Christian Exodia Posted December 18, 2011 Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 You know, how they use Santa in some commercials to sell things, not talking to the people who celebrate holidays like Hanukkah? And then, when you are leaving, they go, Happy Holidays, like they are speaking to everyone in their commercials. They are saying, in the commercial, people who celebrate Christmas are who they are going for, but in the store, they want everyone. Why? Discuss stupidity of sales pitches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMRenji Posted December 18, 2011 Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 Well, the other major religions don't really have a person/saint to represent their holy day. And not all sales pitches are stupid. [s]*is planning on turning this thread into a Billy Mays discussion*[/s] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Exodia Posted December 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 No, I meant, maybe incorporate some of the other symbols of the other religious holidays into it to show a bit more fairness. I know it isn't how I would normally think, but I am a Christian first. Not all are stupid, I meant discuss the stupid ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Revan of the Sith Posted December 18, 2011 Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 [quote name='Christian Exodia' timestamp='1324166659' post='5713834'] You know, how they use Santa in some commercials to sell things, not talking to the people who celebrate holidays like Hanukkah? And then, when you are leaving, they go, Happy Holidays, like they are speaking to everyone in their commercials. They are saying, in the commercial, people who celebrate Christmas are who they are going for, but in the store, they want everyone. Why? Discuss stupidity of sales pitches. [/quote] Fortunately Santa has ceased to become a christian symbol in the Christmas season and has become more of a cultural phenomenon or as Richard Dawkins puts it, a "meme". That is why they talk about Santa yet say Happy Holidays because people rarely connect him to Christianity nowadays, either that or they don't care. America is becoming a secularist nation one step at a time and I must say I love it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Exodia Posted December 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 It could be a good thing to separate religion and government, but I hope it doesn't lead to religion starting to fade... But who am I kidding? America is going nuts with Occupy Wall Street and all that jazz. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Revan of the Sith Posted December 18, 2011 Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 [quote name='Christian Exodia' timestamp='1324169731' post='5714000'] It could be a good thing to separate religion and government, but I hope it doesn't lead to religion starting to fade... But who am I kidding? America is going nuts with Occupy Wall Street and all that jazz. [/quote] *Is an Occupy Wall Street supporter* I actually hope religion starts to fad BUT I AM JUST BEING HONEST! I know that isn't a nice thing to say but to be honest I hope that is what happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yasu Posted December 18, 2011 Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 They want to appeal to the largest demographic possible, it's all about profit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Revan of the Sith Posted December 18, 2011 Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 [quote name='Yasu' timestamp='1324169935' post='5714012'] They want to appeal to the largest demographic possible, it's all about profit. [/quote] ^This too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catman25 Posted December 18, 2011 Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 Christmas is just a Hallmark Holiday to businesses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Exodia Posted December 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 True to all of them. Profit they cannot get in this economy at this point, though. A holiday changed from a honest to goodness holiday where you were rewarded based on your attitude during the year, to a way to get out of school & work, plus you get expensive presents whether you were good or bad. Demographic, but Christmas isn't even the biggest holiday celebrated throughout the world. Only in America... and Canada, and maybe a few others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CinnamonStar Posted December 18, 2011 Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 How is Santa a symbol of a religious celebration?:/ It's almost certain that Santa was invented by Coca-Cola (you know, the van and all). So I like the fact that the departments stores are using him.:S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Exodia Posted December 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 No, Saint Nicholas was a real Saint. Santa sprouted from him, I think I remember Nick giving good things to the good children who studied their hymns and followed God, and switches to the bad children. That turned into a pseudo-tycoon fueling the pocket fillings of the big wigs in the companies. Hopefully he is using some of that to give the employees better paychecks, so they can spend money, the companies can make money, the economy booms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CinnamonStar Posted December 18, 2011 Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 Well yeah, I had trouble telling them apart too as a child and Saint Nicholas probably came first. But they're 2 different figures actually and there's a reason why Saint Nicholas Day is on the 6th (at least where I live) and Santa is coming on Christmas Eve. At least from the research I made. ...And the company who invented Santa was most likely the Coca-Cola