tag:theconversation.com,2011:/au/topics/christmas-1968/articles
Christmas – The Conversation
2024-01-05T16:14:13Z
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/220428
2024-01-05T16:14:13Z
2024-01-05T16:14:13Z
How Ireland’s Nollaig na mBan evolved from a day off housework to a celebration of women’s achievements
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567868/original/file-20240104-19-8i38k4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=16%2C16%2C5447%2C3620&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/group-asian-friends-praying-over-christmas-2224084259">Butsaya/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Growing up in west Kerry, Christmas was (and still is) not officially over until after <em>Nollaig na mBan</em> (Women’s Christmas) on January 6 – candles are lit in windows and decorations are not taken down until the next day. </p>
<p>I’ve celebrated this since I was a child. My grandmother loved <em>Nollaig na mBan</em>, when my Dad would collect her around lunchtime and bring her to visit with her sister in Dún Chaoin, a village in west County Kerry. They would both dress in their Sunday best, my grandmother wearing the colourful beaded necklace she saved for special occasions. </p>
<p>Like <a href="https://duchas.ie/en/cbes/stories?SearchText=Nollaig+na+mBan&SearchLanguage=ga&Page=1&PerPage=20">women all over Ireland</a> on January 6, the two sisters would have a catch up, eat some cake and maybe even have a glass of punch before deciding what other calls they wanted to make to their friends that day. My dad was their chauffeur because <em>Nollaig na mBan</em> was traditionally a “day off” for women after organising and executing a busy Christmas holiday for their families.</p>
<p>For my grandmother’s generation in West Kerry, it was a day to catch up and socialise with other local women who had worked hard over Christmas. After currant cake and chats in various homes, my dad would drive them to one of the local pubs to meet other friends and where there might be some music. The ladies would continue their catch-ups there over sherries and hot brandies – a lovely way to finish up their busy Christmas season. </p>
<h2>Celebrating Nollaig na mBan around Ireland</h2>
<p>The tradition of <em>Nollaig na mBan</em> has been celebrated <a href="https://www.rte.ie/archives/2022/1207/1340521-nollaig-na-mban/">for generations</a> in West Kerry. Elsewhere in counties Kerry and Cork, as well as other <em>Gaeltacht</em> (Irish-speaking) areas it was also common, but in many other communities around Ireland it was not a tradition at all. </p>
<p>In these places, January 6 is more likely known as “Little Christmas” (because would finish the leftovers of larger Christmas feasts) or <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Epiphany">the Feast of the Epiphany</a>, the last of the 12 Days of Christmas. <em>Oíche na dTrí Rithe</em> (the Night of the Three Kings) marks the visit of the three wise men to the baby Jesus. People place the three kings in their Christmas nativity cribs, and often <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/1185674">light three candles</a> in their windows to mark the common lore around the kings turning water into wine on the January 6. As Irish folklorist <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/1185674">Kevin Danaher wrote</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><em>Oíche na dTrí Rithe,<br>
Sea deintear fíon den uisce</em></p>
<p>(The Night of the Three Kings,<br>
The water turns to wine)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>It’s only been in recent years that I’ve realised how lucky I was to have grown up with such a strong tradition of celebrating women on this day. And from what was traditionally a time when women could visit each other for a chat over the food and drink of their choice, the day has since become a chance to go out, support and celebrate each other. </p>
<p>In 1970, Danaher <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/1185674">wrote of <em>Nollaig na mBan</em></a>: “Christmas Day was marked by beef and whiskey, men’s fare, while on Little Christmas Day the dainties preferred by women – cake, tea and wine, were more in evidence”.</p>
<p>While during the Christmas season foods were heavier, by January 6 people were generally finishing off the bits and pieces of leftover food. Certainly, “dainties” and currant cakes were the norm for my grandmother’s gatherings. And <a href="https://www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/columnists/arid-40778976.html#:%7E:text=There%20are%20many%20Irish%20folk,and%20women%2C%20says%20the%20historian.">the saying</a>: <em>“Nollaig na mBan, Nollaig gan mhaith”</em> (Women’s Christmas, no good Christmas) was sometimes bandied around by men as a bit of a jibe that alludes to the “lesser” foods typically eaten on the day.</p>
