The Background:
A declaration: November 1st of every year shall henceforth be known as Christmas Day - this rant is long overdue, my apologies in advance.
Walking into the local Rite-Aid, down the street from campus, the Monday after Halloween I noticed several more employees than usual. These folks weren't facilitating customers quickly through the check-out line nor creating a bigger presence in the store for anyone who might have a question. Nope, these employees were unloading the "Holiday Truck!" Yep, that's right, the Monday morning following Halloween, Rite-Aid was already unloading the shelves of candy, jack-0-lanterns and disgustingly plastic costumes and were proceeding to fill them with candy canes, garland, pine/cinnamon scented candles, stuffed snowmen and reindeer alike. Furthermore, they were so keen on getting rid of the Halloween stock that upon check-out they were placing candy in each customers bag. Absolutely ridiculous - or so I thought at the time.
I somehow doubt that I'm the only one who has noticed this phenomenon. Chrismahanukwanzakah comes earlier and with less actual meaning every year. It seems that we have managed to remove Christ from Christmas, the re-dedication of Jerusalem from Hanukkah and that cute little dashiki adorned bear from Kwanzaa.
How We Got There - Christmas in April:
I saw a series of commercials that summed it all up for me. Target's (or Tar-zshay's, for you French folk out there) quintessential holiday shopper mom-aunt-sister-next door neighbor-lady who is better than you in everything that is the holidays. It's presumed that this woman has no "job." If she happens to be a stay at home mom she's likely the most ridiculously over-organized, over-routinized, to the books mom there is. She takes the phrase "Christmas in April" to heart and literally has her holiday shopping done before the summer heat truly sets in. During the holi-daze that the rest of us experience she is the the lady that is baking cookies, organizing Christmas caroling (didn't you know she sings soprano in the local church choir?) and concocting the eggnog that causes A Christmas Story-like Christmas morning hangover, making unwrapping present more of a chore than a joy. She is the lady that has her holiday decorations up the day after Thanksgiving and no later. Her gingerbread house looks like a display model at an architectural firm. She hosts THE holiday party and when you attend, her home looks like something out of a Martha Stewart magazine. She is the holiday equivalent of "The Most Interesting Man in the World" - Queen Smash of Holiday Mountain. <---- This is what is wrong with the holidays.
Chrismahanukwanzakah, like St. Valentine's day, has turned into a Hallmark holiday - taken over by the evil corporations. The same way we feel obliged to tell that special someone we love them with roses and a card on Valentine's day we feel obliged to go into debt ensuring that we have fulfilled our holiday duties during the Chrismahanukwanzakah holiday season. Yeah, I get it, I'm a business major - it's all about the corporate bottom line. "Black Friday" is called "Black Friday" because it's the one day of the year many retail companies get into the black (as opposed to the red) on the profit tip. The sooner we get the people to shop, the more they'll spend AND the sooner we'll be able to tell our stockholders that, once again, our company has survived the fourth quarter holiday season. With all the obligatory holiday madness that goes on it's often difficult to slow your stroll long enough to realize what the season is meant to be about.
Tony Robbins "Remember the Reason" Rant:
It's not about quantity, it's about quality. The concept of the "Chinese auction" style of gift-giving is fine for the workplace but this may by the the most impersonal detriment to the holiday season there is when it comes to friends and family. Gift cards, though practical, are a close second. This says, "I'm too lazy/don't care enough to pick something out that you'd actually like so I am going to give you money . . . but it's only legal tender at one retailer - hopefully you can find something there you want/need." Not far behind the two is the expensive yet thoughtless gift. "This is really expensive so I know you meant well, but why the eff did you give it to me?"
We're all guilty of it - overspending on "gifts" only to have buyers holiday remorse during January and February. How about instead of dropping ridiculous coin on obligatory presents this holiday season you try spending something a little more valuable than money (time) on the people close to you. Give a gift that's not necessarily the most expensive but one that you took the time and effort to hand pick for the recipient. Spending time with that person may be even more valuable. Perhaps, instead of writing "To: Person's Name / From: Your Name" on the tag of the gift you attach a card to it with a small letter inside letting said family member/close friend know some of the intangible gifts they have given you over the years. Just a thought.
Hurry up so we can relax. As American's we don't typically have too much time off from work. I don't know this for sure but I'd be willing to bet that a strong majority of us spend a good deal of that PTO with family over the holidays. We're taking this "vacation" time to relax and packing it with undue stress. With families being split up with marriage and divorce the holidays can be a stressful time trying to cram a few Christmas's into a day.
I recently witnessed an intense conversation between the women of my family. They were trying to work out where and when we were all going to get together for Thanksgiving. When the time came it seemed to be a rush in, eat (in 15 minutes a meal it took a day and a half to prepare), have "good" conversation and rush out.
The stress of the holidays is self-induced and unnecessary. Make an effort this holiday to try not to conform to what everyone makes the holiday out to be. Appreciate it for what it is: a time to celebrate thanks, friends and family, and any religious affiliation you may have with the particular day. The illustrious Paul Simon once said, "Slow down, ya move too fast. Ya got to let the moment last." These are words we all need to remember throughout the year but even more so during the holidays.
Happy Chrismahanukwanzakah.
Remember kids: Be well, do good work and always know your dealer.
Cheers,
Miles.
