Has anyone else noticed how Santa Clause has been protrayed in recent years? It seems, up til this year, he has been protrayed as this tired old fellow who does his shopping at "Big Name" stores. Until... this years commercials.

This year, the commercials that I have been seen aired, consist of Santa being totally ignored in favor of the gift that the kids know had come from "X" store. What ever happend to the spirit of christmas, and this iconic image that goes with the Holidays? Have we, as a society, really become that engrossed in the accumulation of "things" that what is truely important has taken a back seat? Family. Fellowship. The spirit of giving.

Ok, I'm done for now... Just wanted to get that observation out. :o)
Merry Christmas

Uh ... so what are you getting me this year? :oP

Maybe Father Christmas should be replaced (for commercial purposes) with Father Pestmas. ie instead of having to be good all year, you have to prove your worthiness for the gift of your choice through parental nagging? Father Pestmas would keep a list and whoever had bugged thier parents the most for what the toy companies are pushing this year gets what's coming to them...

Wasn't Santa Claus pretty much a symbolism of commercialism already? I guess he didn't inspire enough greed among todays youth to be viable any more? *shrugs*

Yup, now he has become a lazy forgotten image of years gone by.

Well well well....the dipsy twins back together again. The Squirelly Brothers. Thanks Les....that's what I was going to ask him...by the way what are you getting me? Better be good after beating me out of the contest. I want lotsa stuff and none of that Chinese cr@p. For starters how about a Canon 5D...we can accessorize later. Curt just send me something nice...surprise me....oh did I say Merry Christmas.

LOLOL.

And the games begin ... once again ...

*is intently curious as to what Curt will be wrapping up for Jerry for under the tree*

Ask Santa... he supposedly knows who's naughty or nice.

Which one?

Who's on first?

Pfffttt! Santa is lazing away on some tropical beach, keeping tabs on the investments he made with the generous 'golden parachute' given to him by Store "X" to get out of the retail bizz.

The silver lining in all of this ... more cookies for me. :o)

Yep, I am a 'half-full' glass kind of guy. Or delusional, not sure which. :oP

Delusional.

Lolol.

Now why did I think that is what you were going to say?

In keeping with the original premise of the thread (don't worry, it won't become a habit), here is the Season's Greetings I am attaching to my cards this year:

"Best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low
stress, non-addictive, gender neutral, winter solstice holiday, practiced
within the most joyous traditions of the religious persuasion
of your choice, but with respect for the religious persuasion of others who
choose to practice their own religion as well as those who choose not to
practice a religion at all; plus, a fiscally successful, personally
fulfilling, and medically uncomplicated recognition of the generally
accepted calendar year 2007, but not without due respect for
the calendars of choice of the other cultures whose contributions have
helped make our society great, without regards to the race, creed, color,
religious, or sexual preferences of the wishes."

(Disclaimer: This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal.
It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes
for him/herself or others and no responsibility for any unintended
emotional stress these greetings may bring to those not caught up in the
holiday spirit.)

Could you repeat that....I was yawning.

O.o

I leave for just a few minutes.... Oi-Veh :oP

Get back here bub...you started this.

Your point being...?

I could tell you what I'd like to see for christmas... perhaps news of our guys in Iraq coming home instead of oogling spoiled brats wondering what gift they got from Best Buy...

No chip on my shoulder, is there. :o)

Christmas have been extremely commercialised (sp?) this year...

Though I will admit that there is one advert that I'm exceptionally happy with.

The coco cola advert, it's really nice this year and very sweet...it consists of santa giving a bottle of coke to a young girl and she falls in love...then as she gets older she gives a bottle to santa..

it's very touching this year like they've actually thought about it! which makes a change for such a big company.

Other than that yes most of the adverts just advertise the present...which is silly.

Well Curt I agree with you we shouldn't be fighting over there and really aren't. We are are caught in the middle of a civil war that is obvious. But freedom must prevail...right?

Iced, I've always enjoyed Cokes commercials, they have alway seemed to have a strong pressence when it comes to christmas and the spirit of giving.

Digi... no comment. :o)

I would like to humbly, and sincerely suggest that instead of maxing out your charge cards and draining your bank accounts ... instead ... donate the whole lot to a charity, a cause, a family in need, an individual in need ... your choice ... just give.

And then retreat with your loved ones to a comfortable setting ... a dinner at a restaurant perhaps ... and not worry about hurting someone's feelings because you didn't supply the 'right' reaction to the gift received, didn't quite get the colour right ... whatever ... and talk to one another. Reaffirm your respect and love for each other.

