Santa, the secular 'Christ of Material Abundance'

Our target must be Santa Claus. Yes, while he is a jolly old fellow with a stomach that wobbles like jelly, if we are to pursue a Christmas that is more conducive to human happiness, Santa Claus must go. Santa Claus is largely responsible for the materialistic circus that Christmas has become. These days, as early as October, Santa gets wheeled out and his head is thrown on commercials advertising anything from bras to the latest in barbeque technology. Toy companies can get away with associating a new glow-in-the-dark talking machete with Christmas not because of some groovy picture of Christ, but because of Santa. As Kasser and Sheldon write in their paper, Santa is a secular version of Christ “whose realm is that of material abundance”.

Christmas, Santa-style, is not only a cause of a materialistic frenzy during the festive season, but also throughout the year. Christmas is the perfect opportunity for the mega corporations to reel in parents to introduce their kids to the “hedonic treadmill”, and the rest is history. As Kasser wrote earlier this year in a paper published in the Deakin Law Review, happiness studies have shown that children who are high in so-called “consumer involvement” are more likely to suffer from depression, anxiety, a range of physical symptoms and lower self-esteem.

To rid Christmas of Santa, there is a role for the law. What we need to do as a matter of urgency is place a total ban on the use of Santa in any advertising material, and in relation to any goods and services, including motion pictures. This is not as radical as it seems, particularly when we remember that Santa is used to rope in kids to buy consumer products (either directly or indirectly via their parents). New Zealand has placed bans on advertising junk food and countries such as Sweden, Norway and Finland have placed a complete ban on advertisements to children under a particular age. A Santa stocking or Hollywood Christmas flick is no substitute for a happier community.

So thank you Mum for the time and effort you are putting into your pudding. Not only will it be delicious, but you have shone the light on the true spirit of Christmas. If we follow your lead, the evidence is there that we will be happier because of it.