Santa's Whiskers

Commercializing Christmas

"Commercialization" (ca\-ˌmər-sh(ə-)lə-ˈzā-shən\) is the using or exploiting of something for profit; to use something to increase the opportunity to earn money. (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commerce)

The commercialization of Christmas is the using of the holiday, its concept of gift-giving, and its major characters, like Santa Claus, in marketing designed to help companies and businesses sell more of their goods and services during the holiday season.

Thus, we visit Santa Claus at the mall, receive catalogues and fliers adorned with Christmas decorations, are invited to sign up on special websites so our children can send letters and emails to the North Pole, watch the Thanksgiving Day Parade sponsored by Macy's, stop to look in the decorated windows of department stores, shop on Black Friday and again on Cyber Monday.