales. Cue the annoying music. Cue the patronising slogans. “Don’t let the Christmas onslaught bog you down this year!”
But what Christmas onslaught is this? I thought Christmas was a Christian Feast. In this increasingly secular society we live in, how many people actually care about Jesus’ birthday? What about the numerous Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and Atheists out there? Why must they be caught up in all the Christmas hype?
The answer to all these questions lies perhaps in the new religion even the deeply atheist have become indoctrinated into. Commercialisation. It’s global, doesn’t bear the ominous threat of eternal damnation and gives the word “collection” a whole new meaning.
Inevitably, every year, one week before Christmas, everyone runs out to the shops to buy those cliché gifts for everyone they know. Cosmetics for mum, car accessory for dad, Twilight for the too–cool-for-school teen, Miley Cyrus for the tweenager, and the left over gift from last year as a peace offering for that annoying neighbour. Not to mention the book for the geeky friend everyone has, the candle for the sophisticated friend, the sport game tickets for the sporty one and a gift voucher for the brat who has it all.
We’ve become so accomplished at buying generic gifts for people that they’ve even created a “Feast of the Refund” of Christmas Gifts-Boxing Day. Straight after you open this year’s haul, you can return and exchange at will for something you actually want. Just take a look at Whitcoulls’ gift exchange certificates. You’re not even expected to like what you get!
Speaking of Boxing Day, why is it that the overpriced goods being sold on the 24th of December suddenly go on sale for half-price two days later? Call me a conspiracy theorist, but maybe it’s because shops actually know that after Christmas, no one really wants that ornate, made in China egg opener anymore. And what is an egg opener anyway? I just crack my eggs open by hitting them on the side of the bowl. It’s not that hard.
In these economically challenging times, with the government digging into your wallet for 2.5% more every time you hit the checkout, a dollar saved is a dollar gained. Buy less, or if you must indulge, buy on Boxing Day. That’s certainly what I do. What better way to feel great about yourself than knowing that you’ve bought something at half the price than that loser was charged for last week.
Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not the Grinch. I like Christmas and Christmas gift giving is a tradition like most other traditions; it’s survived this long for a reason. Waking up on Christmas morning to nicely wrapped presents is a nice way of knowing that even in this desensitised rat race we live in, somebody still cares. However, it does seem logical to keep the caring to a few special someones.
After all, if we bought something for every Facebook friend we have out there, we’d all be pretty broke.