The tree is up, the lights are on, and the presents are (probably) wrapped. Only two more sleeps until the day when sacred, family-oriented togetherness merges with ruthless consumer culture… or, as it’s more commonly known, Christmas. So in this episode we’re going to dive into the murky, tinsel-covered contradiction of the holiday season, as I ask… is Capitalism killing Christmas?

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Special guest for this episode:

1. Thomas Ruys Smith, Professor of American Literature and Culture and Deputy Director of Area Studies at the University of East Anglia. His new book, Searching for Santa Claus: An Anthology of the Poems, Stories and Illustrations That Shaped an American Icon, is available to buy now.
2. Brian Earl the creator and host of the excellent podcast Christmas Past… a very merry welcome back to Brian Earl…

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Highlights from this episode:

1. Christmas has evolved significantly from its religious roots into a commercially driven holiday, with advertising and consumerism deeply intertwined.
2. The Puritans' resistance to Christmas in early America reflects a long-standing conflict between celebration and moral values within American culture.
3. Consumerism and Christmas are inextricably linked; it's hard to separate the two without losing the holiday's modern meaning.
4. Historical variations in Christmas celebrations across America reveal regional differences in traditions, influenced by factors like local culture and economy.
5. The rise of industrialism in the 19th century played a crucial role in shaping the consumer habits associated with the Christmas season.
6. Charitable giving during Christmas often serves to highlight socioeconomic divides while simultaneously fostering a sense of community and shared goodwill.

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Additional Resources:

1. Searching for Santa Claus: An Anthology of the Poems, Stories and Illustrations That Shaped an American Icon by Thomas Ruys Smith
2. Christmas Past by Brian Earl
3. The Modern Christmas in America: A Cultural History of Gift Giving by Williams Waits
4. The Commercialization of the Calendar: American Holidays and the Culture of Consumption
5. Christmas in America: A History by Penne L. Restad
6. How the Puritans Banned Christmas. Yankee Magazine.
7. Colonial Williamsburg ‘The Twelve Myths of Christmas’ and Early American Christmas traditions
8. An Early American Christmas
9. The Oxford Handbook of Christmas – “Commercialism and Consumerism.” John Schmalzbauer. [Oxford Academic, 2020]. Exploring capitalism, disenchantment, enchantment, and debates on secular/commercial Christmas. The Commercialization of the Calendar: American Holidays and the Culture of Consumption, 1870–1930 by Leigh Schmidt
10. The Golden Age of Department Stores at Christmas by The Retro Network
11. A Brief History of Commercializing Christmas by Tim Harford
12. Brand Vision: Best 50 Christmas Marketing Campaigns of All Time
13. 20 Holiday Advertising Campaigns That Revolutionized Marketing
14. The Artist Behind the Coca-Cola Santa Claus
15. Haddon Sundblom and the Coca-Cola Santas
16. Christmas as Cyclical Repetition - Easy Sociology
17. Capitalism and the Holidays: How Money Grows on Christmas Trees
18. Christmas over-consumption: Why we shop the way we do (even climate activists!)
19. A Conscious Christmas: Rethinking Consumerism and Supporting Social En
20. The Christmas spirit: is it now about consumerism or caring?

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And if you like this episode, you might also love:

What is the War on Christmas?

How to Make a Hollywood Christmas Movie

What's the History of Christmas in America?

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