Is Christmas More or Less Commercialized in Other Nations?

[The Cleaner]

We were watching PBS last night and watched the Rick Steve's Christmas Special. It was wonderful seeing all the Christmas traditions played out in countries like Norway, Germany, Italy, etc.

It seemed to me that these European countries celebrate a far less commercialized Christmas although still secular for the most part. In my estimation, their wonderful traditions trumped all the crazy commercialism we see here in the U.S. - people stampeding like cattle through the sliding glass doors of superstores, focus on money and sales, and materialism.

What do you think? Is Christmas less commercialized in other nations or are they too being stung by the same greed and materialism we see here in the United States?

[seabeyond]

1. understand please.... regardless of how corps treat christmas,

that does not mean the people experiencing or celebrating christmas as commercialized. i dont care what a corporation does to make money at this time of the year. the experience my family has, in our home at this time of the year has NOTHING to do with a corporation. it is becoming an irritant on this board continually being told that we who celebrate, embrace, love this time are merely commercialized. it is an arrogant and wrong statement. it is out to make my experience less. not something this board can do, nor the repugs false war on christmas attack. it is our families to experience and shame on people that chose to look at all of us in such darkness.... taking all that is offered at this time and rejecting it.

[marmar]

2. I just got back from London....

and it seems pretty commercialized in the U.K., but I get the overall impression that it's much less of a "big deal" over there. And in the U.K., and in Europe in general, it's far more secular, so I think the collective effect of that is that Christmas is much less of a big Hollywood-esque production over there, and more of a day off and a time to be with family.

[seabeyond]

4. because the people here in the u.s. arent capable of it being about the family?

what crock

[marmar]

7. Uh, that's not what I was trying to say....

Just that Christmas seems less of the obsessive commericial free-for-all in Europe than in the U.S., not that people here don't spend time with their families. Jee-zus.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

26. 23 years ago I was in London at Christmas time, and it seemed as commercial

there as it is here. On the day after Boxing Day, the stores were insane, with people grabbing things out of other's hands, not unlike any basement bargain sale here. And the worst place was Burberrys!

[displacedtexan]

3. From my Xmas European experience...

People spend more $ on traditional food, drink, flowers, & decorations
(including edible ones, like breads, sweets, etc.) than they do on Wal-Mart type crap.

The quality of toys and gifts is so much higher than here, and
simple purchases last a long time. There's also a German tradition I learned
about while living there: handcrafting gifts for each family member
and crafting one item for "the house": a key holder plaque, a container
for cooking utensils, etc.

Of course, I have no experience with the super-rich Europeans.

[seabeyond]

5. every year we make decorations. every year i make one for boys

with their school picture in it.

this year i had three teenage girls over and my kids and a single friend over, last friday night making ornaments and gingerbread houses. next week will be finishing up a batch of ornaments and sugar cookies to give to people.

we dont do that in the u.s.?

[displacedtexan]

30. Per my observation, no, "we" as a whole don't normally appear to do that.

I'm glad to read that your family values handcrafted gifts!

[KittyWampus]

10. I will concur. More emphasis on special food stuffs & decorations,

giving hand-crafted or handbaked items.

and in Germany/Norhtern Europe, there's a whole industry of handcrafted seasonal items.


Black Forest wooden pyramid, nutcrackers etc.

Swedish stars etc.

[exlrrp]

11. Some of its a matter of space

Think of all the crap an American family collects, how much of it lays around unused over time. This is a function of the larger amount of space available to them. Its a good rule that your posessions accumulate to the exent of the space you have for it.
Europeans live in much less space than Americans, generally speaking. Their houses are smaller, their cars are a good deal smaller. MAny of them don't have their own yards. They don't have room to accumulate as much crap as Americans, old BigWheels, foosball tables, etc. Go look at the amount of crap you have in your garage--most Europeans don't have garages.
There's still a commercialization of Christmas and other holidays as well, like Halloween, in Europs and other places but not to the extent there is in America--they don't have time or space for it.

[Nimrod2005]

6. Much less commercialized everywhere else in the world ---- We are pigs about it

to be honest with you...

[Solly Mack]

8. The malls are packed in Germany at this time

People are shopping. There are commercials for Christmas gift ideas on TV. Toys - R - Us is having Christmas sales.

If that's what you're wondering about

From England, the TV is in full swing with ads for Christmas shopping ideas.(I'm in Germany - I get TV stations out of England)

Still, it's really not the same as it is in the US.(to me anyway)

It just has a different feel to it...In the US this time of year felt like work (to me)...but here in Germany, it feels like a holiday.

Even with the commercials, I don't feel bombarded and overwhelmed. Even in the malls, I don't feel hassled or jostled or manic.


Maybe it's just me though. :)

[savemefromdumbya]

9. In the UK it is

The department stores are packed with Xmas stuff at the end of September and you can't move in the stores prior to Xmas. It is very commercial in Britain. I think people treat Xmas more like Thanskgiving = turkey and all the relatives!

