Seeking the Spirit of Christmas within the shelves of materialism

When we envisage Christmas it usually brings forth a host of romanticized thoughts in our mind such as decorations, trees or the nativity. This means participating in Pagan traditions that stretch back thousands of years, long before Christianity entered the equation. In this episode we explore the underlying structures which form the festival of Christmas and various issues which arise from its history. We suggest, Christmas occupies a less significant role in people’s life due to displacement at community level, based on a culture of Americanized Christmas consumerism. We discuss the paradox effect of Christmas arguing it has become detached from tradition due to inherent contradictions within the contemporary theme of Christmas. We examine the early Roman influence on Christmas; the origins of many current traditions; Reinvention by the Victorians; American commercialization & materialism. Finally reversing the giving tradition instituted by its great brand ambassador, Santa Claus.