company. So a large capitalist US brand, which is probably what Santa stands for too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Exodia Posted December 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 [quote name='Cinnamon Star' timestamp='1324177132' post='5714297'] Well yeah, they're quite similar and Santa is inspired by him. But they're 2 different figures actually and there's a reason why Saint Nicholas Day is on the 6th (at least where I live) and Santa is coming on Christmas Eve. At least from the research I made. ...And the company who invented Santa was most likely the Coca-Cola company. So a large capitalist US brand, which is probably what Santa stands for too. [/quote] No. Santa preceded Coca-Cola by 200 years. He was "invented" as the embodiment of the rewarding on the day of Christ's birthday, for the children who were good got toys and fruit. The kids who were bad got switches and coal... and they got whipped with the switches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CinnamonStar Posted December 18, 2011 Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 Ah there are sources of him in the 19th century (or at least something that looks like him), both in the US and in Europe. But how many people were using him as a figure and how popular was he? Because I still have in mind that he only became a pop culture figure around the 30s/40s by being used by some brands. But I'm fairly sure that nowadays, Santa is the most secular figure among the bunch of Jesus/Horus/Mithras/sun god, etc. and that IF he ever had any kind of religious connotation, it's pretty much gone. I've never seen anyone complain about him either, so it doesn't really bother me. But aside from that, where's the hypocrisy of the department stores actually? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Exodia Posted December 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 [ [quote name='Cinnamon Star' timestamp='1324177578' post='5714303'] Source? Again, I'm not entirely sure about this stuff and there are still theories going around. But I'm fairly sure that nowadays, Santa is the most secular figure among the bunch of Jesus/Horus/Mithras/sun god, etc. and that IF he ever had any kind of religious connotation, it's pretty much gone. I've never seen anyone complain about him either, so it doesn't really bother me. But aside from that, where's the hypocrisy of the department stores actually? [/quote] [url="http://www.thehistoryofchristmas.com/santa_claus.htm"]http://www.thehistoryofchristmas.com/santa_claus.htm[/url] I felt it was annoying that they show Santa as the main figure of appealment, like saying one thing, and they say Happy Holidays like they are appealing to all, the really thinking another thing part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icy Posted December 18, 2011 Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 [quote name='Cinnamon Star' timestamp='1324177578' post='5714303'] But aside from that, where's the hypocrisy of the department stores actually? [/quote] Not selling promised goods? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Exodia Posted December 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 [quote name='Icyblue' timestamp='1324177879' post='5714311'] Not selling promised goods? [/quote] They do, Aw, forget it. Can I get this locked? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tentacruel Posted December 18, 2011 Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 Santa has nothing to do with religion. Just sayin' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Exodia Posted December 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 He has more than you think Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CinnamonStar Posted December 18, 2011 Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 ^ I was talking about the topic.=_= But again, DOES Santa have such a religious connotation?:/ I've rarely met people who associated him with Christianity or anything religious (mainly because he pretty much became the symbol of capitalism and expensive presents). I realize that it can be cumbersome for people who are interested into the subject and research about it like you, but I'm pretty sure that most folklore/popular myths are just accepted by most people because they're there. I can kind of understand your point now, though at least saying happy holidays is a good thing. Most workers at department stores can't decide what gets sold and what doesn't, so I guess that's the most they can do?:S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Exodia Posted December 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 His history is mostly Catholic. Saint Nicholas is the precursor to Santa Claus, he is based off of him, only about 400 years later did it become associated with the Christmas rush of capitalism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ieyasu Tokugawa Posted December 18, 2011 Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 [quote name='Christian Exodia' timestamp='1324177955' post='5714314'] Aw, forget it. Can I get this locked? [/quote] Nope. I'm seeing a pretty good discussion here and I'm not gonna lock that. Have fun <3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Exodia Posted December 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 Okay. It was getting annoying at first, and then I decided to explain about the Christian precursor about Santa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt. Colonel Remo Posted December 18, 2011 Report Share Posted December 18, 2011 [quote name='Twilight Sparkle' timestamp='1324178393' post='5714333'] Nope. I'm seeing a pretty good discussion here and I'm not gonna lock that. Have fun <3 [/quote] So you aren't locking a topic at the original posters request? 0-o Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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