A declaration: November 1st of every year shall henceforth be known as Christmas Day - this rant is long overdue, my apologies in advance.
Walking into the local Rite-Aid, down the street from campus, the Monday after Halloween I noticed several more employees than usual. These folks weren't facilitating customers quickly through the check-out line nor creating a bigger presence in the store for anyone who might have a question. Nope, these employees were unloading the "Holiday Truck!" Yep, that's right, the Monday morning following Halloween, Rite-Aid was already unloading the shelves of candy, jack-0-lanterns and disgustingly plastic costumes and were proceeding to fill them with candy canes, garland, pine/cinnamon scented candles, stuffed snowmen and reindeer alike. Furthermore, they were so keen on getting rid of the Halloween stock that upon check-out they were placing candy in each customers bag. Absolutely ridiculous - or so I thought at the time.
I somehow doubt that I'm the only one who has noticed this phenomenon. Chrismahanukwanzakah comes earlier and with less actual meaning every year. It seems that we have managed to remove Christ from Christmas, the re-dedication of Jerusalem from Hanukkah and that cute little dashiki adorned bear from Kwanzaa.
How We Got There - Christmas in April:
I saw a series of commercials that summed it all up for me. Target's (or Tar-zshay's, for you French folk out there) quintessential holiday shopper mom-aunt-sister-next door neighbor-lady who is better than you in everything that is the holidays. It's presumed that this woman has no "job." If she happens to be a stay at home mom she's likely the most ridiculously over-organized, over-routinized, to the books mom there is. She takes the phrase "Christmas in April" to heart and literally has her holiday shopping done before the summer heat truly sets in. During the holi-daze that the rest of us experience she is the the lady that is baking cookies, organizing Christmas caroling (didn't you know she sings soprano in the local church choir?) and concocting the eggnog that causes A Christmas Story-like Christmas morning hangover, making unwrapping present more of a chore than a joy. She is the lady that has her holiday decorations up the day after Thanksgiving and no later. Her gingerbread house looks like a display model at an architectural firm. She hosts THE holiday party and when you attend, her home looks like something out of a Martha Stewart magazine. She is the holiday equivalent of "The Most Interesting Man in the World" - Queen Smash of Holiday Mountain. <---- This is what is wrong with the holidays.
Chrismahanukwanzakah, like St. Valentine's day, has turned into a Hallmark holiday - taken over by the evil corporations. The same way we feel obliged to tell that special someone we love them with roses and a card on Valentine's day we feel obliged to go into debt ensuring that we have fulfilled our holiday duties during the Chrismahanukwanzakah holiday season. Yeah, I get it, I'm a business major - it's all about the corporate bottom line. "Black Friday" is called "Black Friday" because it's the one day of the year many retail companies get into the black (as opposed to the red) on the profit tip. The sooner we get the people to shop, the more they'll spend AND the sooner we'll be able to tell our stockholders that, once again, our company has survived the fourth quarter holiday season. With all the obligatory holiday madness that goes on it's often difficult to slow your stroll long enough to realize what the season is meant to be about.
Tony Robbins "Remember the Reason" Rant:
It's not about quantity, it's about quality. The concept of the "Chinese auction" style of gift-giving is fine for the workplace but this may by the the most impersonal detriment to the holiday season there is when it comes to friends and family. Gift cards, though practical, are a close second. This says, "I'm too lazy/don't care enough to pick something out that you'd actually like so I am going to give you money . . . but it's only legal tender at one retailer - hopefully you can find something there you want/need." Not far behind the two is the expensive yet thoughtless gift. "This is really expensive so I know you meant well, but why the eff did you give it to me?"
We're all guilty of it - overspending on "gifts" only to have buyers holiday remorse during January and February. How about instead of dropping ridiculous coin on obligatory presents this holiday season you try spending something a little more valuable than money (time) on the people close to you. Give a gift that's not necessarily the most expensive but one that you took the time and effort to hand pick for the recipient. Spending time with that person may be even more valuable. Perhaps, instead of writing "To: Person's Name / From: Your Name" on the tag of the gift you attach a card to it with a small letter inside letting said family member/close friend know some of the intangible gifts they have given you over the years. Just a thought.
Hurry up so we can relax. As American's we don't typically have too much time off from work. I don't know this for sure but I'd be willing to bet that a strong majority of us spend a good deal of that PTO with family over the holidays. We're taking this "vacation" time to relax and packing it with undue stress. With families being split up with marriage and divorce the holidays can be a stressful time trying to cram a few Christmas's into a day.
I recently witnessed an intense conversation between the women of my family. They were trying to work out where and when we were all going to get together for Thanksgiving. When the time came it seemed to be a rush in, eat (in 15 minutes a meal it took a day and a half to prepare), have "good" conversation and rush out.
The stress of the holidays is self-induced and unnecessary. Make an effort this holiday to try not to conform to what everyone makes the holiday out to be. Appreciate it for what it is: a time to celebrate thanks, friends and family, and any religious affiliation you may have with the particular day. The illustrious Paul Simon once said, "Slow down, ya move too fast. Ya got to let the moment last." These are words we all need to remember throughout the year but even more so during the holidays.
Happy Chrismahanukwanzakah.
Remember kids: Be well, do good work and always know your dealer.
Cheers,
Miles.
1 comment:
I dig this rant.
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