Hark the Harold, Car Horns Sing
Over the decades, Christmas has become an almost meaningless festival of consumerism and gluttony. It may sound harsh, but if you take a moment to look around, you’ll notice that everything about our modern Christmas traditions centers on buying more stuff, outshining our neighbors’ decor, and eating as much food as possible. These themes have been deeply ingrained in our society through movies, books, TV, and the annual Sears catalog. Yet, despite the absurdity, the emotional turmoil, and the growing civil dissatisfaction surrounding the annual holiday mayhem, people feel as if they have no choice but to perpetuate an one-upping, consumeristic pattern.
Why? Because superfluous spending has become our new tradition.
Via u/halanscott
It’s no wonder people get stressed out every December. Awaiting holiday work bonuses that will never come, people lose their minds balancing a shoestring budget and attempting to tackle an evergrowing Christmas gift list. Traditions are a very powerful thing, even these compulsive ones that toxify our holiday experience.
According to PsychCentral, holiday traditions and ritualistic behaviors are a primal part of human society and the fabric of our community. “Holiday traditions are an important part of building a strong bond between family and our community, [and] they give us a sense of belonging and a way to express what is important to us.” Traditions keep the memories of the past alive, but decades of modern consumer propaganda have blinded us.
Baking Grandma’s legendary raspberry thumbprint recipe is far more valuable than a new Minecraft Lego set. Learning and singing Christmas carols with your family by a roaring fire is more meaningful than a $100 Starbucks gift card. Old-school, “outdated” Christmas traditions often have nothing to do with overinflated budgets, focusing instead on spreading cheer, reflecting on the year’s good fortune, and manifesting a plentiful future. To our ancient ancestors, the terrifying eminence of winter was broken by these holiday traditions, helping them push through the scant season with nothing but hope, family, and the lasting memories of Christmas celebrations.
Via u/FG Trade Latin
On the First Day of Christmas…
Traditions are quintessential to the human experience and they mark the passing of time, keeping family memories alive. However, in a period marked by record-breaking poverty and depleting resources, perhaps it’s time people start focusing on more wholesome pastimes. Although our modern generations have all but forgotten many yuletide customs, there are a number of simple, joyful, and, most importantly, inexpensive practices that can make everyone happy. As my mom used to always say, “Presence is more important than presents.” As annoying as that is for a child to hear, the truth behind it remains.
Americans used to have wholesome holiday traditions, so why not bring those back? “Many [traditions] simply faded as our world shifted from neighborhoods to subdivisions, from downtown to the internet, from patience to instant gratification,” says Sarah Levy, a culture critic from GenealogyExplained. After compiling a list of outdated holiday traditions, Levy notes several childhood classics from the ’60s and ’70s that have gone away for good reason (like lead-based tinsel and flocked Christmas trees). However, there are many other heartwarming reminders from the past that are far too nice to be forgotten.
Door-to-door caroling brings neighbors together, homemade popcorn garlands has siblings relaxing in the living room for hours, and handwritten Christmas cards let your loved ones know you were thinking about them. Simple Christmas traditions are a treasured experience and must not be lost in the commotion of commercialized festivities and hollow replacements. The common components of humanity’s best traditions center around the simplest blessing: Good people.
Holidays Yule Always Remember
By leaving behind the hustle and bustle of holiday expectations and implementing time-honored traditions into your festivities, you can slow the pace of the season. Although they require a bit more time than a one-click purchase or scratching another check mark off your to-do list, outdated holiday traditions give people more room to breathe. This year, diffuse the stress and relinquish the all-consuming traditions that have rotted our perception of the holidays. Replace mayhem with moments of heartfelt authenticity, and make your ancestors proud by cherishing the things that truly matter this holiday season: Love, laughter, and a sturdy roof over your head to weather the winter storms.