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Show LIFE B5 Consumerism during the holidays Traditionally Speaking Family time at the Festival of Trees, an annual event By Mallory Black News Editor @mblack47 My family has a tradition. Every year, toward the end of November or the first part of December, each of us takes a break from our lives to meet at the Festival of Trees held at the South Towne Exposition Center. It's one of few traditions, as my family maybe has a handful of them, but it is my favorite by far. It might be the aisles upon aisles of extravagantly decorated Christmas trees, the savory smell of sweet rolls in the air or it could have something to do with spending time with my 6-year-old niece. The Festival of Trees is an annual fundraiser for Primary Chil- It is difficiult to seperate what I want and what I need sometimes. We are being fooled into believing we need more stuff By Tiffany Thatcher Life Editor dancertiff@gmail.com What does a person need? Do we even know anymore? For centuries people have bought something, then used it until it was worn out, then replaced it. In my case, and I am probably not alone, seldom have I used a piece of clothing until it has any indication of ware and tare. It is usually lost or replaced by that time. I think it's crazy how much stuff we are told we need. It is nice to get some extra things besides the basics—food, water and shelter, but seriously, I am guessing this is not what your shopping list looks like when you walk into Walmart. This only gets amplified at Christmas time. My dad asked me what I wanted for Christmas this year. I thought long and hard and came up with some things, but told him that I really don't need anything. He responded by saying, "None of us need anything really." And so we are faced with the task of looking for more things to need, or want. 66 It's like we spend all year long buying what we want, then when December hits, we try to think of more to add to our collection of things I think it is strange that we look for things to want just because of the time of year it is. It's like we spend all year long buying what we want, then when December hits, we try to think of more to add dren's Medical Center. Typically tickets are no more than $5, which grants attendees access to a holiday wonderland of sorts. Thousands come to the event for various reasons, but generally, I think it is in support of a good cause. After meeting my brother, my Mom and my niece Makayla to carpool, we started driving toward the Expo Center when we began noticing a number of red tail lights ahead. We finally found a parking space in an overflowing, dirtcovered lot across the street. The crowds have grown over the years. My first memory of the Festival of Trees was talking to an "elf' in one of those old-school pay phone booths when I was 4 or 5. I can't recall what we said to one another, though I distinctly remember thinking this elf was psychic for some reason. The Elf Pay Phone Booth was and still is one of the attractions in the Kid's Corner, a booth area set-up where children can deco- HANNAH SHAW/UVUREVIEW to our collection of things. Are these things even well used, or after some use do they gather dust on a shelf or get shoved under the bed adding to the clutter? It seems the market has given up hiding the fact that we just like to buy a lot of stuff. I saw a commercial the other day for Prilosec OTC, with Larry the Cable Guy telling viewers that a flavor coated heartburn medicine is great because we Americans like to buy things that don't have a real purpose. "Now why make a flavored heart burn pill?" Larry said. "Cause this is America, and we don't just make things you want, we make things you didn't even know you wanted, like a spoon fork, spray cheese, and jeans made out of sweat pants." Another commercial made by Mazda, told customers to turn their signature into a new car, saying that right now you can buy one with no money down. This is incredible! Guys, are we falling for these types of sales points? I hope we are not because I think it is disgusting that we are not only thought of this way but are sold when people tell us this is what we are. TRADITIO OLD AND NE % cork°, . ROBIN SESSIONS/UVUREVIEW Many Utah family traditions include the Festival of Trees. My family started several interesting traditions that have continued through the years By Holly Rose Matthews ROBIN SESSIONS/UVUREVIEW Some parents report that the ritual of moving the elf each day and anticipation from the children motivate good behavior and self policing by the children as well as another layer to the Christmas traditions. alwayssunnyholly@gmail.com CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS Many of our favorite holiday traditions have Pagan as well as Christian origins and some are not nearly as old as we might think. For example, did you know that the original Puritan Pilgrims did not celebrate Christmas at all when our nation was just starting? The settlers in the South were more liberal and celebrated Christmas in more festive ways, including adding greenery, mistletoe, and a variety of observances that went on without a letup from December 15 to January 6. Christmas itself was not December 25, but January 5, according to the old church calendar; it was not until about 1750 that the date was changed to the present one. Gift-giving did not gain popularity until the 1800's. Many traditions surrounding the gift giving and Santa Claus did not gain popularity in the U.S. until the late 1800's and as the legend blossomed more elements were added and changed with the times. A new tradition has recently caught on and is becoming quite popular with families with young children. While there are no written records of the origin of the Christmas stocking, there are popular legends that attempt to tell the history of this Christmas tradition. One such legend has several variations, but the following is a good example: Very long ago, there lived a poor man and his three very beautiful daughters. He had no money to get his daughters married and he was worried about what would happen to them after his death. Saint Nicholas was passing through when he heard the villagers talking about the girls. St. Nicholas wanted to help, but knew that the old man wouldn't accept charity. He decided to help in secret. He waited