Anyone else think we're all dancing to the Retailers tune?

[Huskylover1]

Uugh, so fed up of adverts telling me to absolutely stuff my face, and drink as much as possible. Because...after Boxing Day, I will be bombarded with adverts suggesting that I'm a fat pig, and that I really need to re-invent myself into a much fitter and thinner person, who is "beach ready". I feel like saying "hang on, that's not what you were saying a few days ago!"

Gosh!!! Are you one of the few people who will not buy enough food to feel your family for 3 months just because the shops will be closed for one day at Christmas?
So much about Christmas is about retailers profits.
It should be about a family with a little boy called Jesus.

Eh? Don't even understand that message John

I solve this by not watching tv... Well, almost. Other ppl in my house have it on so I see a little.

Also we mute the adverts until programmes come back on.
Funny enough the only adverts anywhere that I take note of are on buses, while waiting in traffic.

I'm fed up of them constantly shoving the idea of a 'magical' or 'spectacular' Christmas at me. Why can't it just be a day that you might spend with people you love (or barely tolerate) and eat some vaguely nice food???

As John says it is supposed to be about Jesus - even in these nonreligious times why isn't it about love, joy, hope and peace - surely everyone can get behind this instead of the advertisers constant demands that we buy stuff to make it 'magical'? (as if a new jumper/phone/toy makes a day magical.)

Well... you don’t have to do what they say! We don’t buy a huge amount of extra food at Christmas. No big boxes of roses or any of that shit. We’ve ordered a really nice fillet of beef from the farm shop, a couple of extra side dishes and a board of our favourite cheeses. I’m pregnant but DH will get a couple of bottles of his favourite wine. No gorging, no 1000’s of extra calories. No diets in January either.
So I’m not dancing to anyone’s tune, I don’t think. Everyone has a choice.

I think John is agreeing with you, Husky. I read the post in a sort of 'mock outrage' tone.
FWIW, I agree, and do all I can not to buy in to a commercialised Christmas. Not having a TV helps.

Oh, we don't over indulge either really. It's just the fickleness of it all that gets me!

Christmas was originally a pagan festival (Yule) - just saying.

As for capitalism? Well that's all about selling the product, and that's you, I'm afraid.

I couldn't care less... I don't like Christmas (any more) for a lot of reasons. But I do like some of the seasonal foods and stuff my face with it. Come January, they are off the shelf (& less favourable Easter eggs apeare) and my waistline will shrink by itself till next October when it starts filling out again together with the supermarket Christmas shelfs. So, in effect, the food retailers look after me & my waistline in a very subtle way, I like it that way.

I have learned to ignore all advertising. Ads are only a source of amusement to DH and I now. We spend much of time just taking the piss out of them.

The ones that make me really laugh at the mo are men's products that have been given overly masculine names/packaging/very deep voiced voice-overs who use words like "extreeeeeme" "supercharged" "tough" for shit like moisturiser.

Or toothpaste adverts that use the shaky wonky camera angle to convince us they're in a real dental practice talking to a real dentist, so they're obviously not lying... honest!

I try to resist the "buy buy buy!" line but, yes, retail currently is based on hyping consumers up and trying to tie their self-esteem to their purchases, and it's endemic.

Our advertising, except perhaps about gambling, seems to become more like that in the US every year (I visit the US as family live there).

I like to have food treats a few times a year. It adds interest to a cold and dark time of years. I am then pleased to end the rich food.

Start building up your zone out and resilience skills. Stop watching live TV, or watch on demand, mute or fast forward the adverts. Don't listen to commercial radio. Install Ad blockers on your browsers. Wear polarised sunglasses it makes the screen/TV billboards completely black. I haven't worked out how to ignore the huge paper billboards but they're getting fewer and far between thankfully. Thank yourself that you're not in the US where advertising is on steroids compared to over here.