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Religious HolidaysWhat is a religious holiday? One has to define one's terms before making conclusions about a topic like religious holidays. The holiday part is simple. A holiday is a period of time that is observed for special reasons. Religious is a term usually applied when describing something relating to the practice of spiritual beliefs although religion is not always spiritual. But no matter what religion means to a person, it is assumable that religious is giving association to something with religion. So religious holidays are special observances of one or more aspects of any given religion. Religious holiday are not universal although some religious holidays are so widely observed and celebrated one might think they are universal and that has been the source of some heated conversations that address the idea of oppression by one group over another. Even if a majority of people believe in or accept a certain religious holiday for their own sake, doesn't mean that others who don't, should be forced to or even subjected to that particular observance. Some religious holidays, although not celebrated by all, have created an atmosphere of celebration for most. And sometimes this has been a distortion of the original purpose or reason that the holiday was ever celebrated in the first place. This air of celebration around religious holidays that now involves elaborate decorations, extravagant gift exchange and massive overeating was once a simple day of prayer and remembrance. And although from their inception, these holidays may include special foods and beverages and rituals associated with both, they were not created as an excuse to overindulge or a reason for commercialism to thrive. Never-the-less, this has been the case over the years and it continues to escalate. In many cases, children are utilized as the justification for the growth in product sales during the preparations for religious holidays. Take for instance two widely observed Christian religious holidays, Easter and Christmas. Both religious holidays mentioned have been distorted to include fictionalized characters that deliver treats and gifts to children (and adults). This drives the immense material consumption at the time of year approaching and during these two religious holidays and supports the corporate world, especially in terms of product sales for almost the entire year. It is true that there is also a great deal of sincere religious practice when recognizing these particular religious holidays. But for many, attention to religion is often limited to these two unique holidays and overlooked the rest of the year. This could be happening as it is children who are targeted by the advertising world in the hopes to boost sales during these two essential marketing periods. And nobody wants to disappoint the children...
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October 13, 2008 © MOREinfo-About.com. All Rights Reserved. T&C
