The History and Business of Christmas

Our holiday traditions have many roots. Businesses have created and monopolized upon them.Little known facts that inspired us to buy.

 Everyone gets excited for the holiday season. We light up trees, give gifts, eat and drink well, carol, and decorate our houses with Santas, snowmen and reindeer. In an effort to remember the true meaning of Christmas we hold services remembering the birth of Jesus and set up lavish nativity scenes in our front yards. Why do we do all this? Because tradition tells us this is what you do. Tradition also tells us to buy, buy buy and then give, give, give. Where did these traditions that we hold so dear come from? They came from other traditions and marketers. Whether intentionally or accidentally, they seeped into our mind and told us this is what we should do. 

Think I'm being a bit of a scrooge by going behind the curtain? I believe in the Christmas spirit just as much as the next guy, but I also find it interesting to know where it all came from. The world of marketing has done a substantial job at increasing profits during this holiday and I like to know why. Other companies have utilized the Christmas model and many more could benefit from it. So now I give you the abridged story of the true Christmas and the businesses built on it.


   The holiday season we know, has always been a time of celebration. It is during the winter solstice and is known as a time to celebrate life and birth during the darkest and coldest time of the year. First, here is a history of the beginnings of our holiday:

    -The Norse celebrated 'Yule' a time celebrating the return of the sun where they put a log on the fire to burn. Each spark represented a new calf or pig that would be born in the coming year.

   - Saturnalia the celebration of Saturn the God of Agriculture, started December 17 and later expanded with festivities through December 23. There were public banquets, followed by private gift-giving, continual partying, and a carnival like atmosphere. Gambling was permitted, and masters provided table service for their slaves. Enter charity and gift giving.

   - Christianity began to take over and since there was no exact recorded date for the birth of Jesus, the festival of Saturnalia was adopted and absorbed. The beginnings of Christmas were celebrated much like the traditions of Saturnalia until Oliver Cromwell and the Pilgrims came along. They despised the Saturnalia roots of Christmas. It went so far as being illegal in Boston  from 1659 to 1681.

- The Christmas tree originated in Germany as a Yule-tree that would ward off demons. The base of the tree was (I believe) used as the Yule Log, spoke of earlier.

- Santa Clause derives from Sinter Klaas which is the Dutch pronunciation of Saint Nicholas who had the reputation of secret gift giving to those in need.


 Now we pause to catch up. Still with me? Enter Marketing and advertising of the Christmas twist.

- Washington Irving's ' The sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent.' (1819) portrays fictional tales like 'Sleepy Hollow' but also has a few Christmas tales. My favorite, named 'Christmas' speaks of the death of the old traditions and the birth of the uniting of friends and kindreds, presents of good cheer, tokens of regard and fond associations. His book of essays became an instant best seller in America and England and vitalized what would be known as the American Christmas. In a sense he created the feeling of the modern Christmas holiday .

Irvin's description of a Christmas feast and spreading of good cheer resonated through America. More and more families picked up the old traditions of Christmas; buying and giving gifts, charity toward the less fortunate, song and dance, and feast and drink. 

Soon enough business owners and department stores saw how they could monopolize on the Christmas season and created ads to bring customers to their doors.

- J.W. Parkinson, a Philadelphia merchant, hired a man to dress up in a "Criscringle" outfit and climb the chimney of his store. Yes, this is where the 'Santa comes down the Chimney' started.
- Thomas Nast created the modern version of Santa Clause for Harpers magazine (1860-1886). Before this it was St. Nicholas' robes that we personified.
-It is said that Abraham Lincoln commissioned a photo of Santa with union soldiers to demoralize the confederacy.

At this point Santa became a staple of the Christmas season. He was merged with St.Nicholas and the marketed  in drawings. Then he became a being dressed in red and white (with a beard) who comes down your chimney and secretly gives gifts. The advertising of Santa transformed the old traditions into department store advertisements and children believed it all. Gifts had to be bought, feasts prepared and chimneys cleaned out. Bam, here was the department store niche. A way to get customers into their stores so the children could see the new products and want them. How brilliant is that? It doesn't stop there.

- A genuine article called, 'Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus', filled up the 'Clausometer' with Christmas spirit and inspired even more celebration and buying.
- Coca-Cola cashed in on it by having Haddon Sundblom design an even more modern day Santa. Cokes holiday campaigns inspired millions to buy the product.
-Robert May of Montgomery Ward Companies created 'Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer' in a Storytelling poem. It became an instant hit and drove business. Later on, Gene Autry recorded the poem into song, solidifying a slew of Rudolph products indefinitely. 

Marketing spins and adoptions have re-engineered the original traditions of Christmas. Not to mention the monopoly incorporated by merchants? Nothing is ever what it seems and Christmas has many roots. Somewhere in time, we agreed that this was the time of year to charitably spread good cheer, celebrate Jesus' birth, gift to our loved ones, decorate with department store Santa's and feast like the days of Saturnalia. Each of these things were introduced separately but we celebrate them in one holiday. 

So there it is. The true beginnings of Christmas and inspirations that drove its business. Regardless of how it all came to be, this is still a revered time in many hearts. Without the nostalgic overtones of this season reminding us to heighten our morals I fear we would be of lesser human worth. Businesses may profit from our melodic cheer but we are happy about it. In the end, isn't everything just about compassion and empathy? I believe Christmas reminds us how to be better people. No matter its roots, we know the message and are able to lift our spirits for one magical time of year.