Christmas spirit or consumerism?
Comparing prices and hunting for bargains are dominating the preparations for the festive season, while the magic of Christmas seems to be fading. The focus on special offers and wish lists is distracting us from the things that really matter. Commentators across Europe share their thoughts on the subject.
Less consumption and more time together
According to a survey, half of all Poles plan to spend less on Christmas shopping this year than last year. Gość Niedzielny sees this as a good thing:
“Spending less doesn't necessarily mean that the festive season will be less festive. In fact, the opposite may be true – that we stop stocking up on things that are supposed to create a certain atmosphere and start creating that atmosphere ourselves. That we spend less time in shops and more time at the table. That instead of asking, 'What should I buy for whom?', we ask ourselves, 'With whom should I spend more time?”
Festival of love as a source of stress
In Slovakia, too, people are paying closer attention to prices, Új Szó reports:
“Forty-seven percent of the respondents are actively looking for lower prices and special offers and comparing prices before making a decision. This is no longer the romance of Christmas preparations but a survival strategy. It is also evident in the rising popularity of practical gifts. We're not looking for luxury items but for useful objects. ... This means Christmas can easily become another source of stress, with the festival of love overshadowed by price tags and bank account balances.”
The invisible work of women
In LRT, Gražina Bielousova, an anthropologist specialising in politics and religion at the University of Vilnius, peeks behind the Christmassy curtain:
“Rarely do we ask: through whose work and care was and is this festive magic created? The answer is simple: every time we speak of festive magic, spirit, or authenticity, our evocative words are a veiled reference to the invisible work of women. During the Christmas season, women have to become 'Santa Clauses'. Just as children perceive Santa Claus through gifts, without thinking about who bought, wrapped, transported, and delivered them, we too only want to see the lavishly laid table, the decorated homes and the celebrations. … But we rarely wonder aloud who makes this happen – and how much is silently sacrificed so that this celebration can even take place.”
Sparkly trash
The Guardian warns that the glittering lights of the Christmas season generate far too much waste:
“There is no question that battery-powered and electrical toys, lights and gifts are proliferating as never before. Despite a great deal of commentary aimed at dialling down consumption over the festive season, especially surplus packaging and rubbish, strings of disposable lights and flashing figures have gained in popularity. Homes, front gardens and shopping streets grow sparklier by the year. Batteries and electrical devices present particular difficulties when it comes to disposal... But individuals can make a difference when it comes to waste, both in their decisions about what to buy, keep and get rid of – and in their political opinions and choices.”
Sustainability is killing the magic
The festive season is losing its sparkle and the push for sustainability is to blame, The Spectator criticises:
“In 2022 Quality Street [sweets supplier] abandoned its shiny crinkle wrappers in favour of low-grade matt paper. The wrappers these days look more like eco toilet roll packaging than delicious Christmas treats. It's not just chocolates which are no longer the same. Low energy LED fairy lights lack the warm glow of the lights we grew up with. ... Eventually we realise our lives, and our Christmas season, have become less pleasant, more difficult and ever more expensive, all for little to no net benefit.”