How Consumerism Has Shaped America

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Table of Contents

Introduction
The role of consumer holidays in shaping America
Conclusions
Works cited

Introduction

Consumerism is the regular development and maintenance of specific consumption patterns, which are characterized by an increased need to acquire goods and services in large amounts (Ryan 23). Conversely, consumerism can also refer to different consumer movements whose activities entail protecting consumer interests by ensuring that the packaging of goods is done by the prevailing standards and regulations. In addition, some consumer movements ensure that the health and safety of consumers are maintained by the producers, advertisers, and sellers. Therefore, consumerism entails a set of checks and balances that safeguard the interests of consumers. However, consumerism can also involve different defining aspects, which are aimed at shaping various economic and social practices in a given population (Ryan 27). In America, holidays are no longer celebrated in the same way religious and cultural celebrations were observed in the early eighteenth Century by different ethnic, regional, and local communities because most manufacturers and merchants have reinvented different holidays to match the consumer preferences and increase sales. After all, most Americans attach different meanings, preparations, and observances to specific holidays, and because the cultural practices, consumer culture, and social norms during holidays have changed drastically.

The role of consumer holidays in shaping America

The connection between American holidays and business enterprises dates back to the early eighteenth century. Studies show that most entrepreneurs considered religious festivals and other holidays to be unfavorable for commercial investments (Schmidt 194). However, the notion began to change significantly in the mid-eighteenth Century because most producers and merchants realized the need to develop goods and services, which match the specific observances attached to various festivals and holidays. As a result, the religious festivals and holidays, which were meant to celebrate specific events such as the birth of Jesus Christ during Christmas began to undertake commercial orientations and finally led to the rise of totally different holidays in America. Furthermore, some ethnic, local, and traditional festivals, which were being observed regionally, began to receive national recognition due to their commercialization (Schmidt 194). Therefore, holidays such as St. Valentines Day, Mothers Day, Christmas, and Easter, which were rarely observed at a national level, began to have different meanings altogether. Conversely, the role played by Christianity and cultural celebrations in terms of influencing the consumer culture and the stake of women in shaping the traditions of different holidays are attributable to the spirit of consumerism and the initial commercialization of various religious and traditional festivals (Schmidt 195).

Moreover, the rise of new holidays in America did not go unnoticed by different manufacturers and merchants who developed goods and services that match specialized customer preferences and observances during specific holidays. For instance, the development of the American holiday variety stores is attributable to the development of luxurious goods, which are characterized by a mixture of style and faith (Schmidt 195). In addition, some manufacturers took advantage of the need for a variety of gifts during thanksgiving to develop goods that were initially required by a small proportion of the population into products desired at the national and international levels during specific holidays. Here, the producers and advertisers were equally important in terms of influencing the consumption patterns during holidays and reinventing local and regional holidays into national festivals. Furthermore, most manufacturers and merchandisers use the holiday season to increase the production of new goods and services because of the increased demand (Ryan 702). Therefore, consumer holidays sustain economic growth by promoting the production of goods and services, which are normally produced and sold in low amounts during other seasons of the year. Conversely, consumer holidays play a major role in ensuring that America transforms from being an agricultural-based country into a region with industries and commercial enterprises, which produce and sell consumer goods in large quantities (Whitaker 302).

Additionally, consumerism plays a pivotal role in shaping the characteristics of different holidays in America. As a result, studies show that most Americans attach different meanings and observances to various national holidays (Schmidt 196). For instance, it is a normal practice during holidays to prepare love tokens, buy a tie for dad, and shop for Easter bonnets. In so doing, the original festivals, which were characterized by their traditional, ethnic, and regional orientations, are given new and standardized national meanings (Cross 104). Furthermore, the commercialization of Valentines Day, which is characterized by couples and lovers exchanging candies and gifts, gave a whole new meaning to a forgotten saints day. And now, Valentines Day is a national holiday that has been on the American calendar since 1860 (Schmidt 194). Furthermore, the celebration of Christmas as a special day when family members come together to exchange presents led to the development of a domestic holiday that differs from the Protestants view of Christmas celebrations. In addition, observation of Christmas led to the development of new a method of delivering presents by Santa Claus to loved ones. Overall, various meanings, preparations, and observances attached to different holidays present merchandisers with the opportunity to promote the sale of goods that have cultural or familial orientations (Cross 105).

