On Monday, my fellow columnist Meredith Berger wrote an article in which she argued against the commercialization of certain holidays. Berger wrote that overcommercialization tends to dilute the religious significance of such holidays.
I agree in part with Berger when it comes to the danger of overcommercializing holidays. Trying to get people to shift their focus toward the consumption and purchasing of material goods during a holiday season can indeed detract from the actual holiday’s intended meaning. This is often the case with Thanksgiving and Christmas, two major upcoming holidays. The displays of selfishness and greed perpetrated by Black Friday shoppers stand at odds with a holiday that is supposed to emphasize the importance of gratitude and togetherness. A similar situation is often cited with Christmas, even though it is a holiday that has long included the exchange of gifts. As stores put up decorations and start pushing the next hot holiday items, the Christmas season is in full swing well before December even starts, and the congeniality and generosity that it promotes can feel weakened by the emphasis that stores and companies place on purchasing the right presents.
That being said, overcommercialization poses the biggest threat only to holidays that have deeply rooted sentimental and cultural associations. Some holidays are based instead on celebrating certain events. Such holidays — including Halloween and the Festival of San Fermin, both of which Berger mentioned in her article — are less tainted by commercialization because they do not seek to highlight messages that are opposed to indulgence and moderation. Using Halloween as an excuse to throw a party, then, does not seem to ruin the Halloween spirit, because that holiday fundamentally involves celebrations and revelry. Similarly, starting bull runs in the United States does not detract at all from San Fermin because those events do not detract from any message that Spaniards attribute to that holiday. Being chased by bulls is a standard feature of that holiday in Spain, and participation in that act is not meant to spread some higher ideal — it is simply a tradition associated with San Fermin. Beginning the same tradition in the U.S. is not disrespectful.
Overall, however, I take the most issue with the idea that losing a holiday’s religious sentimentality automatically detracts from the holiday itself. I would argue that, in cases where the holiday promotes messages beyond simply religious sentiments, ignoring a holiday’s religious base does little to diminish the good that the holiday may promote. Again, let’s look at Christmas, perhaps the most publicized holiday with strongly religious undertones in the West. From a religious perspective, Christmas is a celebration of Jesus’ birth. From a less religious standpoint, there is the tradition of Santa Claus delivering presents to good children and coal to naughty children. Then, disregarding all religion, there is the idea of the Christmas season. The overall goal of Christmas — to promote camaraderie and goodwill — can be spread no matter the parts of the holiday in which you believe. Regardless of how you dissect the holiday, you can derive the same basic tenets.
Most children outgrow their belief in Santa Claus. There are also people — this columnist included — who disregard Christmas’ religious basis. Personally, Christmas is my favorite holiday because I enjoy and believe in the positive messages that the Christmas season promotes. I enjoy the time that it lends to family and charity. And I think that the world could be a better place if the idea of community were promoted as much as it is during the holiday seasons designated by various religions. But, at no time do I think that those ideas are only valid because Christmas is derived from a biblical event. Religion may be historically intertwined with Christmas, yet Christmas does not need a religious aspect to have a valuable impact on people. I think that you could derive the same amount of benefit from Christmas by spending time with family and friends as you could by spending time in church. I am not trying to dissuade people from going to church on Christmas; rather, I suggest that going to church and not going to church can provide equally valid ways to connect with the holiday’s meaning.
Certain religious holidays have evolved to the point where religion is no longer necessary to derive benefit from them. And that is fine. Typically secular holidays promote beneficial messages all the time. Look at Thanksgiving, New Year’s, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, Independence Day and many more. In addition to Christmas, some traditionally religious holidays could operate in the same manner. Easter, Lent and Chanukah, amongst others, could function equally well in that regard. It simply is not true that losing a holiday’s religious aspect subtracts from its overall quality.
Alex Yahanda is a senior associate editor for The Cavalier Daily. His columns run Wednesdays.
Read More
EDITORIAL: Scapegoating students will not stop hazing
By Editorial Board | 21 hours agoInstead of retroactively responding to extreme hazing allegations, we, and especially the University, must begin asking more probing questions about the role of fraternal organizations on Grounds.
EDITORIAL: Celebrating and reflecting on The Cavalier Daily’s independence
By Editorial Board | April 18, 2024Our independence grants us the ability to ask the hard questions and to say what University representatives cannot.
ARRAS: U.Va. must revise the Sexual Assault Prevention Training module
By Aoife Arras | April 17, 2024In addition to its failures in interactivity, the module lacks details specific to the University and discusses key concepts in universal terms.