[KansDem]

12. I spent Christmas in Switzerland 23 years ago...

I remember being invited to a cabin-like shelter on the edge of a forest on Christmas Eve. It was decorated and had long wooden tables. Several people brought food and deserts, and we sat and visited while we ate. Then there were games, mainly for the kids. After that, we all went out into the forest where a "Christmas Tree" had been decorated with garland and candles. I remember it had snowed but it wasn't uncomfortably cold. We all stood around the tree holding candles and sang carols including "Still Nacht."

I don't recall much, if any commercialism.

[Tracer]

13. I happened to catch that show, and ...

... was quite surprised at the shots of the Champs Elysée in Paris that showed all the trees completely covered in lights.

I lived in Paris for a year some years ago --- and have no recollection of such a display.

So this says to me that, yes, the French commercial sector has jumped on the bandwagon of pumping up Christmas.

[seabeyond]

14. is it beautiful.... seeing all those lites on the trees.

i would think it would be. i know the lights on my hosue is simply beautiful. on all the neigbors houses too. i enjoy them so. they give me pleasure.

[Hamlette]

15. I spent a few Christmas seasons in Europe

Switzerland, France, Italy and Scotland. Spent last Chiristmas in Mexico. It seemed more low key to me. The Christmas decorations knocked my socks off, spectacular in an understated way. (In Switzerland simple small white lights hang in rows over the street like you are looking at stars. Each small town in France has its own emblem in the center of each street with a row of lights from each corner to the center.)

America is brash and garish so its to be expected our lights and decorations are too.

I agree that food was a more popular gift it seemed than things. The chocolates are all dressed up for Christmas in special, beautiful packages. There is this shop in Zurich. . .

The Scots are notoriously thrifty. The rich (says my mom who lived there) lend they new clothes to the help to wear for a while as the venerated style is the thread bare look. Gifts were very minimalist, especially amongst the rich!

Although the shops are full, it does seem to be more "in the spirit." But I wasn't shopping for "things" when I was there. I was visiting family so our shopping was done. We'd go out to see the decorations and buy food but not to buy X-boxes. We spent a wonderful Christmas in Zermat. It's ideal for a low key Christmas. There are no cars so it is absolutely silent at night.

Mexico was interesting. The big gift giving day is January 6. You wouldn't know unless you were out on January 5. They do all their shopping that night. It seemed to be just for the kids and fancy baked goods. The shoppers seemed to be having a blast, meeting all their friends (it was in a small town).

I owned a retail store and for all the harried shopping you might be doing, my customers were delightful at Christmas. Very happy, seemed to be enjoying being out and shopping. But then, I served wine. . . .

[seabeyond]

16. so they do the lites, food, decorations, gifts..... they are tasteful

we are brash and garish....


you people are a trip. happy holidays to all

i am going to barishly wrap some gifts for my boys in a garish sorta way...

[Hamlette]

17. this is not a personal attack on you or Christianity, Sea

although I wonder why Christians who stole the holiday from the pagans get so pissed off when we say "enough with the mindless spending and frenetic pace!"

I do not associate that with Christianity. I associate that with...well...mindless consumerism. That is my bitch with Christmas.

This whole "war on Christmas" thing from Fox et al is NOT about protecting Jesus and religion, its about protecting spending more money so businesses can have a black Friday!

Congradulations for buying into the hype. Unless of course you think the best way to honor Jesus is to spend money.

We do not want to take your religion away. We want to take the commercialism away. What's wrong with that?

[seabeyond]

18. where did i mention christianity? jesus? or christmas about buying stuff?

your whole post of attack on me does not address the single issues i raised on this thread. i have not talked about one of your points on all my posts. and you are telling me what????? about buying into hype. you made up a story to accuse me of buying into the hype.

one post i address threads likes these wont make my christmas less any more than the false war on christmas attacks from the right.

[seabeyond]

19. my point. EVERY person i personally know experiences christmas

differently than how people on this thread would like to project our christmas. what it means to us. how we feel. i do not know a single person that looks at christmas to buy buy buy and see how much they can buy. my family and friends feel a celebration of love and joy and laughter and family at this time of the year. that is the warm feelings we receive. of giving. all over the place. of the beauty of lites and decorations many handmade and story telling of those we love that are no longer around.

i cannot believe that i and all i know are the unusual. i cannot be so arrogant to assume i am the only one who walk christmas in love and family..... here in the u.s.

and if i am NOT... then this thread is full of it.

[laundry_queen]

20. I don't think anyone is saying

that every single person in the u.s. is buying into all the commercialism, or that every single person in the u.s. doesn't have their own traditions that don't involve buying. I think the point here is that the corporations in the u.s are much more pushy about commercializing Christmas, and to an extent, a large portion of the population of the u.s. buys into the commercialization. I wouldn't take it personally though. I have a ton of the 'garish' decorations other posters are talking about, but I understand what they are trying to say, I'm not insulted in the least. I also tend to go overboard buying stuff for my children and I'm still not bothered by the posts. With the rest of the family though we are pretty frugal and minimalist - so we do try to 'limit' the buying. I'm not sure why this is so personal for you? I'm certain most people do have traditions that don't involve buy buy buying, and that most people also enjoy the peaceful feeling of love and joy at this time of year - that doesn't mean they don't fall for some commercialization to some degree (lord knows I do). It's the degree that's different in other countries, imo.