<p>When we read about <a href="https://www.farmersjournal.ie/life/features/today-nollaig-na-mban-means-taking-a-day-to-appreciate-the-women-in-our-lives-740590">the origins</a> of the tradition today, many articles focus on the idea that women took the day off from their <a href="https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/nollaig-na-mban-what-is-it-and-how-is-it-being-celebrated/41212081.html">usual housework and chores</a>. But during and since my granny’s time, many women still undertook the usual duties in the morning, putting aside time to rest and socialise from lunchtime onwards.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Black and white photo of a woman standing in front of a sweeping sea view with a donkey." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/568022/original/file-20240105-28-iobd5t.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/568022/original/file-20240105-28-iobd5t.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568022/original/file-20240105-28-iobd5t.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568022/original/file-20240105-28-iobd5t.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568022/original/file-20240105-28-iobd5t.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568022/original/file-20240105-28-iobd5t.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/568022/original/file-20240105-28-iobd5t.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The author’s grandmother in 1942, Com Dhíneol Thuaidh (Coumeenoole North), Kerry. The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0621, Page 413 by Dúchas © National Folklore Collection, UCD is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://duchas.ie/en/cbeg/20688">Tomás Ó Muircheartaigh / Dúchas, National Folklore Commission</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">CC BY-NC-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Modern-day Nollaig na mBan traditions</h2>
<p>In the past ten years or so, <em>Nollaig na mBan</em> has <a href="https://youtu.be/X1Wz9i4vkZY?si=giMbbOgG2hxxgFJC">risen in popularity</a> all over Ireland, with city pubs and restaurants from Belfast to Cork advertising special menus and <a href="https://irishwriterscentre.ie/whats-on/nollaig-na-mban-2019/">events</a>. For the second year, a <a href="https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/nollaig-na-mban-seven-events-you-need-to-know-about-in-dublin/a42308933.html"><em>Nollaig na mBan</em> festival</a> is celebrating women in north County Dublin. </p>
<p>Increased awareness of this tradition has spread via social media and other coverage, undoubtedly helping to stoke this enthusiasm. Online discussion around <em>Nollaig na mBan</em> often centres on <a href="https://twitter.com/NGIreland/status/1479063287132209152">celebrating historical figures</a> or creatives, alongside pictures women post of themselves with their female family members and friends. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/N0riRMO0iyM?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Women celebrating Nollaig na mBan at EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum in Dublin in 2020 name their ‘Herstory Heroines’.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Today in west Kerry, <em>Nollaig na mBan</em> is <a href="https://www.rte.ie/archives/2022/1207/1340521-nollaig-na-mban/">celebrated with great fervour</a> and in many ways is very similar to my granny’s time, although we tend to gather in local hotels, restaurants and pubs for our catch-ups. Grannies, mums, sisters and daughters often hold brunch and lunchtime meet-ups, while groups of friends and work colleagues might celebrate at night.</p>
<p>January 6 is still a time to remember and <a href="https://twitter.com/NGIreland/status/1479063287132209152">celebrate women</a> in Ireland, but it’s become much more similar to the way International Women’s Day (on March 8) is celebrated: it’s a day to read and share work by <a href="https://irishwriterscentre.ie/whats-on/nollaig-na-mban-2024-bodies-of-work/">female writers</a>, poets and <a href="https://www.windmilllanerecording.com/nollaig-na-mban-at-windmill-lane/">musicians</a>, a day to wear jewellery and clothes by Ireland’s many female designers, whether it’s a <a href="https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/fashion/2023/0712/1394124-margaret-oconnor-on-designing-for-everyday-queens-of-all-class/">Margaret O'Connor neckheadpiece</a> or <a href="https://www.image.ie/style/irish-design-spotlight-manley-754521">an Emma Manley leather skirt</a>.</p>
<p><em>Nollaig na mBan</em> is a day to remember how far women in Ireland have come since the latew 1970s before which bans against <a href="https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/spotlight/arid-41041625.html">contraception</a> and <a href="https://ictu.ie/blog/marriage-bar-ban-employing-married-women">married women working</a> limited our freedom. But it also reminds us how far women have yet to go in gaining true equality in business and society.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/220428/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span><a href="mailto:agranville@ucc.ie">agranville@ucc.ie</a> previously received funding but not currently from Culture Ireland, Arts Council of Ireland, Ealaín na Gaeltachta, Kerry County Council. She is affiliated with the Board of the Arts Council of Ireland and works at the Folklore Department, University College Cork. </span></em></p>
Nollaig na mBan marks the end of the Christmas season on January 6, but is also a day to celebrate Mná na hÉireann (women of Ireland).
