All the streets have put on their festive attire, adorned with beautiful Christmas lights, trees, angels, and nativity scenes. Holiday melodies have started playing everywhere—on the streets, on the radio, and on TV. At the same time, we are already being bombarded with Christmas advertisements, and shop windows are dressed to welcome thousands of consumers. But does this atmosphere around us truly radiate messages of love and joy? Are we really living the true meaning of the holidays, or is it actually consumerism that dominates this season and sweeps us along with it?
The answer seems obvious. The Christmas and New Year holidays have long since lost their true meaning, and during this period, most of us fall victim to the consumerism syndrome. But what causes this phenomenon, and how can we address it? These questions are answered by psychologist and director of the Personal Development and Self-Awareness Centre ΓΙΑ ΤΗΝ ΙΘΑΚΗ,” Ms. Anthia Christodoulou Theofilou, as well as by school psychologist Ms. Konstantina Evelthontos.
A Need for Intense Emotions
Consumerism is a phenomenon observed in both children and adults, regardless of age, throughout the year, but even more intensely during the holiday season. Perhaps this is because people seek opportunities to experience intense emotions, escaping from daily restrictions, structure, organization, or the rigid schedules we often follow. One such opportunity is the Christmas season, according to Ms. Christodoulou. However, during this time, adults often experience a sense of urgency and anxiety. They rush to have everything ready, to do their Christmas shopping under stress, and to buy many or expensive gifts for everyone.
This behaviour can easily pass on to children, as through social learning, they observe, imitate, and internalize what they see. Growing up in a society so dependent on material goods, quantity, and monetary value, children gradually learn to believe that these things matter for their worth and existence, as Ms. Evelthontos explains. She adds that, unfortunately, we’ve taught children that Santa Claus will bring lots of expensive gifts. As a result, by observing the behaviours of consumerist adults during the holidays, they become consumerists themselves.
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Holiday advertisements play a major role in driving consumerism, bombarding us with messages encouraging us to buy certain products and goods. Children are particularly vulnerable to these messages, as they are not yet capable of critical thinking and subconsciously absorb them much more easily, turning them into “wants.”
Moreover, through advertising, the image of Santa Claus has been turned into a symbol of consumerism, being the central figure in nearly every commercial, with his sole job being to bring gifts to “good” children.
These behaviours, which stem from consumerism, have overshadowed the true meaning of Christmas. What we truly need, as Ms. Christodoulou notes, is greater self-awareness and a clearer understanding of what really matters. While children may be taught at school about the religious and meaningful aspects of Christmas, it is ultimately the responsibility of parents to demonstrate through their actions and behaviour that we are celebrating the birth of Christ—and that this is a time for love and giving. Only then will children truly experience and internalize the real meaning of the holidays. Otherwise, Christmas will simply mean gifts, games, visits, and food—just as it unfortunately has come to mean for many adults today, as Ms. Evelthontos poignantly states.
Creating Memories
Undoubtedly, the goal is not to stop decorating our homes with lights, reindeer, and elves, or to avoid enjoying the lights in the streets and the festive villages. The goal is not to suppress the joy of the season. However, to protect ourselves from phenomena like consumerism, we can start by setting a clear plan and creating a list of our priorities. Furthermore, we can engage in charitable activities, which help cultivate awareness and compassion. This way, we begin to realize and understand what truly holds value and meaning in life.
After all, the magic of Christmas lies in the opportunity to spend quality time with family and loved ones—to enjoy and appreciate the decorations together. It lies in gathering as a family to decorate the house while listening to Christmas songs and dancing, creating lifelong memories. The magic does not lie in expensive or numerous gifts, but in the act of giving with the intent to bring joy to others.
If, as a society, we manage to embrace and live this kind of Christmas magic, our children will do the same. After all, when our children understand what truly matters in life, we need not worry about consumerism.
