James Shaw | Staff Writer
For the majority of Irish people Christmas is an ingrained tradition and it is the most widely-celebrated public holiday on these shores. Christmas products and music can be seen in stores from October, while venues can be heard advertising for Christmas party bookings from early September. The College Historical Society held a debate on Wednesday 10th of December entitled “This house believes in the magic of Christmas”. Seeing this motion got me thinking as to the nature of our celebration of Christmas. Is it an event that displays the warm-heartedness of our society, or is it a manifestation of excess driven by corporate interests?
Granted, I enjoy the festive cheer which is palpable at this time of year; seasonal treats like mulled wine, mince pies and plum pudding are delicious and add to the cosiness of Christmas. Moreover, talk of Christmas and the various charitable events such as the Trinity Christmas Run which occur at this time of year raise spirits during what is the darkest period of winter. Many students gain seasonal employment due to the increase in demand for retail products at Christmastime, which in turn facilitates them to fund their own Christmas expenditure.
While it retains its integrity for Christians as the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, for the secular among us it is at its best a celebration of family and those around us, with the gifting being an aspect. Over Christmastime society celebrates the values of empathy, generosity and togetherness. This is meant to be reflected in the idea of gift giving but is perhaps more evident in the fact that charitable donations soar in the final three months of the year. Indeed, many charities’ survival and their ability to provide assistance is dependent upon the outpouring of generosity to them at Christmas.
Economists argue that Christmas, or ‘the final quarter’ (which refers to the last three months of the calendar year) as it’s known in such circles, is vital to the economy. Retailers argue the increase in spending is the lifeblood of the industry, creating more jobs and contributing to economic growth. But as has been asked before in this newspaper, is growth always a good thing for an economy? The surge in demand that final quarter spending creates, puts a strain on resources and inflates the economy. On an environmental level this creates more pollution and waste, while the production of consumer products, particularly on such a large scale, consumes gigantic reserves of energy, a worrying consequence of growth given that the world’s energy resources are over-reliant on oil, a fast-depleting finite resource.
It is predicted that many consumers will let loose on their spending this Christmas, after subdued years of late following austerity budgets. But as is often the case with indulgence, it is accompanied by excess. Come January, it’s safe to say many people will be struggling with the harsh reality of credit card debt and with the results of overspending over the Christmas period. As regards the extra work many people acquired over the Christmas period, in most cases these contracts are temporary and so many workers will find themselves out of work and will have to readjust their spending levels. Like any period of exaltation or release of hedonistic tendencies, there comes the after, a cycle the Irish are accustomed to given our boom-bust economy. This creates an imbalance in our economy, with spending weighted more heavily in the final quarter, which is wasteful and bad for employment, engendering a culture of temporary seasonal employment, with scant rights or job security for these workers. The question we must ask ourselves is this: do we really need Christmas?
We must reflect on the positive values associated with Christmas, as already mentioned. These include empathy, generosity and togetherness. The fact that we as a society make the effort to embrace these values at Christmas, underlines that we deem these attitudes to be important, in ourselves and in others. Valentine’s Day is commonly derided as a ‘Hallmark Day’, a contrived expression of romanticism and affection, whereas most people would prefer their partner to show sensitivity and consideration throughout the year rather than making a concerted effort on just one day. Should we not consider Christmas similarly? Many who celebrate it are not religious adherents, rather it can been seen as catering for vested interests of the corporate elite.
The increase in charitable revenue at this time of year is not a consequence of Christmas, but rather of the values associated with it. Wouldn’t it be great, if we, as a society, could acknowledge these empathetic and munificent values and assert them throughout the year? Not only would charities be less dependent on a very time-sensitive revenue stream, we would continue to spend, but in a more consistent way. You’ll continue to get that new phone, or item of clothing, or whatever it may be, but it wouldn’t be held off until Christmas. In this way, retail and services employment would be more regularised and constant. The celebration of Christmas would remain in its true form, as a Christian celebration of the birth of Christ, and Christians would continue to celebrate it as a religious ceremony. While Christmas cheer and its festivities are enjoyable, perhaps it’s worth rethinking the way we celebrate Christmas and consider the importance of its values, which aren’t restricted to the final quarter.
Photo by Eavan McLoughlin