Aoife Granville, Lecturer in Béaloideas (Folklore), University College Cork
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/210941
2023-12-27T09:10:11Z
2023-12-27T09:10:11Z
Horse skulls and harmony singing – two winter customs which bring people in Wales together
<p>Imagine you’re having a quiet evening at home when suddenly there’s a knock on the door. You open it to find a boisterous crowd carrying a horse’s skull mounted on a pole and draped in ribbons – the <em><a href="https://museum.wales/articles/1187/Christmas-Traditions-The-Mari-Lwyd">Mari Lwyd</a></em> has arrived. </p>
<p>The <em>Mari Lwyd</em>, meaning “grey (or pale) mare”, is a Christmas and new year custom in areas of south Wales dating back to the 18th century. A horse’s skull is placed on a pole and covered in a white sheet, decorated with ribbons. A person, concealed under the sheet, carries the pole and operates the horse’s jaw, making it snap. A group of stock characters accompany them including Sergeant, Merryman, Punch and Judy. </p>
<p>The procession goes from house to house and the group sing verses asking for admittance. The household is expected to respond, also in verse. And so begins a (sometimes very long) improvised poetic contest or rhyming ritual known as <em>pwnco</em> before the group is finally invited into the house and offered food and drink.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AcvvWcDLagY?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">The Mari Lwyd goes from door to door but would you let her in?</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Several explanations have been proposed as to the origin of the custom. Some argue that its roots lie in a pre-Christian fertility <a href="http://www.folkwales.org.uk/mari.html">ritual</a>. Others have argued that the <em>Mari Lwyd</em> has associations with the <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/2791759">Virgin Mary</a>. </p>
<p>The custom is clearly connected to the practice of <a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/discover/history/art-collections/wassailing-ritual-and-revelry#">wassailing</a>, where groups of merrymakers go from one house to another asking for food and drink. It may be linked to other folk performances found elsewhere in Britain and Ireland, including the <a href="https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803100300697">hobby-horse</a> tradition. </p>
<h2>Plygain</h2>
<p>Further north, a tradition celebrated in Montgomeryshire, where I was brought up, is much less colourful and firmly located within a religious context. Deriving from the Latin “pullicantio” (cock crow), the <em><a href="https://museum.wales/articles/1185/Christmas-Traditions-Plygain-Singing/">plygain</a></em> (pronounced “plug-ine”), was an early-morning service originally held on Christmas Day in parish churches and then also in nonconformist chapels, beginning in candlelight and continuing into daylight. </p>
<p>It is now mainly an evening service, although some stalwarts still adhere to the early morning tradition. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/a6Id_jRy1E4?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">A trio singing plygain.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>After a congregational hymn, a reading and a prayer, the vicar or minister will announce, “<em>Mae’r blygien yn awr yn agored</em>” (the plygain is now open). There is no programme; rather, a party of singers will get up and make their way to the chancel or the <em>sêt fawr</em> (the elder’s pew in a chapel), and sing a carol, unaccompanied and with no conductor. </p>
<p>These are often from the same family and with an ancient pedigree, their frayed carol books (usually old notebooks) having been passed down through the generations. A tuning fork is often used to pitch the tune – I’ve even seen it struck against a singer’s tooth. </p>
<p>The carols would often have been composed by local poets and sung to popular tunes of the time. They do not describe solely the birth of Christ and frequently focus on the crucifixion. Often very long, they are usually sung in three-part harmonies. </p>
<p>The <em>plygain</em> ends with the spine-chilling sound of <em><a href="http://daibach-welldigger.blogspot.com/2020/12/welsh-carols-15-carol-y-swper.html">Carol y Swper</a></em> (the Supper Carol), when all the men in the congregation come forward to sing. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/q0dxs1OL-yg?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Carol y Swper performed at a church in Montgomeryshire.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Revival and reinvention</h2>
<p>In the 1960s, the <a href="https://museum.wales/stfagans/">St Fagans National Museum of History</a>, or the Welsh Folk Museum as it was then known, began <a href="https://museum.wales/collections/folksongs/?action=background">collecting</a> different genres of Welsh folk songs. These included <em>plygain</em> carols and <em>Mari Lwyd</em> verses. This has helped to renew interest in both traditions. </p>
<p>The museum hosts annual <em>Mari Lwyd</em> <a href="https://museum.wales/stfagans/whatson/12104/Christmas-Traditions-The-Mari-Lwyd-Performances">performances</a>, while many a Cardiff pub-goer will likely be startled by the sudden appearance of a snapping horse’s skull. The practice has evolved over time – visits can be pre-arranged, participants will sing from song sheets, the <em>Mari</em> may even be made of cardboard. In fact, anything goes.</p>
<p>Today, the <em>Mari</em> (in various guises) is thriving, and can be found as far afield as the USA and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/welshzombiechristmashorse/">Australia</a>. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1477386261761564672"}"></div></p>
<p>The <em>plygain</em> is still going strong in Montgomeryshire and, indeed, all over Wales and beyond. Around 50 <a href="https://plygain.org/dyddiadur.htm">services</a> are held during December and January. </p>
<p>And this tradition, too, has undergone many changes. Several collections of <em>plygain</em> songs have by now been published enabling new carollers to participate. </p>
<p>In 2020 and 2021, a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yifxPBea1f0">virtual</a> <em>plygain</em> took place during the pandemic. A bilingual <em>plygain</em> <a href="https://www.plygain.org/home.htm">website</a> has also been set up and a new carol composed specifically for women’s voices, so that women, too, have their <em>Carol y Swper</em>. </p>
<p>Purists would argue that traditions should not be revived and re-invented. But it is in the nature of traditions to change and constantly evolve – they must do so in order to survive. </p>
<p>We should continue to celebrate the modern-day versions of the <em>Mari Lwyd</em> tradition and the <em>plygain</em> because they contribute to a shared sense of identity and instil in participants a sense of belonging.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/210941/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sioned Davies does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
The Mari Lwyd and the plygain are two prominent Welsh traditions celebrated over Christmas and the new year.
