When did it become a fad for malls to put out pricey Santa photos?

[Mysterian]

While this is true, it’s commercialization gets worse every year.

Christmas has advertising to thank for it's popularity, so commercialism did more for Christmas than anything else.

https://jagwire.augusta.edu/is-christmas-too-commercial-well-thats-the-reason-it-became-popular/

The first period was the 1840s, when Christmas entered the Northeast, and its big cultural centers like New York and Boston, as a commercially tied holiday aimed at children.

Before then, Christmas was not widely celebrated in America. The Puritans who settled in New England in the 1600s had even made it illegal to celebrate the holiday.

“In the 17th and 18th centuries, for many English-speaking people who celebrated Christmas, it was a time to get drunk,” McClelland-Nugent said. “If there were any gifts given, that was on New Year’s Day.”

The article then goes into popular depictions of Santa, from The Ghost of Christmas Present, to Coca Cola, and more. So yeah, Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without commercialism.

Christmas is rooted in the pagan celebration of the Winter Solstice, but the pagans didn't have advertising agencies.

 

[Mysterian]

Now, all said and done... Where's the mall Krampus? Kids love Krampus!

 

[mom2rtk]

I get it. My point was partly that “Santa” is over 1,700 years old.

He looks good for his age.

 

[Buzz Rules]

Christmas has advertising to thank for it's popularity, so commercialism did more for Christmas than anything else.

https://jagwire.augusta.edu/is-christmas-too-commercial-well-thats-the-reason-it-became-popular/

The first period was the 1840s, when Christmas entered the Northeast, and its big cultural centers like New York and Boston, as a commercially tied holiday aimed at children.

Before then, Christmas was not widely celebrated in America. The Puritans who settled in New England in the 1600s had even made it illegal to celebrate the holiday.

“In the 17th and 18th centuries, for many English-speaking people who celebrated Christmas, it was a time to get drunk,” McClelland-Nugent said. “If there were any gifts given, that was on New Year’s Day.”

The article then goes into popular depictions of Santa, from The Ghost of Christmas Present, to Coca Cola, and more. So yeah, Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without commercialism.

Christmas is rooted in the pagan celebration of the Winter Solstice, but the pagans didn't have advertising agencies.

The date is rooted from paganism, not it’s Christian meaning. I get that this is not the point of the thread. So I’ll stop talking about it. But it does bug me when people claim to celebrate a holiday that is special to over 1 billion people and don’t respect it’s religious meaning. I wish it was called national gift giving day instead at this point.

 

[Mysterian]

But it does bug me when people claim to celebrate a holiday that is special to over 1 billion people and don’t respect it’s religious meaning. I wish it was called national gift giving day instead at this point.

I'm not bothered by people celebrating any holiday in a manner that's different to my own beliefs.

 

[PollyannaMom]

The only complaint I have against mall Santa photo ops is that they start like November 8 or so. Please!!! Give Thanksgiving its due!!

View attachment 699123

DS held this as a sign in one of our Christmas-card photos one year, because I was taking them so early.

 

[Buzz Rules]

The only complaint I have against mall Santa photo ops is that they start like November 8 or so. Please!!! Give Thanksgiving its due!!

View attachment 699123

It’s the American way.

 

[princesscinderella]

Our Santa at our fancy mall would give out nice childrens books to all the kids in addition to the ability to buy expensive pictures. Our kids are now teenagers so I’m not sure if that’s still a tradition. They also used to have an amazing little Christmas train that went through a giant Christmas display but that no longer exists either but that was crazy expensive when you kids wanted to ride it over and over. I think we spent $150 one Christmas season with our 3 kids.

 

[CdnCarrie]

We were fortunate that both my employer and husband’s had a childrens’ Christmas party with Santa. You got a free picture at one or used your own camera at the other.
Never did the mall Santa.

 

[tcufrog]

The local fancy mall that had its own fine art collection, which included a Warhol, had for decades a child psychologist who was a college professor as their Santa. They flew him in from another city. I took my kids there until it got to the point where my dad had to queue in line before the mall opened to get me a Santa ticket. He was an amazing Santa and the mall had beautiful Christmas decorations and lots of other activities during the Christmas season so we'd make a day of it. It made all of the local news outlets when he retired this year.

The first year I took my older son he was happy and smiling in the photo. The second year, he was not having any of it and started wailing on Santa's lap. When I picked up my son, Santa leaned over and asked me if he could print out the photo for his crying children photo album. I said yes of course.

My dad used to play Santa for local charities. I sometimes went as a helper. My favorite was one in the 80s where we went to a home for mothers and their babies who were suffering from AIDs. They really seemed grateful since they were treated like pariahs by so many people then. He loved doing it. During the 80s he had a red convertible with a white leather top. He'd get a kick out of driving it with the top down to events because of the double takes he'd get.