Christmas and commercialisation have got really out of hand - and I don't think you necessarily need to be religious or Christian to notice this - but honestly, how far removed from the actual reason we celebrate Christmas have things got! At the very least, it should be a time for families and friends to be together, goodwill to all men, women and children and peace on Earth. Last year the commercialisation got to me big time as our daughter died earlier in the year and more than ever we realised what it is truly all about. I am not discounting Santa and it is a time for children, but not just children. It's a time for everyone to be together, to feast, enjoy each ..  Read the complete review

Most of you will know that the original Santa Claus is supposed to be dressed in green and called St Nikolaus, but not as many of you will know that the old man with the white beard, adorned in red and white only became that after Coca Cola dressed him in those colors for their magazine and newspaper commercials in the 1930s, the ultimate piece of Christmas commercialism. In fact Coca Cola could patent the new Santa if they so choose, their grandiose TV ads and bank of lawyers suggesting they may well do one day. And we know what product Chris Pringle would be plugging if he had a good lawyer! But Christmas is not for the multinationals but for kids and we ...  Read the complete review

Lead us not into temptation. A line from the lords prayer. Somewhat apt now that the Christmas season looms over us once more. Having watched as the shops in the local centre hurry to take down the pumpkins and masks that have adorned their shop windows for that last few months, only to see them replaced the very next day with a bold, yet garish Christmas theme, I am amazed at how soon we are hurried from one season to the other. Let's face it, get this one out of the way and the chocolate eggs that herald the coming of Easter will be back in the windows again. It's a commercial world we live in, that's for sure, but who's fault is ...  Read the complete review

I work for a large department store. Until I started working for the store I did not realise how commercialised Christmas was. The stock room was filling up with Christmas fare in October, and we had to fit it in somewhere. Shelves were moved and every nook and cranny was opened up to fill with Christmas fare. It was Sell sell sell, as far as the bosses were concerned. What they forgot to ask was. "Did the customers want it all out that early?" It was all about making money at the end of the day and not neccessary what the customers wanted. Some of our customers especially the elderly ones, were very annoyed that our shelves were full of ...  Read the complete review

Was it all worth it? Snow, presents, children getting excited, lots of eating drinking (and consequently throwing up), office parties, pantomime and last minute shopping. Tree, crackers, cards, wrapping paper, the list goes on and on. Yes, it’s that silly season again – Christmas. But what is it all about really? Christmas is not just a religious festival anymore, where Christians rejoice the birth of Jesus Christ, and young children perform in school nativity’s, just so many a parent can take their camcorder along to get those few moments of his/her child’s fame on tape, to play back in years to come just for sheer ...  Read the complete review