Sioned Davies, Emeritus Professor of Welsh, Cardiff University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/210275
2023-12-24T20:53:07Z
2023-12-24T20:53:07Z
The Christmas when all the sodomites died
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/551965/original/file-20231004-24-gnonhe.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=596%2C229%2C3147%2C2055&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The Beast Acheron, 1475
Simon Marmion (Flemish, active 1450–1489)</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.getty.edu/art/collection/object/103RZ4">Getty Museum</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>There is an obscure medieval legend that says once upon a time in Bethlehem, a child was born whose holiness was so great it required the slaughter of all the “sodomites” in the world. </p>
<p>Sodomites, the legend says, are so impure God did not want to share His humanity with them. So, He killed them all before He became human. </p>
<p>Clearly, there was no divine annihilation of sodomites on the first Christmas. Nonetheless, this curious example of medieval “fake news” is important because of what it represents. </p>
<p>The story combines ridiculous assertions and pious hatred in a manner familiar to many queer people today. What a medieval theologian meant by “sodomite” is not the same thing as what we mean today by “homosexual”. Yet, religious condemnations of “sodomy” are all too often applied to contemporary LGBTQ+ people.</p>
<h2>A false legend</h2>
<p>The medieval authorities who cited the legend believed it was fact. Their faith in the story rested on its supposed origins in the writing of Saints Jerome and Augustine, as explained by James of Voragine (c. 1230–1298) in his famous collection of saints’ lives called the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Legend">Golden Legend</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/551966/original/file-20231004-29-nt3nb5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Medieval manuscript" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/551966/original/file-20231004-29-nt3nb5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/551966/original/file-20231004-29-nt3nb5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=427&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551966/original/file-20231004-29-nt3nb5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=427&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551966/original/file-20231004-29-nt3nb5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=427&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551966/original/file-20231004-29-nt3nb5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=536&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551966/original/file-20231004-29-nt3nb5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=536&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551966/original/file-20231004-29-nt3nb5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=536&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The Golden Legend is a collection of stories of saints’ lives.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Umbria,_jacopo_da_varazze,_leggenda_aurea,_1290_ca._01.jpg">Sailko/Wikimedia Commons</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>James of Voragine wrote that Jerome and Augustine spoke of how “even the sodomites gave witness by being exterminated wherever they were” on Christ’s birth, because God hesitated to become incarnate while this vice existed in human nature.</p>
<p>The sudden death of all the world’s sodomites, of course, did not happen on the first Christmas. What is more, Jerome and Augustine never actually claimed it did. People who have looked in their works for the legend’s origins have found nothing.</p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/551969/original/file-20231004-24-deen3k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Stained glass window" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/551969/original/file-20231004-24-deen3k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/551969/original/file-20231004-24-deen3k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=1356&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551969/original/file-20231004-24-deen3k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=1356&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551969/original/file-20231004-24-deen3k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=1356&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551969/original/file-20231004-24-deen3k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1704&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551969/original/file-20231004-24-deen3k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1704&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551969/original/file-20231004-24-deen3k.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1704&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The legend probably began with Stephen Langton, later the Archbishop of Canterbury.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/jpguffogg/35043226491/in/photolist-6Lb1u-TcN3TG-ScMRdB-ScMSm8-iQRd6K-b6fPzt-VoDGmc">Jules & Jenny/flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Every part of the legend is false. </p>
<p>As far as I can tell, the story began in the classroom of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Langton">Stephen Langton</a> (c. 1150–1228) in Paris. </p>
<p>Langton was an intellectual who became the Archbishop of Canterbury and famously played a role in the events leading up to England’s <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magna_Carta">Magna Carta</a>. </p>
<p>Before all that, Langton in a lecture repeated a rumour he had heard about another great Parisian teacher, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Cantor">Peter the Chanter</a>. He had heard Peter the Chanter had said he had read Jerome and Augustine who had said the world’s sodomites had died on the first Christmas. </p>
<p>Langton admitted he could not find where Augustine had made this claim. </p>
<p>Langton’s many students – who became some of the most influential and powerful men in history – repeated the story anyway. It conveyed what they wanted to be true. We can find it in saints’ lives, sermons, devotional works, compendiums of theology, and inquisitorial handbooks from the 13th to the 16th centuries and beyond.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-does-the-bible-say-about-homosexuality-for-starters-jesus-wasnt-a-homophobe-199424">What does the Bible say about homosexuality? For starters, Jesus wasn't a homophobe</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>A useful legend</h2>
<p>Saints and theologians used the legend to solve apparent problems. </p>
