There’s one phrase kids of this generation really do not like to hear. Maybe it’s because of the lecture that will follow, the long story that’s coming, or our own regret that we didn’t get to experience what our parents did. Yes, you guessed it, its the classic “Back in my day” that we all have heard at-least once. Sometimes, especially regarding the Holiday season, what the adults in our lives have to share about what it was like in their day is very interesting and different from what we see today. The holiday season sure has changed from when my parents were kids to what we experience. From black Friday deals to holiday decorations and lights, there are many similarities and differences from today, and back in their day.
Starting at the beginning of the holiday season, there is black Friday, the day of deals, standing in line, and of course, shopping. In the 1980s is when the term black Friday transfers from a negative day filled with crowds streets and shoplifting to a prosperous day of shopping for Americans everywhere. Black Friday meet standing in line at midnight at your local department store along with hundreds of other anticipating shoppers to buy the next big thing. And in the 1980’s that next big thing was the Cabbage Patch Doll. According to www.cabbagepatchkids.com “By the end of the year almost 3 million of the Cabbage Patch Kids Toys have been adopted…The Cabbage Patch Kids Toys go on record as the most successful new doll introduction in the history of the toy industry”. This new toy became a huge success and Black Friday was a huge help for this. In this time so many parents rushed to their local stores in attempt to fight heir way through a multi-hundred person crowd in-order to snatch one of the new dolls for themselves. Now, much of black Friday annual shopping is done solely online. Last years holiday seasons online commerce made up close to 17.1% of all non-adjusted sales in the fourth quarter according to nbcchicago.com and Commerce Department of data. Along with the increase in online shopping, Black Friday has became a weekly celebration of sales rather than a one day event. These innovations allow for more individuals to shop, and have time to shop the annual sales. Though there is much more convince towards Black Friday celebrations, there is also a decrease in the luster that surrounds the day. There is rarely and more jam packed stores to buy a new toy, midnight department store lines, and scouting the papers to see what will be on sale.
A long time favorite holiday season activity is looking at holiday decorations. Today, there are blow-up figures and light displays like you couldn’t imagine. The increase in holiday decoration is immense. The innovation in the different decor one could purchase is huge. Many houses went from having lights and figurines to having decorations that can talk and move. We have seen houses that even have music playing to the rhythm of different decorations. Many years ago, there was not this level of technology in decorating for the holidays. Despite there being less kinds of decoration for individuals to use, there was still so much holiday decoration. Many houses on blocks were decked out with lights and handmade figures. The bight and sometimes considered ‘maximalist’ style of decoration was extremely popular, also with bight colored lights in display. Though there are many differences between the two times of decoration, both portray the holiday spirit.
Though there are lots of differences between many adults generation of holiday spirit and what many of us see now, there is one thing in common, the heart of all of the shopping chaos, holiday dinners, songs, and decorations, all of it brings family together for one of the happiest times of the year.
