Grandparents day, Father’s Day, pets birthday, etc, etc - all commercial enterprises to try to get people to spend money on cards, flowers, the latest “must have” gadget, dog/cat toys etc , etc. (Seems to work, too, or these things would just fizzle out).
Mothering Sunday is now very commercialised so that buying a card and flowers is no longer seen as enough - people are “encouraged” into buying even more expensive gifts such as pampering weekends, afternoon teas, lunches, etc. for their mums, because how can you be a loving child if you don’t?
Then of course, we have Christmas, Easter, and other religious festivals along with Halloween and bonfire night, which in themselves are fine, of course. It’s just that they are all now viewed as great money making opportunities (and have been for some time) for commercial businesses, which many people buy into.
The commercialisation of all these events puts great pressure on people to participate to the extent that some put themselves under huge financial pressure to comply. The subliminal suggestion being that if you haven’t filled your celebratory table with the best food and drink and bought all the latest, must have presents and provided the best party for your friends bursting with the best party food and enough drink to put a pub to shame, then you have indeed failed and let your family and friends down.
Of course, you haven’t, but that commercial pressure is very strong to resist. However, maybe it’s time to take a step back, take stock and question this?
Surely, our grand parents, parents, children, siblings etc, are not going to stop loving us because we haven’t bought into the latest commercial ploy to try to get us to part with our hard earned cash in order to provide all these things?
Sadly, many are taken in by it, but does it make you happier at the end of the day? I will stick my neck out and argue that “no, it does not”. What it does do is fill the coffers of commercial enterprises.
I might sound a bit of a kill joy - I’m not - I like my celebratory occasions, these times are special.
I bought my mum a card and some flowers for Mother’s Day when she was alive, I’ve bought gifts at Christmas (just not lots of expensive, latest “must haves”).
However, it’s the loss of simplicity and the pressure to have “bigger and better”, the financial pressure and, to some extent, the emotional blackmail used, and the attempt to reduce the true meaning of these events which saddens me .