[seabeyond]

21. dupe

[seabeyond]

22. why am i bothered? something that can be a real positive,

an opportunity to embrace beauty.... is actively being attack by both left and right, when the reality is most people are enjoying the love this time of the year with family, in tradition, as your post states, says..... yet we dismiss it, make it less, for what???

because not a single person can say what all the people in u.s. experience at this time of the year. it is a guess. it is an illusion. it is story telling

and because, .. instead of seeing the possibility of positive, the story they create for us to live is a negative. even though i can look 360 degrees around me and see love...

that isnt something i wish to honor. i prefer to honor the grand of who we are, especially this moment in time. i think we beat each other up enough. and when it isnt necessary. i think this is one of those times

[laundry_queen]

25. :) IC.

I agree, to an extent. My dh is always bah humbugging about Christmas because of the commercial aspect, but I told him it is what you make it. That goes for everyone else too, I suppose. :)
I do see what the OP is trying to say though. I know it doesn't apply to me, though.

[seabeyond]

27. thanks queen. you see what i am saying on a personal level

if it doesnt apply to you. it doesnt apply to me. it doesnt apply to inlaws (who i dont like so much but have to go this year) and doesnt apply to my extended family... and doesnt apply to the friends i know

i gotta ask

who the hell are we pointing the finger at?

ya know

maybe we can do better. maybe doing better is embracing the love. maybe that is all it takes. maybe that spirit will touch on someone else as we are out and about.

[seabeyond]

23. i dont take it personally. i am going to experience this my way

and not to many are going to have a say in it. i wont experience it thinking less of fellow man. this isnt about me.

this is about the people that chose to see us in the worst lite. and they dont have to. i dont

[Hamlette]

28. regardless of how you and everyone you know celebrates Christmas

do you not agree that it has been commercialized?

[seabeyond]

29. commercialized? do companies try to sell their product during

this time? yes. is my christmas, or my neighbors christmas, or relatives or friends christmas commercialized....? no

i like the decoration and lites in the malls and stores. i liked (past tense, we dont have it anymore) the city putting decorations on lamp posts when i was a child.

i create my christmas and do what i want to on christmas and no one interfers with that.

when i was in 20's, single and know it all i had the same attitude for more than a decade. i was a "downer" for my mom who loved christmas. she was into the family.... and i was bitchin about commercialism. i grew up. who cares? what i create for my children will be memories. they will be traditions. i know this because i brought down the traditions thru memories of what my mom created.

but i am not going into a store and sneering at the (inject whatever name) that buy presents for people they love. what i will do is have a huge smile and feeling of connections and joy to share with them. that is christmas spirit. so much of attitude on this board dissing all of us participating in christmas.... is the opposite of christmas spirit that i find amusing as a finger is pointed we have lost the christmas spirit

[Lydia Leftcoast]

24. In Japan, which has a Buddhist/Shinto heritage but is largely secular,

the commercial aspects of Christmas have been glommed onto the traditional December celebrations and customs. For example, there's a tradition of "Forget-the-year" parties (bounenkai) all through December, so the bars and fancy restaurants make a lot of their money then.

Another tradition is o-seibo, or year-end gifts for people who have done you favors during the year. Finally, somehow in the postwar period, Christmas Eve became the big night to go out drinking and the big date night of the year, sort of like New Year's Eve in the States. For those who don't go out drinking on Christmas Eve, there's the "Christmas cake," a decorated cake, sort of like a U.S. birthday cake, that is sold in bakeries. All through December, you see signs in bakery windows, "Order your Christmas cake by such-and-such a date." On Christmas Eve day, boxes and boxes of cakes are stacked outside bakeries, with an employee there to hand them out to customers who have pre-ordered.

However, New Year's Eve itself is considered family time. When I was a student in Japan, people felt sorry for me because I was going to be away from my family for New Year's, a holiday that I have always ignored. Christmas Day was just another workday, despite the Christmasy decorations that were up in the stores. However, as a student, I had time off because December 25 was included in the two-week New Year's vacation.

Traditionally, people do not exchange presents with friends or family, except that children receive money on New Year's Day. At some point, though, one is considered too old for New Year's money.

One of the most amazing tradition is New Year's cards. Cards --they're in the form of postcards--mailed by a certain date are bundled for each recipient and delivered in bulk on New Year's day. I had seen the signs in the post office telling people to mail their New Year's cards by a certain date, but I didn't think anything of it, because we have similar signs in our post offices, too. Imagine my surprise when I went out to the mailbox to pick up my newspaper and saw a bundle of New Year's cards, held together with a rubber band, lying on top of it.