Is Christmas Just A Commercial rip-off??

Kingp35

ok so here it is. do you think that christmas is only about shops making money from us buying presents?? I mean its getting ridiculas with christmas adds on tv and radio at the start of November! Christmas is turning into a marketing scam to try and get all of us to splash out hundreds of euro on presents.

Im not against buying presents or anything i like it but its getting out of hand now. what do you guys think? do you think its just on easy way for shops to make money??

Patrick

woosaysdan

like all businesses toy shops look for a niche in the market and go and exploit it till its not profitable for them anymore!!! this is whats happening here

SoupyNorman

Kingp35 wrote:

ok so here it is. do you think that christmas is only about shops making money from us buying presents?? I mean its getting ridiculas with christmas adds on tv and radio at the start of November! Christmas is turning into a marketing scam to try and get all of us to splash out hundreds of euro on presents.

Im not against buying presents or anything i like it but its getting out of hand now. what do you guys think? do you think its just on easy way for shops to make money??

Patrick

everything is a rip off now, its the way it is.
shops have always made the most money this time of year.


i dont think this thread will lead to anything but depression for the majority of us who are broke and up to our necks in debt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

steveland?

It's a wonderful way to celebrate the birth of Jesus... a big fat guy comes down your chimney and gives ya stuff

Christmas is starting earlier and earlier every year and stuff is getting more and more expensive. Christmas is about presents now and (for most kids) has nothing to do with Jesus or anything (btw im no samueljones before you go thinkin i'm a fundamentalist nut )

kenmc

for sure. too much toy ads on tv early. stuff up in shops before halloween. they should restrict the placing of decorations until december 1st (if not later!).
just drags on and on and on and...... on.
but as for mothers day and fathers day now..... bloody hallmark.

Blub2k4

It's called a market economy, I dont like it either but what can you do except restrict your own participation until you personally feel it is apt.

Kingp35

im no religious nut either in fact im not religious at all but if ya think of x-mas you think of being broke coz having to buy all these presents. Shops advertising everything is making it worse coz its putting pressure on you to buy.

Maybe im just having a rant coz im broke but its getting stupid having adds so early

SoupyNorman

Blub2k4 wrote:

It's called a market economy, I dont like it either but what can you do except restrict your own participation until you personally feel it is apt.

people are more predictable then cattle when it comes to consumerism at christmas

PeadarofAodh

I love Christmas! Happy celebration of Materialism Day everyone!

SoupyNorman

PeadarofAodh wrote:

I love Christmas! Happy celebration of Materialism Day everyone!

nike shockz for everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

jester77

Too right it is... bloody supermarket across the road from me started selling xmas tree's last wednesday... bloody things would be dead before xmas comes. I reckon they want you to buy a 2nd one close to xmas... damn rip-off merchants..

opr

I think it’s ironic that a thread which gives out about Xmas time and how it seems to come earlier and earlier hasn't taken a look closer to home.

The fact that Xmas comes earlier and earlier every year is not down to TV, marketing etc etc. Its human nature to make something which we enjoy last longer.

If you look around the boards threads everywhere have sprang up about , favorite Xmas songs , TV programs toys, etc, etc ........... Did these people all fall foul to the boards Xmas marketing campaign??

The fact is most of us love Christmas and taking about it.... makes us feel good and brings back all those good memories we have about past Xmases.

This is not too say i don't agree with the points that have been made but i do think we are very quick to point the finger when most of us contribute greatly to the hype and over celebration of a materlisic xmas.

OPR

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

people are talking about those xmas songs and stuff because they are reminded daily of xmas through all the ads they see in the shops and all that..

if the shop windows didn't put this stuff up until early december, we wouldn't have to put up with these idiots for as long as we do.

Kingp35

I think there may be some truth to what your saying OPR but I think that ppl generally would not be talking about x-mas at this stage if it wasnt being portrayed on tv at the moment.

How can you help yourself talking about something if its in your face everywhere you go.I think this is the main reason we are talking about it and it is because of the marketing campaigns.

The whole idea of the campaigns are to make us think about all the good times we have had at x-mas before and therfore make want to go and buy presents etc. to make sure you have just as good an x-mas again.So you see it is still all comercially based.Its a clever ploy to get into the christmas spirit alot earlier and ultimately spend more money. And thats what i dont like about it.

Patrick

simu

Tis.

dewsbury

I got tired of my in-laws & friends buying me presents that I don't want.

So about 3 years ago I instructed them all to buy me absolutely nothing !

Now they don't buy me anything and it's great !
No false gratitiude for crappy presents !

I don't want presents from anybody.
I am not rich but not poor.
If I want something I buy it myself - end of story.

I am somewhat anti materialistic and considering starting a web site called www.nopresents.com. You could submit your name to it if you did not want presents from anybody!

Any takers

Little Goose

Sounds good to me...

Christmas should be a happy time to catch up with your old friends and spend time with your family. Not all this commercial crap!

neGev

I wish people would stop asking this question every single year.

golden gal

i LOVE xmas!!
i think that even though the shops do milk it a bit, it is a great time of year! is there any other time of the year that people give more to charities? is there any other time of year that people reach out to other people as much as they do around xmas?
winter is dark and dim but xmas is bright and colourful. its the one time of year that families come and have dinner together. i love it!
i have to agree that advertising is a bit over the top. we are getting nearly as bad as america. i was in america in august and the were stocked up with xmas decorations etc. halloween hadnt even started!!

Kingp35

I love christmas too its the best time of the year hanging out with the family and friends getting drunk playing a bit of poker or whatever. Thats what ilove about it but ya dont need to spend all that money to get that thats what im saying.

Jim

Birth of Jesus?
I certainly don't celebrate that, and I doubt alot of people do now a days. Its turned into a Pagan holiday, like most of our other holidays.

I personally don't try to make a big deal out of it.