History of Christmas
Christmas is a religious holiday that honors the birth of Jesus Christ and is celebrated each year on the 25th of December. The history of Christmas remounts to over 2000 years ago, and the veracity of its details is yet to be completely recognized.
It was not until the fourth century that the Church decided to declare the birth of Jesus as a holiday and the Vatican selected the 25th of December as the date for its celebration, but given that the Bible does not mention the date of this event, it became a polemic subject.
However, Simmons (2015), having analyzed the history of religions theory and the calculation theory stated the following: “Moreover, since the traditional date of the nativity is fully consistent with various chronological indicators left for us in history and the Gospels, we have every reason to accept it as the true source and origin of the Christmas date” (26).
Regardless of the skepticism that surrounded the date of the birth of Jesus Christ, Christmas rapidly developed into a globally celebrated holiday, yet the traditions associated with it have changed significantly throughout the years. The customs that accompany Christmas as we know it today that can be traced back to about 300 years ago, which give us an insight on how humans have molded this festivity to the worldwide phenomena it is today.
Though it still maintains its religious background, Christmas has become a commercial holiday that is celebrated by an estimate of over 2.1 billion people across the globe, a percentage of which do not identify themselves as Christians. This festivity encompasses traditions that have no direct relation to the birth of Christ, yet have been adopted globally as inseparable parts of the holiday, such as Christmas trees and Santa Claus.
Vigario (2015) traces the origin of the popularization of the Christmas tree custom to Prince Albert of Germany who brought his country’s tradition to England and, along with his wife Queen Victoria, endorsed the tradition which rapidly expanded throughout Europe and later, the world.
As for the symbol of Santa Claus, it finds its origins in Saint Nicholas, a Christian bishop from Greece who was known for helping the needy. St. Nicholas was for centuries the unopposed bearer of gifts for children, and his day was the 6th of December. According to Handwerk, throughout the years, St. Nicholas fell out of favor across northern Europe and was replaced by scary Germanic figures who accompanied Jesus Christ in the mission to deliver gifts to children as a reward for good behavior. The figure that we know today as Santa Claus was born in 1821 as the result of an anonymous poem titled “The Children’s Friend”. According to Bowler, “they’ve taken the magical gift-bringing of St. Nicholas, stripped him of any religious characteristics, and dressed this Santa in the furs of those shaggy Germanic gift bringers”.
The standardized image of Santa Claus as an adult white male, of thick complexion with a white beard dressed in red clothes, has been widely adopted. However, its name does vary from one country to the next adopting local names such as Father Christmas in England and Père Noël in France. The acceptance of the Santa Claus figure cannot be generalized to all of those who celebrate Christmas, since many oppose to this figure as it represents the commercialization of the holiday.
Another one of the main traditions that characterize Christmas is the exchange of presents, which finds reason in reminding us of the presents given to Jesus Christ by the Three Wise Men, who presented the savior child with frankincense, gold and myrrh. The mentioned traditions as well as many more, encompass the spirit of the current Christmas celebrations.
Social and Cultural Impacts
The impact Christmas has in society is immeasurable, especially in the social, cultural and economic aspects. According to the Pew Research Center, 92% of Americans celebrate Christmas, and over 86% of them attend a gathering with extended family or friends on Christmas Eve or Day. Additionally, 86% buy gifts for friends or family or send holiday cards.
These numbers give an idea of the cultural significance of Christmas, as it is generally associated with joy, celebration, and spending valuable time with friends and family. This is a positive aspect of Christmas, because regardless of its origin and the reason for which each person celebrates it, this holiday is responsible for uniting people across the globe.
Although Christmas time elicits positive sentiments for most people, the pressure and expectation created by the cultural phenomena that surrounds this holiday generates the opposite feelings on certain people. According to Williams, Christmas season brings depression for some, as many people feel very lonely because they have suffered the loss of loved ones or their jobs. However, there are few scientific studies that relate depression to Christmas.
The vast majority of Americans celebrate Christmas, and this sometimes leads to overlook the fact that there is part of the country that does not. This creates controversy over the extent to which the holiday should be celebrated, and the symbols that should be employed during this season. Christmas coincides with Hanukkah, a holiday celebrated by the Jewish people. Moreover, Christmas is not celebrated by Muslims and most of the population in the Oriental world. Therefore, the widespread use of the phrase “Merry Christmas” is frowned upon by a large percentage of the world population who do not associate themselves with the festivity. In the United States, many companies and institutions have replaced the popular phrase for the more general “Happy Holidays” in the aims of satisfying their entire customer base without incurring in offenses.
It seems that for every positive impact Christmas has on society, there is a negative one to counterbalance. For instance, the wide acceptance of the holiday in the Western world and the bombastic traditions that accompany it, leads to the exclusion of those who do not celebrate it. This is especially true for children, who are not easily taught about the differences among religions, and frequently feel envious of their Christian counterparts who celebrate the festivity by decorating Christmas trees and receive presents. It is a difficult task for non-Christian parents to make their children understand the reasons for which they do not adopt this holiday in the same way their neighbors or school mates do.
Economic and Tourism Impacts
In terms of economics, according to Statista, Christmas expenditure on gifts every year surpasses 830 billion dollars, while sales of Christmas trees have an approximate value of 1.04 billion dollars. This holiday represents a peak season in almost all retail categories as sales increase drastically during this time. As consequence, an average of 768 thousand workers are hired around the country to compensate for the augmented activity in stores and warehouses.