<p>The great Italian preacher <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernardino_of_Siena">Bernardino of Siena</a> (1380–1444) turned to the Christmas slaughter of the sodomites to explain why it was Jesus never mentioned sodomy, instead focusing on other vices like hypocrisy. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/551972/original/file-20231004-31-zkgz2e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Tempera painting" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/551972/original/file-20231004-31-zkgz2e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/551972/original/file-20231004-31-zkgz2e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=639&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551972/original/file-20231004-31-zkgz2e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=639&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551972/original/file-20231004-31-zkgz2e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=639&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551972/original/file-20231004-31-zkgz2e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=802&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551972/original/file-20231004-31-zkgz2e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=802&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/551972/original/file-20231004-31-zkgz2e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=802&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Saint Bernardino of Siena Preaching, Giovanni di ser Giovanni Guidi, called Lo Scheggia, mid-15th century.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.artsbma.org/collection/saint-bernardino-of-siena-preaching/">Birmingham Museum of Art</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Bernardino – one of the most influential preachers in 15th-century Italy – especially detested sodomy, as well as witches and Jews. In a sermon preached at Florence in 1425, Bernardino explained Jesus did not address sodomy because there were no sodomites. </p>
<p>He “quoted” Jerome’s claim that all the sodomites in the entire universe died at Jesus’ birth, and said during Jesus’ ministry the practice had not re-emerged because of the fresh terror of God’s massacre. The saint urged the authorities of his day to follow God’s example and suggested the local sodomites be thrown into fires in the street.</p>
<p>The 15th-century Spanish inquisitorial handbook, the <em><a href="https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_Bz6q2xmOIP0C">Repertorium inquisitorum</a>,</em> used the legend, along with the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodom_and_Gomorrah">story of Sodom and Gomorrah</a>, to justify the punishment of sodomy.</p>
<h2>A continuing legend</h2>
<p>Medieval thinkers’ ideas regarding sexual morality are still with us. </p>
<p>They especially endure in the connection between “sodomy” and modern homosexuality in some religious traditions. In official Catholic speech during the last century, as the theologian Mark Jordan has <a href="https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/S/bo3634156.html">summarised</a>: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>‘Homosexuality’ took the place of ‘sodomy’ in the way a substitute teacher takes over a class.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Some modern far-right commentators have rediscovered the legend, celebrating its traditional values and saintly authority. </p>
<p>Today, we can see the Christmas slaughter of the sodomites as both baseless fantasy as well as indicative of traditional religious values regarding sexuality. Such values still connect “deviant” sex to deserving death. One of the early names for HIV was “WOGS”, or <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/3397564">wrath of God syndrome</a>. Televangelist Pat Robertson <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/4617181">famously suggested</a> AIDS was “God’s way of weeding his garden”. </p>
<p>We can also see the continuing power of the same violent impulse found in the Christmas legend in <a href="https://www.justiceinitiative.org/voices/genocide-all-name-crime-being-gay">persecutions of queer people</a> across the world, especially of trans people. </p>
<p>This legend, at its core, argued that God hated certain types of sexual behaviour <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/news/nebraska-republicans-lb574">more than He loved</a> the people He had made. </p>
<p>Today, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2023/apr/03/ugandan-president-calls-on-africa-to-save-the-world-from-homosexuality">religious extremists channel</a> the arguments, conclusions and spirit of centuries of murderous condemnations of sexual practices and identities. </p>
<p>The obscure medieval legend of the Christmas slaughter of the world’s sodomites is one example of how such persecutory traditions are rooted in prejudices presented as facts. It shows us the saints were frequently wrong, and their errors are now woven into what seem to be our traditions.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/theres-a-growing-gap-between-countries-advancing-lgbtq-rights-and-those-going-backwards-203329">There's a growing gap between countries advancing LGBTQ+ rights, and those going backwards</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/210275/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Michael David Barbezat does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
There is an obscure medieval legend that says once upon a time in Bethlehem, a child was born whose holiness was so great it required the slaughter of all the ‘sodomites’ in the world.
Michael David Barbezat, Research Fellow, Institute for Religion and Critical Inquiry, Australian Catholic University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/219561
2023-12-22T19:34:33Z
2023-12-22T19:34:33Z
Christmas movies always show us that being single sucks — but that’s not true
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565628/original/file-20231213-21-oa2mvy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=44%2C98%2C5946%2C3889&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Despite the Hollywood stereotype, many single people are happy and not desperate for a romantic partner.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100px; border: none; position: relative; z-index: 1;" allowtransparency="" allow="clipboard-read; clipboard-write" src="https://narrations.ad-auris.com/widget/the-conversation-canada/christmas-movies-always-show-us-that-being-single-sucks-but-thats-not-true" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<p>Being single sucks. At least that’s the impression you get when watching Christmas movies. So many of these films focus on finding love during the holiday season. But, can you name one about being happily single during the holidays? Probably not.</p>
<p><em>Love Actually, The Holiday, Falling for Christmas, Last Christmas, Single All The Way, How to Fall in Love by Christmas, Inn Love by Christmas</em> — there are numerous Christmas movies about finding love. So many, in fact, that Netflix has dedicated an entire genre to them.</p>
<p>Christmas and holiday movies usually tend to centre around a key belief: that people need a romantic partner to live “happily ever after.” Characters in these movies are often desperate to find a partner before Christmas. Even when people aren’t looking for love, someone usually comes along to “fix” the single person’s problems.</p>
<p>The flip side of this messaging is that being single sucks, especially during the holiday season. But, as a <a href="https://secureresearchlab.com/people">relationship and singlehood scientist</a>, I can tell you that this is a lie.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-makes-christmas-movies-so-popular-127972">What makes Christmas movies so popular</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Singlehood on the rise</h2>
<p>Hollywood’s preoccupation with couples is surprising given how common the single lifestyle is becoming. There are more single adults in society now than there have ever been in modern history.</p>
<p>In Canada, the number of adults who live alone has more than <a href="https://www.statcan.gc.ca/o1/en/plus/1908-living-solo">doubled over the last 35 years</a>. Among 25-to-29-year olds, the number of people who were single increased from <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/220713/dq220713b-eng.htm">32 per cent in 1981 to 61 per cent in 2021</a>.</p>