Conversely, most Americans have adopted new cultural practices, consumer culture, and social norms because of the role consumerism plays in different aspects of their social lives (Whitaker 308). Moreover, the rise of different holidays America has seen the emergence of a culture of exchanging presents, which are commercially bought. As a result, the idea of commercializing holidays and social events has also brought a new approach to expressing emotions within the confines of the family. For instance, courtship, which was practiced differently before the nineteenth century, has been transformed into a characteristically new method of courtship, which is known as dating (Whitaker 315). The consumerist nature of dating is marked by couples exchanging gifts and watching movies together. Therefore, consumer holidays such as Valentines Day play a pivotal role in strengthening social bonds, which were loosely attended to in the past. On the other hand, parents find it easy to manipulate their childrens behavior by using the consumerist approach. Here, most Americans purchase gifts such as play stations and books to reward their children for achieving certain academic and behavioral standards. In addition, family celebrations such as birthday parties are important occasions to manage fear and anger in children through the consumerist approach (Whitaker 332).

However, opponents of consumer holidays would argue that the commercialization of holidays such as promoting Christmas shopping is a deceptive way of encouraging Americans to purchase goods that they do not need and to incur huge expenses through credit cards (Cross 256). For instance, the promotion of certain goods that have cultural and familial orientations during specific holidays may not auger well with the opponents of consumerism. Here, the critics would argue that the promotion of sales through advertising exploits the perceived short-term memory and the near-sightedness of the consumers because advertising can influence the consumption patterns by informing the consumers about the existence of discounts and great bargains. Therefore, commercialization of national holidays and advertising would make consumers spend more on goods that they do not need regardless of their purchasing power and budgets (Schmidt 198).

Nonetheless, it is worth noting that commercialization of national holidays does not encourage over-consumption and overspending but it rather helps consumers to take advantage of the availability of goods, which are rarely produced per year. Furthermore, most producers and sellers offer great discounts and bargains during national holidays to enable those with low purchasing power to purchase the much-needed goods, which are used to strengthen social bonds, friendship, and family relationships (Ryan 705). On the other hand, consumer holidays encourage the emergence of new industries, which are specialized in specific products. In so doing, commercialized holidays play an indirect role in promoting sustainable economic growth in America.

Conclusions

The essay presents discussions on the rise of consumer holidays in America and their role in promoting different aspects of the social and economic lives of Americans. From the discussions above, it is notable that the rise of consumer holidays and consumerism has seen the emergence of new national holidays that were not present in the early eighteenth century. Moreover, the essay notes that most manufacturers and merchandisers have exploited the establishment of the new national holidays to promote the development and sale of goods and services, which represent the interests and preferences of consumers. On the other hand, the rise of consumer holidays has promoted the characterization and standardization of traditional and local festivals, which were being observed in a different manner from what they represent today. As a result, the commercialization of national holidays has promoted the development of new cultural practices, consumer culture, and social norms in most American communities.

Works cited

Cross, Gary. An All-Consuming Century: why Commercialism Won In Modern America. Columbia: The Columbia University Press, 2000. Print.

Ryan, Michael. Consumerism. New York: The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology, Blackwell Publishing, 2007. Print.

Schmidt, Eric L. Consumer rites: the buying and selling of American holidays. Journal of Social History 31.5 (2007): 194-196. Print.

Whitaker, Jan. Service and Style: how the American Department Store fashioned the Middle Class. New York: St. Martins Press, 2006. Print.

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How Consumerism Has Shaped America

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