And simply ... enjoy the blessings you have in your life. :o))

Curt… I just have to ask… you raise this in the year that retailers opened their doors on Thanksgiving Day in the hopes of chasing a few more almighty dollars?

To me the saddest part of that is that they actually got a nice chunk of business. Meaning it'll happen again next year. No gift, no "bargain" is worth giving up time with your friends and family. (Unless of course Charles Manson is your stepfather and you're just trying to escape before somebody offers you the Kool-Aid)

Yeah....what they said....what are you guys getting me for Christmas?

Digi... A sugar-tit

Cat... you know what? That is a really sad part of this all. The comercialism is quite rampant. You know it's really bad when you have a radio station in your area that went 24hr christmas music the day after Halloween. *shudder*

But the intent of my original post was how an iconic figure figure of this holiday has really gone down the tubes. Commercialism is something we will never be done with, short of global armagedon. But, I remember a time when Santa Clause was a much celebrated and magical part of christmas.

What ever happened to that guy? You know, the one who knew who was naughty and who was nice? NOw, he just seems to be some tired old guy shopping at the big name stores. Or as I've seen in this years ads, just plain ignored by the spoiled little brats oogling over what is in "X Brand" stores package.

Is Santa going the way of Father Christmas? Off to the Land of Lost Toys?

Yeah, I knew what you were saying… my post was more along the lines of "given this is going on, you're surprised?"

Personally I'm sorta broker this year than I was last year as I get close to being out of debt and am trying to get there as fast as possible. So my friends and family are all getting "Cat's Cookies" this year (I don't expect there to be too many complaints. 8•P). I've done stuff like this before when I was really broke… I've taken my family to the Big Apple Circus, done a dinner out, etc. Funnily enough, those are the years that went over best. Hmmm… maybe I'm on to something here…*

We now return you to your regular scheduled programming: "Sanity Clause? There's a no such as a Sanity Clause!"

*This doesn't mean I would turn down an iPod if somebody wanted to be really generous 8•P

Ya ever wonder....what did Jesus ever do on Santa's birhtday?!?!?

You know, for Santa!!

8~D

Speaking of Santa....check this out....Satan. It's said he is a deceiver.

I have been good this year, I want a Nikon D-80 with a Nikon 18mm-200mm lens.....Speaking of Santa... check this out... " Jesus is the reason for the season "

Seriously Curt ? I think it's a little sad myself. I think Santa Claus has lost a little of his magic over the years.

And I quote Cat: "I've taken my family to the Big Apple Circus, done a dinner out, etc. Funnily enough, those are the years that went over best. Hmmm… maybe I'm on to something here ... ."

Quoting meownself from a post prior to Cat's : "And then retreat with your loved ones to a comfortable setting ... a dinner at a restaurant perhaps ... And simply ... enjoy the blessings you have in your life."

See? The power of suggestion at work. Marketing.

So, turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to the commercial crap. That won't stop. If it really upsets you ... write company 'X' and tell them so.

For me, Santa is still the big, jolly guy in a red suit ... who eats some of my cookies. >:o/

Wait...
You mean to tell me that Santa and his elves don't MAKE their gifts, they go shopping for holiday bargains like the rest of us???
Thanks, way to kill Christmas for me...next you'll tell me the tooth fairy isn't real!!!

I posted this on the "1,000,001 useless facts" thread ... I found it interesting how ingrained something can become in our popular culture that has its' roots at the outset from a marketing campaign.

Coincidental that Steph made mention above, and Curt agreed, that Coke seems to have kept some of that warm and fuzzy feeling in their adverts.

Sorry, if this is bursting more bubbles, but here it is:

"Many of the details we associate with Santa Claus were invented for a Coca Cola advertising campaign around 1890."

And the Tooth Fairy is real. I know it. 'Cause my dentist told me and she wouldn't cause me any unecessary grief or pain, would she? :oP

Whadda 'bout the Easter Bunny??? And, and Arbor Day...trees are real aren't they???

Whadda 'bout that Lucky guy...he don't seem so lucky 'cause those dirty kids always get his cereal!!

no Les, but i might ۝_۝

incidentally, whilst Coca Cola make out that they invented Santa Claus, especially with the red suit, the embodiment of that time has been part of European traditions for many years...amongst other cultures - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Claus

I thought Clement Clarke Moore invented Santa Claus ....