<p>Singlehood isn’t just for young people. In 2021, as many as <a href="https://www.cardus.ca/research/family/reports/the-canadian-marriage-map/">32 per cent of adults aged 35-74</a> reported that they were not involved in a married or common law relationship.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565631/original/file-20231213-29-8t3gsm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A young Black couple sit on a couch with popcorn watching a movie. A christmas tree and decorations can be seen behind them." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565631/original/file-20231213-29-8t3gsm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565631/original/file-20231213-29-8t3gsm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=372&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565631/original/file-20231213-29-8t3gsm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=372&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565631/original/file-20231213-29-8t3gsm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=372&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565631/original/file-20231213-29-8t3gsm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=467&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565631/original/file-20231213-29-8t3gsm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=467&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565631/original/file-20231213-29-8t3gsm.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=467&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">While most people do enter into romantic relationships at some point in their lives, the number of single people has been rising among people of all ages.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Are singles desperate for a relationship?</h2>
<p>I lead the <a href="https://secureresearchlab.com">Singlehood Experiences and Complexities Underlying Relationships lab</a> at Simon Fraser University. My research focuses on understanding when single and coupled people are happy and thriving, and when people may find their lives and relationships challenging.</p>
<p>My colleagues and I <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/17456916221136119">recently reviewed studies about single people</a>. Our research highlights that societal views of single people are outdated and narrow.</p>
<p>We found that while some people do struggle with being single, many singles are also happy and thriving. Happy singles often have <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1948550620988460">strong connections with family and friends</a>, are <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0146167220942361">sexually satisfied</a>, may want to <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1948550615599828">avoid the drama that can come with dating</a> or <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10902-017-9921-7">live in societies that are more accepting</a> of singledom. But their stories are rarely told.</p>
<p>The rise in singlehood can be attributed to many changes in society. People are <a href="https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED575480">delaying marriage</a>, focusing on career or travel goals, going through <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1741-3737.2006.00287.x">separation or divorce</a>, or <a href="https://www.ucpress.edu/book/9780520299146/happy-singlehood">choosing a single life</a> over a coupled life.</p>
<p>Of course, wanting a romantic partner is still a common and perfectly valid goal. As many as <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2020.1791946">80 per cent of people enter into stable romantic relationships</a> at some point in their lives. But that doesn’t mean that single people who would like a partner are moping around or desperate to find one.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565058/original/file-20231212-27-3ieaql.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A smiling woman sitting on a couch" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565058/original/file-20231212-27-3ieaql.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565058/original/file-20231212-27-3ieaql.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565058/original/file-20231212-27-3ieaql.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565058/original/file-20231212-27-3ieaql.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565058/original/file-20231212-27-3ieaql.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565058/original/file-20231212-27-3ieaql.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565058/original/file-20231212-27-3ieaql.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">While some people do struggle with being single, many singles are also happy and thriving.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Singles still face pressure to partner up</h2>
<p>Hollywood’s preoccupation with trying to “fix” single people by getting them to partner up is a reflection of the social pressures many single people continue to face.</p>
<p>The cliché of the sad, lonely and desperate single can leave single people feeling marginalized. Along with research colleagues, I examined the experiences of over 4,000 New Zealanders and 800 Canadian and American adults. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/19485506211030102">Our study</a> found single people often feel like they are “pitied,” “treated unfairly” and “discriminated against” by the very people that they might turn to for support.</p>
<p>For example, calling their mum for advice may also mean dealing with comments about settling down. Invitations to office holiday parties may mean attending solo, even though coupled colleagues get to bring their partners. Family holiday gatherings may lead to dealing with unwanted questions about their dating life or attempts to be set up on dates.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/netflixs-indian-matchmaking-at-the-emmys-the-problems-with-nominating-this-indian-reality-167011">Netflix’s 'Indian Matchmaking' at the Emmys: The problems with nominating this Indian ‘reality’</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>So, as you cozy up to watch re-runs of your favourite Christmas romcoms this holiday season, imagine an alternative ending — one where the single person enjoys their holidays surrounded by their friends and family, without lingering alone around the mistletoe.</p>
<p>And, as you gather with your loved ones, consider resisting the urge to ask your single friends and family about whether they are dating or when they will settle down. Many single people will be celebrating this holiday season with cheer, even without a romantic partner.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/219561/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Yuthika Girme receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.</span></em></p>
Many Christmas-themed movies centre around single people searching for love. But many people are increasingly happy being single and in no rush to find a partner.
Yuthika Girme, Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Simon Fraser University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/218314
2023-12-22T19:00:18Z
2023-12-22T19:00:18Z
Skip ‘Die Hard’ this Christmas and watch these 5 films to better understand the climate crisis
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566748/original/file-20231219-19-k72k4e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=4%2C81%2C1433%2C892&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Ethan Hawke plays a minister in 'First Reformed,' (2017) a film that prompts viewers to rethink what they assume they already know, from politics to religion to the climate crisis.