until it was night and crept through the chimney. He had three bags of gold coins with him, one for each girl. As he was looking for a place to keep those three bags, he noticed stockings of the three girls that were hung over the mantelpiece for drying. He put one bag in each stocking and off he went. When the girls and their father woke up the next morning, they found the bags of gold coins and were of course, overjoyed. The girls were able to get married and live happily ever after. This led to the custom of children hanging stockings or putting out shoes, eagerly awaiting gifts from Saint Nicholas. Various gifts, candy, toys and other items became popular in Northern European countries and the traditions were brought to the United States as people emigrated. Today, stores carry a large variety of styles and sizes of Christmas stockings, and Christmas stockings are also a popular homemade craft. Many families create their own Christmas stockings with each family member's name applied to the stocking so that Santa will know which stocking belongs to which family member. In my family we had different stockings through the years and even one for our dog, Honey. She loved Christmas, especially when she would get a can of tennis balls and some beef jerky. THE ELF ON THE SHELF Santa Clause and gift giving was not added to holiday traditions until the 1800's. DECEMBER 10, 2012 The Elf on a Shelf started in 2005 when the mother daughter team of Carol Aebersold and Chanda Bell, self published a children's book called, "Elf on the Shelf'. It quickly became a best seller and the products and book spread across the nation. Every day from Thanksgiving until Christmas Eve, each family's scout elf watches over the children and then at night, once everyone goes to bed, the elf flies back to the North Pole to report back to Santa about what activities, good and bad, took place throughout the day. Before the family wakes up each morning, the scout elf flies back from the North Pole and hides. By hiding in a new spot each morning around the house, the scout elf and the family play an on-going game of hide and seek. Although families aren't supposed to touch their scout elf, they can talk to it and tell it all their Christmas wishes so it can report back to Santa accurately. rate paper reindeer antlers with sequins, go ice fishing for a prize or have their nails painted. They didn't have the manicure table setup when I was their age - a shame in my book. The three of us followed around my niece as she made her way around the Kid's Corner. Her first stop was the Bubble Machine, 66 I don't know if having a family is something I could handle. I can barely handle myself. where she stood on a platform suspended over a kiddie pool, filled with bubble solution. A hula-hoop dropped down around her, pulling back up a wave of bubbles for her to blow. Her attempt at the Bubble Machine was successful, and her smile made me smile. After a few more booths, my Mom and I sat down on chairs arranged in the center of the area. As kids and their families meandered all around, I began to people-watch, which I'm sure many of you do and may or may not admit to doing. I like to think of myself as a thoughtful observer of human nature. "You know sometimes, I think `for sure, I want kids,' but then I come to places like this and it's intimidating," I said to my Mom. "I see all of these parents chasing around their kids. I don't know if having a family is something I could handle. I can barely handle myself." My Mom multitasked listening to me while watching my niece ice fish at another booth. "I think it's different when they're your own kids," my Mom said. "I mean, kids cry, but you never cried like that. Well, your brother did, but... I don't think you should worry. " As far as the family thing goes, I do want one - maybe two or three kids, I just don't know. I was barely able to find time for the Festival of Trees this year. But I did make it. It's tradition, and the spirit of this tradition is worth keeping alive. 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS The Twelve Days of Christmas is one of my own families favorite traditions. According to my mother we began this tradition the year I was born. She had been told to stay in bed for the last few months while she was carrying me and so to stave off boredom she started making all 72 characters from the song in fabric and hand sculpted Christmas ornaments. By my first Christmas she had a partridge in a pear tree, two turtle doves, three French hens, four calling birds, five golden rings, six geese a laying, seven swans a swimming, eight maids a milking, nine ladies dancing, ten lords a leaping, eleven pipers piping and twelve drummers drumming!! They filled a full sized tree top to bottom and we had to scramble to get them on the tree when each verse of the song came up. Later we had big parties at the beginning of December and invited friends and family over to join in the tree trimming and singing this song. Last year my mom passed on those decorations to me so that I can start my own traditions. The twelve days in the song are the twelve days starting Christmas day, or in some traditions, the day after Christmas and lasts until the evening of the fifth of January, the eve of the Epiphany, formerly the last day of the Christmas festivities and observed as a time of merrymaking. Although the specific origins of the chant are not known, it possibly began as a "memories-and-forfeits" game, in which a leader recited a verse, each of the players repeated the verse, the leader added another verse and so on until one of the players made a mistake, with the player who made a mistake having to pay a penalty, such as offering up a kiss or a candy. In addition to written lyrics the music grew in popularity in France and England during the late 1700's. Some of my favorite Twelve Days of Christmas traditions are the comedy renditions of that chaotic song, especially the Muppets version. It would be a pretty bland Christmas without at least one Muppet show to embellish the traditions. The Holiday Season can include many traditions, Christian, Pagan, Jewish, or even Secular characters and traditions like Santa Clause and his reindeer. The most important elements in any tradition are to surround yourself with people you love and enjoy spending time with. |