Clearly, Christmas functions as a stimulant to the economy. These numbers are evidence of the deep economic impact Christmas has in society, and the commercial connotation that has been adopted by the holiday, and thus participating in Christmas traditions results in benefit for business owners even if they do not celebrate it for religious reasons.
Businesses thrive during Christmas time and, similarly, nonprofit organizations see an increase in donations during the holidays. Mueller states that “about 34 percent of all charitable giving is done in the last three months of the year, according to McLaughlin. Of those donations, about 18 percent are given in December alone”. The holiday season inspires people and encourages them to give back to the less fortunate, who may not have the opportunity to celebrate Christmas as members of medium and high socio economic classes do.
The economic aspects of Christmas, though generally considered positive, are subject of debate among economists, who maintain that value is lost when exchanging presents. According to Waldfogel, “a potentially important microeconomic aspect of gift-giving is that gifts may be mismatches with the recipient’s preferences” (1328). Additionally, economists argue that balanced expenditure throughout the year would provide for a healthier economy, in contrast with the drastic peaks experienced during Christmas time.
Besides the economic surge caused by increase in retail sales, Christmas influences the trends in tourism. According to the United States Department of Transportation, traveling increases by 23% during the holidays, compared to the remainder of the year. The reason for this increase in travel is the custom to visit friends and family for Christmas celebration. This peak in tourism positively influences the proceeds made by inns, hotels, souvenir shops and overall attractions.
The economics of Christmas are considered positive with regards to businesses, however, the effects of holiday shopping on individuals may not be as beneficial. Christmas embodies a spirit of consumerism that is absent throughout the rest of the year. The typical citizen indulges in purchasing products that are not needed, or buying presents for acquaintances solely to satisfy expectations, disregarding if the recipient will actually enjoy them. This leads to unnecessary spending and even worsening debt.
Physical and Environmental Impacts
Christmas has an overall negative impact over the environment. The materialistic aspects of this holiday, such as the massive exchange of presents, that are generally paper wrapped, contributes to the surge of garbage production which most likely ends up in landfills. Furthermore, during Christmas time, energy consumption increases due to the pompous decoration of homes, malls and cities with light displays. Likewise, gasoline consumption increases as people tend to make trips out of town, or transport more than usual to perform their shopping activities.
As for the farming of Christmas trees, while at first thought it might seem more eco-friendly to purchase an artificial Christmas tree, which can be used several times, it is actually more beneficial for the environment to utilize natural trees. According to Novak, “real Christmas trees are also farmed on land that is usually not suitable for other crops and instead of leaving the land vacant, the trees planted and grown there stabilize soil, protect water supplies and provide refuge for wildlife while creating scenic green belts”. On the contrary, during Christmas time the manufacturing of artificial trees increases, which are produced through processes that have harmful effects on the environment.
It is evident that Christmas has evolved into a cultural phenomenon that goes beyond the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, as it now embodies countless traditions that differ greatly from its religious background. This holiday encompasses a series of negative aspects that, even though are recognized and tangible, are unlikely to counterbalance the feelings of joy and well-being that people generally experience during Christmas and thus, will most likely endure for many years to come.
Conclusion
Christmas is a Christian holiday that honors the nativity of Jesus Christ, and is celebrated by over 2.1 billion people worldwide, Christians and non-Christians alike. Throughout the years several traditions have been added to the typical Christmas celebration and today it is even considered by some as a commercial holiday, instead of a religious one.
Even though the core spirit of Christmas has been well preserved as years have gone by, which is evident as families and friends still go to great lengths to gather during this festivity, several commercial customs have been adopted to ultimately benefit businesses, such as the decoration of Christmas trees, exchange of presents and Christmas cards.
These customs have positive effects over the economy, as retail businesses see a drastic increase in sales during this season, thousands of employees are hired to work during the holidays and tourism surges. However, these positive effects are accompanied by certain negative aspects, such as increased garbage production and energy consumption, which are detrimental to the environment.
Ultimately Christmas is a time of joy, which reminds people of the value of family, sharing and giving back. It is up to every individual to decide how to embrace the traditions that surround Christmas in a way that allows for the enjoyment of the holiday but also diminishes the negative aspects produced by it.
References
Gerry Bowler. Santa Claus: A Biography. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart Ltd, 2007. Print.
Brian Handwerk. “St. Nicholas to Santa: The Surprising Origins of Mr. Claus”. National Geographic, 2013. Web. Date of access: March 21, 2016.
Eric Novak. “Which Christmas Tree is More Eco Friendly – Real or Artificial?” Enviro Dad, 2015. Web. Date of access: March 21, 2016.
Kurt Simmons. “The Origins of Christmas and The Date of Christ’s Birth”. Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society (2015): 299 – 324.
Rafael Vigario. “The History of Christmas Trees”. Jitt Journal, Smart Travelers & Content Curation, 2015. Web. Date of access: March 21, 2016.
Joel Waldfogel. “The Deadweight Loss of Christmas”, 2001. Web. Date of access: March 21, 2016.
Ray Williams. “Why People Get Depressed at Christmas”. Psychology Today. Web. Date of access: March 21, 2016.
“Celebrating Christmas and the Holidays, Then and Now”. Pew Research Center. Web. Date of access: March 21, 2016.
“Statistics and facts on the Christmas Season in the U.S.”. Statista, 2014. Web. Date of access: March 21, 2016.
United States Department of Transportation. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, 2013. Web. Date of access: March 21, 2016.
Appendices
Appendix I –Overview of the U.S. Christmas Season
Source: Statista – Statistics and Facts on the Christmas Season in the U.S.
Appendix II – Statistics on Holiday Activities
Source: Pew Research Center (2013)
