The Prairie News is a student-led free press. All opinions expressed herein are solely those of the writer and not those of WTAMU.

As winter quickly approaches and Christmas is right around the corner, it feels as if the true meaning of Christmas has been forgotten.

Although Christmas views differ for all individuals, there used to be a stigma of traditions revolving around this time of year. Whether you are among those who are religious and spend Christmas celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, others use the time to enjoy their families’ presence by commemorating the season together. Except Christmas has arguably reformed itself.

Moral values reflected during Christmas traditions include faith, family and solidarity while participating in activities like baking, playing in the snow, decorating gingerbread houses and driving around to see lights. Even though these activities still partake, moral views and traditions are ultimately becoming obsolete.

Since Christmas occurs during the winter, it is a seasonal depressive disorder. People will likely spend most of their time inside to avoid freezing temperatures. Being indoors would allow those to put all their time and effort into the holiday season to make it joyous.

However, the season is a time for large corporations to thrive off the energy put into the holiday to gain profit. As large companies have significantly changed an overall look on Christmas over the past few years, regulated products are promoted throughout the holiday season to engage consumers. Increasing advertisement around this time of year captivates children to beg for these toys and objects. Ultimately, creating seasonal items significantly increases profits. Customers rush to purchase items to avoid losing the opportunity to partake in Christmas joy before the season ends.

Humanity has warped the real meaning of Christmas into a powerful mindset of selfishness. People can no longer celebrate their thankfulness for each other and would instead celebrate how much money they can spend on others. The act of giving has developed into a mentality of greed. People are being socialized into a world of materialism and want more as they grow. Christmas now brings a sense of competition to who can give the more impressive gift. This competitive spirit is the consequential downfall of the true meaning of Christmas.

The moral value of giving is more important than receiving, but the sense of giving has lost all its value. Presents are no longer meaningful, and greed is a second-hand feeling. Christmas currently revolves around the standard of what each individual receives. The holiday season has become perceived as a time to receive luxurious materialistic items. There is a sense of always longing for more throughout the holiday season as people desperately look for satisfaction in materialistic ideologies. Almost as if someone would only be partially satisfied with their gifts.

Whether you interpret these months as a time for participating in traditional activities and giving back to others receiving and believing Christmas is evolving with the current generation, it is essential to remain open-minded about a positive way to celebrate the holiday. Consider spending these months doing at least one thing to give back to someone.