Sir, – When I was growing up, the Christmas shopping spree, such as it was, began on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, December 8th. After Mass we headed for town where Mom ordered the Christmas provisions, Dad collected the Christmas tree and we children bought little gifts for each other.
It was the season of goodwill when we celebrated our faith, family, friends and heritage in a simple, joyful manner.
Now, in a more consumer-driven and secular society, it’s more difficult to transmit the true meaning of Christmas to our own children.
In the US, Thanksgiving Day, a national holiday giving thanks for the year’s harvest, is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November – today. It has historic roots in religious and cultural traditions but has long since become a major secular holiday.
The Christmas shopping season in the US begins with a flourish tomorrow, on “Black Friday”, the day after Thanksgiving Day. Most major retailers open early and even overnight to offer promotional sales. It has been the busiest shopping day of the year in the US since 2005. In 2014, $50.9 billion was spent during the four-day Black Friday weekend.
Black Friday and the four-day shopping frenzy are now being foisted on Irish consumers. It is at odds with the Irish way of celebrating Christmas, which is anchored in core values of friendship, community, sharing and spirituality.
The self-indulgence of Black Friday has nothing to offer our Christmas season other than huge debts and unneeded goods.
Let the Yanks keep their Black Friday. We will be far better-off spiritually and financially if we continue to celebrate the true meaning of Christmas in our unique Irish fashion.
– Yours, etc,
BILLY RYLE
Tralee,
Co Kerry.