Celebrating Xmas: Commercialism or Culture?
Being used to the heavy Xmas decorations and cheesy seasonal songs being blasted everywhere, the traveler feels a little empty moving through Turkey and Greece in the past couple of days. Over in Istanbul, it was just another day at work, everything operated as if nothing special is happening, save for extra-busy working conditions dealing with hordes of (mostly Asian) tourists. Over in Athens, the main sights are closed for the two-day Xmas holidays, but as for everything else, the cafes, the souvenir shops, and indeed the daily routines of the common people, operated in completely normal ways.
Yes, in this corner of the world, there was absolutely no catering to the Xmas celebrations happening elsewhere. No Xmas songs, no Xmas lights, not even a word of "Merry Xmas" from the locals. The reason seems rather plain and simple: Muslim Turks (obviously) do not celebrate Xmas, and for the Orthodox Greeks, their Xmas falls on Jan 7th (a fact that I did not know until I was told so in Ukraine). From a pure religious standpoint, it makes absolutely no sense for the locals to go all-out elated for a holiday that is not even holy for them.
But the reasoning should come out pretty differently if one is to look at the economics. Both Greece and Turkey, especially during this time of financial crisis, have been even more dependent on a strong and resilient tourism sector (and understandably so, both Istanbul and Athens haven unbelievably superb tourist resources and fine weather for this time of the year). And the majority of the tourists, of course, are foreigners, who more often than not, tend to celebrate Xmas (and are abroad for their Xmas holidays).
If the Greeks and the Turks market their goods and services along Xmas lines (e.g. Turkish carpets sold as Xmas presents, and Greek bistros with Xmas menus), one would believe that they can increase the spending of the foreign tourists. The increase in sales should be affirmative, while the cost of Xmas-themed marketing should be next to zero, needing only a few clever Xmas phrases, menus, lights, and cardboard cutouts. Businesses in tourist areas exist to maximize profits, obtained from foreign tourists, so why do these business-owners resort to clearly beneficial Xmas marketing strategies?
Mind-boggling as it is, the answer can only be one thing: that, for the locals, preserving their own cultural identities remains much more important and meaningful than selling a few more goods and services. Perhaps they fear the wrath of their own God for punishing their unfaithfulness if they do even pretend to celebrate Xmas, perhaps, in a more straightforward and down-to-Earth way of thinking, they are just afraid that they are no longer really themselves if they start celebrating other people's holidays.
Indeed, religion is strongly part of cultural identity in this part of the world. Through religious lenses they define themselves, their places in the world, and their nationalistic worldview. To put unnecessary confusion into that integrated sense of national consciousness for a few extra penny from the foreigners, if seen this way, would be highly debasing, and in their mindset, not particularly different from selling their souls for some short-term or one-time financial or materialist interests.
But the Greeks and the Turks are not the only nationalists out there. In the Far East, there are certain nationalities who are so nationalist that they start burning their neighbor's flags for their fishing boat captains getting arrested by their neighbors, and spend majority of TV airtime discussing semi-fabricated historical greatness, but when it comes to Xmas, the East Asians took it up without a single bit of hesitation, with stores hanging Xmas decorations as if Xmas has been around Asia for thousands of years.
The Asian tourists, while busy taking in the amazing sights of Greece and Turkey, should also reflect on the non-existent Xmas atmosphere and what is really means. While of course engaging foreign cultures is necessary, blindly taking up foreign traditions while giving up one's own is, as locals here long realized, ultimately detrimental to one's national and individual identity. More mental caution, less blind commercialism is needed in Asia so that there can truly be a balance of internationalization and tradition.
Yes, in this corner of the world, there was absolutely no catering to the Xmas celebrations happening elsewhere. No Xmas songs, no Xmas lights, not even a word of "Merry Xmas" from the locals. The reason seems rather plain and simple: Muslim Turks (obviously) do not celebrate Xmas, and for the Orthodox Greeks, their Xmas falls on Jan 7th (a fact that I did not know until I was told so in Ukraine). From a pure religious standpoint, it makes absolutely no sense for the locals to go all-out elated for a holiday that is not even holy for them.
But the reasoning should come out pretty differently if one is to look at the economics. Both Greece and Turkey, especially during this time of financial crisis, have been even more dependent on a strong and resilient tourism sector (and understandably so, both Istanbul and Athens haven unbelievably superb tourist resources and fine weather for this time of the year). And the majority of the tourists, of course, are foreigners, who more often than not, tend to celebrate Xmas (and are abroad for their Xmas holidays).
If the Greeks and the Turks market their goods and services along Xmas lines (e.g. Turkish carpets sold as Xmas presents, and Greek bistros with Xmas menus), one would believe that they can increase the spending of the foreign tourists. The increase in sales should be affirmative, while the cost of Xmas-themed marketing should be next to zero, needing only a few clever Xmas phrases, menus, lights, and cardboard cutouts. Businesses in tourist areas exist to maximize profits, obtained from foreign tourists, so why do these business-owners resort to clearly beneficial Xmas marketing strategies?
Mind-boggling as it is, the answer can only be one thing: that, for the locals, preserving their own cultural identities remains much more important and meaningful than selling a few more goods and services. Perhaps they fear the wrath of their own God for punishing their unfaithfulness if they do even pretend to celebrate Xmas, perhaps, in a more straightforward and down-to-Earth way of thinking, they are just afraid that they are no longer really themselves if they start celebrating other people's holidays.
Indeed, religion is strongly part of cultural identity in this part of the world. Through religious lenses they define themselves, their places in the world, and their nationalistic worldview. To put unnecessary confusion into that integrated sense of national consciousness for a few extra penny from the foreigners, if seen this way, would be highly debasing, and in their mindset, not particularly different from selling their souls for some short-term or one-time financial or materialist interests.
But the Greeks and the Turks are not the only nationalists out there. In the Far East, there are certain nationalities who are so nationalist that they start burning their neighbor's flags for their fishing boat captains getting arrested by their neighbors, and spend majority of TV airtime discussing semi-fabricated historical greatness, but when it comes to Xmas, the East Asians took it up without a single bit of hesitation, with stores hanging Xmas decorations as if Xmas has been around Asia for thousands of years.
The Asian tourists, while busy taking in the amazing sights of Greece and Turkey, should also reflect on the non-existent Xmas atmosphere and what is really means. While of course engaging foreign cultures is necessary, blindly taking up foreign traditions while giving up one's own is, as locals here long realized, ultimately detrimental to one's national and individual identity. More mental caution, less blind commercialism is needed in Asia so that there can truly be a balance of internationalization and tradition.
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