Don’t be silly, Jarek. It’s called “the most wonderful time of the year” for a reason. Christmas is a fantastic holiday and dumping it would be a waste of culture and money.
The most obvious reason not to get rid of Christmas is the fact that nobody really wants to. I mean, seriously, what’s the point? Nine of ten Americans celebrate Christmas, according to Pew Research. They wouldn’t celebrate it if they didn’t want to. Not only is Christmas a fun and enjoyable holiday, it’s one of the few things all Americans can agree on. In a society that gets more and more divided by the day, why would we choose now of all times to abandon one of the few traditions that almost everyone celebrates?
A big reason not to ditch Christmas is the economic benefits. According to Forbes,consumers spend $450 billion dollars every year on Christmas and related goods. That’s nearly half a trillion dollars a year that wouldn’t be put into the economy otherwise. And that massive spending increase isn’t just helping business. Christmas is far and away the most common time for sales of all types. TVs, cars, children’s toys, clothes, food, everything costs less during the holiday season. That saves consumers billions of dollars on goods they otherwise might not have even bought.
This doesn’t even consider the other economic effects of discarding the holiday. According to the National Retail Foundation, 25 percent of total retail spending comes during the holiday season. A 25 percent loss in yearly revenue would be devastating and likely sink many small businesses. Abandoning Christmas would also lead to ditching Black Friday (as they are related holidays), which would cut a lot of spending across the economic board.
Christmas is also a cultural event, not just for America but for the world as a whole. Christmas isn’t just celebrated in the Rockefeller Center. it’s a common holiday that connects most of the world, in Europe, India, Africa, Latin America and beyond.
And don’t get me started on the massive amount of cultural works that involve Christmas. There are mountains of movies, games, music, and foods that are Christmas themed. Christmas is ingrained in our culture and it would be a waste to discard the many cultural traditions of the holidays.
So many Christmas icons would be abandoned should we ditch the holiday. Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and The Grinch are just a few examples. Enjoying these characters is almost a rite of passage for our youth, and discarding them would be a huge mistake. It’s a near universal experience among our children, watching these movies with their families. Why ruin those happy memories?
In conclusion, there’s no real reason to get rid of the holiday. It’s something enjoyed by the majority of children in America and across the world. It’s a massive boon to the economy and has produced dozens of iconic songs, movies and more. Why bother trying to steal Christmas?