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(A24)</span></span></figcaption></figure><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100px; border: none; position: relative; z-index: 1;" allowtransparency="" allow="clipboard-read; clipboard-write" src="https://narrations.ad-auris.com/widget/the-conversation-canada/skip-die-hard-this-christmas-and-watch-these-5-films-to-better-understand-the-climate-crisis" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<p>The holiday season is, for many, a time for cherished rituals and down time, including watching movies like <em>It’s a Wonderful Life</em>, <em>Elf</em> or <em>Die Hard</em>.</p>
<p>But this season is also a time for reflection on our lives and the world around us beset by conflict — and the worsening climate crisis. </p>
<p>Here are five film recommendations to help combine ritual and reflection. These films are analyzed in a forthcoming <a href="https://www.filmstudies.ca/2022/02/cjfs-special-issue-cfp-climate-change-and-cinema">special issue</a> of the <a href="https://www.utpjournals.press/loi/cjfs"><em>Canadian Journal of Film Studies</em></a> on “Climate Change and Cinema” that I co-edited with my colleague <a href="https://www.stu.ca/english/andre-loiselle/">André Loiselle</a>, a professor of film studies at St. Thomas University.</p>
<p><strong>1. <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6053438/"><em>First Reformed</em></a> (2017)</strong></p>
<p>This film, chronicling the spiritual troubles of Rev. Ernst Toller, played by Ethan Hawke, supports understanding and communion with others in responding to the climate crisis. </p>
<p>So explains <a href="https://uwaterloo.ca/communication-arts/people-profiles/anders-bergstrom">Anders Bergstrom</a>, a University of Waterloo film and media scholar, in his article “Well Somebody Has to Do Something! <em>First Reformed</em> and Conceptualizing the Climate Crisis.” </p>
<p>In the <a href="https://offscreen.com/view/revisiting-paul-schraders-transcendental-style-in-film">transcendental film style</a> used by writer and director Paul Schrader, unadorned dialogue, slow pacing and plain images are used, not to convey realism, but to present a heightened, unified and spiritual picture of existence. This style prompts viewers to rethink what they assume they already know, from politics to religion to the climate crisis.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hCF5Y8dQpR4?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Trailer for ‘First Reformed.’</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p><em>First Reformed</em> sees Toller, in a small congregation in upstate New York, grappling with mounting self-pity brought on partly by a tormented past. Early in the film, he counsels a young — and possibly violent — environmental activist in despair. </p>
<p>Toller explains: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>“Courage is the solution to despair. Reason provides no answers. I can’t know what the future will bring. We have to choose despite uncertainty. Wisdom is holding two contradictory truths in our mind, simultaneously, hope and despair. A life without despair is a life without hope. Holding these two ideas in our head is life itself.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Later, Toller confronts a church philanthropist whose wealth derives from his company, a major polluter. Toller asks him: “Will God forgive us for what we’re doing to His creation?” </p>
<p>But the corporate philanthropist dismisses this. He turns the conversation back to the fact that the environmentalist whom Toller counselled killed himself. “You need to look at yourself before counselling others,” he warns the minister.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-stay-hopeful-in-a-world-seemingly-beyond-saving-210415">How to stay hopeful in a world seemingly beyond saving</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Bergstrom explains how, for the rest of the film, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/17/movies/first-reformed-review-paul-schrader-ethan-hawke.html">the directness</a> of its slow and spare style compels us to imagine for ourselves, not only how Toller will respond, but also our own responses. </p>
<p>As the film builds toward its shocking denouement, the minister rejects despair and puts his faith in gathering up what he has and perhaps starting again. His choice recalls the teaching of St. Augustine: “<a href="https://www.americamagazine.org/issue/5129/columns/draw-near">Love, and do as you will</a>.” No spoilers here: you’ll have to watch to see what happens. </p>
<p><strong>2. <em><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8399690/">Anthropocene: The Human Epoch</a></em> (2018)</strong></p>
<p>There is a scene in <em>First Reformed</em> where the camera slowly pans up and over funeral mourners to an endless sea of rubber tires. It then cuts to factory smokestacks, piles of plastic bottles, burning landscapes and barges polluting lifeless waterways. </p>
<p>This scene is remarkably similar to the Canadian documentary film <em>Anthropocene: The Human Epoch</em>, featuring the work of renowned landscape photographer <a href="https://www.edwardburtynsky.com/">Edward Burtynsky</a>.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ikMlCxzO-94?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">‘Anthropocene: The Human Epoch’ trailer.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In <em>Anthropocene</em>, we see static forms, slow-tracking shots, little-to-no dialogue and repeated compositions. <a href="https://brocku.ca/social-sciences/cpcf/people-in-the-department/christie-milliken/">Christie Milliken</a>, a film studies professor at Brock University, writes in “Documenting the Anthropocene: Scale, Magnitude and Obfuscation in the Burtynsky Trilogy” that the film’s images “have had a haunting, mobilizing and protracted impact on me as a viewer, as a critic, and as a scholar.” </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/a-canadian-lake-holds-the-key-to-the-beginning-of-the-anthropocene-a-new-geological-epoch-209576">A Canadian lake holds the key to the beginning of the Anthropocene, a new geological epoch</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p><em>Anthropocene’s</em> creators sought to make climate-change research accessible by weaving together iconic examples. They travelled to six continents to document humans’ impact on the planet.</p>
<p><em>Anthropocene</em> challenges viewers to confront the uncomfortable fact that as a species on this earth, “we’ve been <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/terraform">terraforming</a> since the dawn of civilization … but this doesn’t make us all equally implicated.” </p>
