Religious people have been complaining about the commercialization of Christmas for as long as I’ve been alive, and that’s going on 60 years..... The people who were complaining about it decades ago were perceptive enough to see where it was all heading...... Once the shopping and the parties and the TV specials become bigger than the holiday itself, then the whole idea of Christmas becomes a form of mass manipulation
About 8 years ago, I was totally fed up with the Christmas shopping ‘rat race’ and just buying “stuff” or giving gift cards to people. I started making all of my Christmas presents. Things like crochet mittens (rather popular, actually), canned (Jalapeno Pepper Jelly is the biggest hit) & baked goods, etc. It’s interesting who in the family “values” those presents - some do, some don’t. It certainly made Christmas more ‘meaningful’ for me ... folks, via the homemade presents,got my time & attention, thoughts of what would suit them.
We try to focus on family gatherings with good food & let presents be secondary. Being together as a family is the greatest gift/blessing of all, especially with 2 members over 90 yo . It does upset/aggravate me to no end that stores had/have Christmas decorations out & for sale prior to Halloween this year.