Ever since Starbucks released a more minimalistic holiday design with its red cups, many have expressed concerns about a war on Christmas. However, war often implies some sort of fighting and the mass representation of Christmas in the media, in retail and in non-religious institutions suggests that Christmas is not the holiday that needs fighting for. Other holidays that occur in the same season, like Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, often get the short end of the candlestick while America, in many ways, promotes Christmas as the dominant holiday.
If the representation distribution of the holiday season were equated to a musical group, it would be Destiny’s Child, and Christmas would be Beyoncé.
Christmas Tree in Rockefeller Center
This skyscraper-sized tree is a not so subtle symbol of Christmas. The Christmas tree has been a tradition in Rockefeller Center since 1931 and attracts crowds by the ten thousands every year. The tree’s display follows the Christian calendar and is taken down around the time of the Christian Feast of The Epiphany, which marks the end of the Christmas Season.
Santa’s Helpers
Santa is a popular Christmas figure for religious and secular Christmas celebrators alike and he can be seen in various malls and shopping centers across the country. Right after Christmas shoppers have purchased a crewneck with one of the most recognizable faces on it, that same jolly face can be found around the corner, in person. The never-ending lines may make access to Santa a little more difficult, but he is there. Sometimes Santa also makes appearances at “holiday” work parties.
Black Friday
Black Friday isn’t just for Christmas celebrators; Black Friday is for anyone willing to wake up before the dog, spend hours in line, and eventually get some good deals out of it all. However, Black Friday is still very Christmas-centered. Many of the big ticket items on sale each year are marketed with the whole family’s Christmas lists in mind–from kids’ toys to electronics to jewelry.
Christmas on TV
Each year, ABC Family hosts a “25 Days of Christmas” marathon. Starting December 1, Christmas movies play back-to-back from 7 a.m. until after midnight each day. Many other channels also have similar Christmas-themed lineups filled with festive movies and TV series. Whether it’s a sitcom, soap opera, or crime show, annual Christmas shows are anticipated every year.
(Holi)Days Off
Celebrating Christmas pays off for many workers who get December 25 and some surrounding days as paid holidays. This makes holiday preparation and travel much more convenient for many families but not all families are taken into account. Many families who celebrate holidays other than Christmas have to use up vacation days or postpone their celebrations to a later date.
Christmas music in the air
There’s a reason almost everyone knows the words to “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “Jingle Bell Rock” and it isn’t just because of the simple, catchy tunes. These songs are played on repeat over speakers and intercoms throughout the holiday season. Regardless of their religiously diverse shoppers and listeners, many stores and radio stations play Christmas songs from mid-November until the New Year.
