Dec 11, 20243 min read

Holidays Losing Their True Meaning

By Liliana Chai Dec. 11, 2024

The warm glow of the fireplace flicks across the walls adorned with evergreen garlands and twinkling lights. Ripples of laughter are exchanged between family members sharing stories, while steaming mugs of cocoa and enjoying a plate of half-eaten sugar cookies dusted with green and red sprinkles. Children tear through brightly wrapped presents, their delighted shrieks mixing with the familiar tunes of holiday carols in the cinnamon-scented air—a picture perfect holiday moment.

Yet, beneath the joy, deeper meanings and traditions for holidays like Christmas often fade into the background, forgotten. For centuries, Christmas was celebrated for the traditional origins behind the holiday, and less about the gifts under the tree. Long before Christianity during the Iron Age, Scandinavians celebrated the winter solstice from late December to January. Fathers and sons would bring home large logs to set on fire, symbolizing the birth of new cattle in the upcoming year, while freshly fermented ale was ready to enjoy.

Over time, these ancient rituals blended with Christian traditions. The modern image of Santa Claus originated from St.Nicholas, a monk who was born in Turkey and gave away his inherited wealth to help the poor and the sick. Dutch families introduced St.Nicholas to American popular culture in the late 18th century, when they gathered to honor Sinterklaas—the Dutch translation for Saint Nicholas. The image of Sinterklaas was characterized by many authors as a jolly fellow in red with a white beard delivering toys to children in a flying sled, making a debut in “Twas

The Night Before Christmas.” Santa’s image was fully commercialized later in the 20th century when Coca-Cola featured him in their advertisements, hoping to boost their winter sales.

Over time, Christmas transformed into a child-centered, gift-giving holiday that gained widespread adoption in the Americas during the 1900s. By promoting a secular image of Santa Claus bringing gifts to children, brands shifted the holiday’s focus, marketing towards children as the target audience for their products. Many criticized the increased emphasis on gift-giving, claiming it fosters selfishness, particularly in children who have been preoccupied with receiving presents rather than understanding the holiday’s deeper meaning of the spirit of giving, as reported by Knowledge at Wharton. On the other hand, some argue that this label on children is taken too seriously, as holidays are a once a year celebration and are meant to bring joy and teach values like generosity and gratitude.

“Receiving gifts does not directly make children selfish. For many families, giving gifts to children is a harmless tradition that is passed down. Having a special day of the year where families bond and children have time to go through gifts under a tree is amazing, as long as they are not expecting gifts all the time,” Junior Aishwarya Vinodh said.

The secularization of Christmas is partially intentional. According to Dr.Ruth McClelland-Nugent, a pop culture scholar, it creates a holiday season that all Americans, both atheist and religious, can enjoy. Similarly, Easter—once centered on the resurrection of Christ—has taken on a broader appeal, with activities like egg hunts and candy exchanges that hold little connection to their religious roots. However, many still observe these holidays with deep religious devotion. Churches across the world hold Christmas Eve services and nativity plays to honor the birth of

Jesus, while Easter Sunday remains one of the most important days on the Christian calendar.

“I celebrate Christmas by focusing on family traditions and fun, like putting up a Christmas tree, hanging lights around the house and making cookies with family and friends. For us, there are not many religious practices involved, except for putting up an old nativity donkey,” Sophomore Emma Wang said.

Whether through secular gatherings or religious devotion, holidays continue to hold a special place in the hearts of people around the world, offering a blend of tradition, joy and personal meaning—no matter how they are observed.

About the Contributors

Liliana Chai

Staff Writer

I am a Sophomore at Leland and a writer for this year's Charger Account. In my free time I enjoy listening to music, playing piano, writing poetry, and sleeping.