When you think of Easter, what do you picture? Colored, plastic eggs? Chocolate bunnies? What about when you think of Halloween or Christmas? Costumes, candy, and presents? These are all common hallmarks of these holidays, and they all have something in common. They are all material items that everyone is expected and pressured to buy every year. And why? Why are plastic eggs used to celebrate Easter, a holiday about the resurrection of Jesus? And do most people even know why these holidays are celebrated? These three holidays are just a small part of the ever-growing list of holidays and traditions that have been stripped of their original meaning and used as a way to fuel corporate intentions. 

Easter: 

A study done by the Barna Group found that only “42% of Americans said that the meaning of Easter was the resurrection of Jesus or that it signifies Christ’s death and return to life.” This, when compared to the 80 percent of Americans who celebrate Easter, is astounding. How and why are so many Americans celebrating a holiday that they don’t know the meaning of? The answer is marketing. Easter hasn’t been marketed as a religious holiday; it’s been marketed as a fun day to eat candy on. This is because the true religion and tradition behind this holiday, and others like it, don’t sell as effectively. The modern tradition of buying colored, plastic eggs derives from the practice of dying eggs red to symbolize the blood of Jesus that was shed on the cross. But that idea is much more difficult for companies to profit off of because it wasn’t designed to make money, just to honor the Christian God. 

Halloween: 

Halloween has a very unique history dating back 2,000 years to the Celtic people in Ireland, France, and the UK. The Celts celebrated the new year on Nov. 1, and they believed that on Oct. 31, which they called Samhain, dead spirits or ghosts would come back to Earth. They lit bonfires and would wear costumes, usually animal skins and heads, to repulse the ghosts. The Romans eventually conquered most Celtic territory, and two of their October holidays combined with the Celts’, Ferelia and Pomona. Ferelia observed and respected death, and Pomona was dedicated to the Roman goddess of fruit and trees, whose symbol is the apple and likely the reason for the tradition of apple bobbing. Eventually, Pope Gregory III declared Nov. 1 All Martyrs’ Day. It was later renamed All Souls’ Day and was also known as All Hallows. When it spread to the Celtic regions, since Samhain was the night before, they started calling their holiday All Hallows Eve, which is where the name Halloween comes from. However, over time, the holiday has lost all of this and a majority of people know nothing about where it came from, what it used to be, and how it’s evolved over time. Such a unique holiday has had so much of its history and tradition erased to sell candy and overpriced costumes. 

Christmas:

Christmas is the most celebrated holiday, not just in the United States, but worldwide. It is usually celebrated by gift-giving and feasting on all of the traditional foods. Many countries, including America, incorporate the character Santa Claus into Christmas by telling young kids that he flies around the whole world in a sleigh on Christmas giving gifts to well-behaved kids that he and his elves spent all year making. This character of Santa originates from Saint Nicholas, who was born into a very wealthy family but was orphaned at a young age. He used his inheritance to help the poor, save people from injustice, and, most famously, secretly give gifts to people. He was an example to Christians of how to live a Godly life and tales of his generosity inspired hope and happiness in many. Now, however, the story of a magical man who can make and deliver any present or toy for good kids leaves parents of younger children pressured into spending a lot of money, telling their kids that they weren’t good enough for Santa this year or risking ruining the Christmas magic. Fox 2 reports, “48% of parents with children under 18 feel pressure to spend more money on holiday gifts than they’re comfortable spending.” What was once an inspirational story of generosity has been warped and used to pressure parents into spending money during the holidays. 

Money:  

This year, companies in the United States are projected to make more money than ever from Easter, Halloween and Christmas. The National Retail Federation (NRF) projects that, in America alone, $24.9 billion dollars of consumer money will be spent this Easter and $13.1 billion on Halloween. But both of these numbers are trumped by the expected 1 trillion dollars for Christmas presents, food and decorations. 

So, with Easter coming up, and many more holidays ahead, be mindful of how you choose to spend your money and why. Think about what you are doing to celebrate and what you’re celebrating. While it’s not wrong to celebrate in the way that you choose, losing the message behind these meaningful days to blind consumerism would be a shame.