<p><strong>3. <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4449576/"><em>Demain</em> (<em>Tomorrow</em>)</a> (2015)</strong></p>
<p><em>Demain</em> (<em>Tomorrow</em>) is a French documentary that begins with a group of the filmmakers’ friends in a lively discussion. “We weren’t green freaks or activists,” one explains, “but most of us had kids, and none of us could just stand by after hearing this terrifying news.”</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lBuoaOO_NTw?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Trailer for ‘Demain’ with English subtitles.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The group decides to make a film about solutions to the climate crisis. The filmmakers embody the behaviour they seek to inspire in viewers, explains <a href="https://scholarworks.brandeis.edu/esploro/profile/sabine_von_mering/overview?institution=01BRAND_INST">Sabine von Mering</a>, a professor of German and women’s, gender and sexuality studies at Brandeis University, in “Promise Motivation: Films with Good News About Climate Change.” These behaviours include educating oneself about climate science, talking about it, joining with others and getting active. </p>
<p>Von Mering argues the film succeeds by providing a glimpse into climate solutions from several angles, including agriculture, energy, the economy, education and democracy. </p>
<p>She calls this “promise motivation,” contrasted with “risk motivation.” Of the film’s 116 minutes, 96 minutes (83 per cent) are devoted to climate solutions.</p>
<p><strong>4. <em><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093488/">The Man Who Planted Trees</a></em> (1987)</strong></p>
<p><em>The Man Who Planted Trees</em> is a Canadian, Academy Award-winning 30-minute animated film about a fictional shepherd’s single-handed quest to re-forest a barren valley. </p>
<p>This film illustrates the causes and misery of climate change, but also how humans can change the climate for the better, explains <a href="https://as.vanderbilt.edu/french-italian/faculty/graduate-faculty/susan-kevra-2/">Susan Kevra</a>, a lecturer in French and American studies at Vanderbilt University, in her article “The Man Who Changed the Climate: Frederic Back’s Film Adaption of The Man Who Planted Trees.” </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lV9D2fCpfTw?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">‘The Man Who Planted Trees.’</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Kevra cautions us not to scoff at the achievement of this deceptively simple film and its single-minded fictional shepherd. She shares the words of <a href="https://www.greenbeltmovement.org/wangari-maathai">Wangarĩ Muta Maathai</a>, the Kenyan founder of the Green Belt movement and winner of the <a href="https://www.greenbeltmovement.org/wangari-maathai/the-nobel-peace-prize">2004 Nobel Peace Prize</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“Tree planting became a natural choice to address some of the initial needs identified by women. Also, tree planting is simple, attainable and guarantees quick, successful results within a reasonable amount of time … So, together, we have planted over 30 million trees to provide fuel, food, shelter and income to support their children’s education and household needs. The activity also creates employment and improves soils and watersheds.” </p>
</blockquote>
<p><strong>5. <em><a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5709536/">Angry Inuk</a></em> (2016)</strong></p>
<p>Inuk filmmaker <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3410237/?ref_=tt_ov_dr">Alethea Arnaquq-Baril</a> examines the central role of seal hunting in the lives of the Inuit, the importance of the revenue earned from sale of seal skins — and the negative impacts international campaigns against the seal hunt have had on their lives.</p>
<p>In “Angry Inuk, Listening to Science, and the Perpetuation of Climate Crisis in Film,” Carleton University film studies professor <a href="https://carleton.ca/filmstudies/people/kester-dyer/">Kester Dyer</a> explains the film’s argument for the right to trade seal products for consumption beyond local subsistence. This “simultaneously exposes viewers to the ecological logic of Indigenous value systems” and the need for non-Indigenous people to accept these.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/F4tfmdv5Z7w?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">‘Angry Inuk’ trailer.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The film, Dyer explains, initiates a dialogue with animal-protection groups through depicting how the Inuit have learned to understand the “language of anti-sealers and southern lawmakers,” and have “started to co-opt some of their visual strategies” in their own counter-protests, including through creative use of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/mar/28/inuit-seal-sealfies-selfie-degeneres-oscars">social media</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRPEz57_l_M">YouTube</a>. </p>
<p>Arnaquq-Baril summarizes her film as “a call for westerners to listen a little harder, and a call for Inuit to speak a little louder.”</p>
<p>When it comes to the climate crisis, many of us, especially non-Indigenous audiences in the Global North, need to listen and look a little harder. These five films are a good place to start.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/218314/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jason MacLean is a member of the Board of Directors of the Pacific Centre for Environmental Law and Litigation (CELL).</span></em></p>
‘Somebody has to do something’: Top feature film and documentary picks from scholars examining climate change and cinema offer courage to hold contradictory truths and pursue climate solutions.
Jason MacLean, Adjunct professor, Environment and Sustainability, University of Saskatchewan
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/219069
2023-12-22T10:40:36Z
2023-12-22T10:40:36Z
Christmas consumption – what would the great economic philosophers think?
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567071/original/file-20231221-30-p2fega.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=68%2C9%2C3180%2C2135&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/christmas-lights-colourful-decorations-1787754101">UNSW Thomas Yang/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Even during a cost of living crisis, with interest rates and inflation high, the average spending per person for Christmas 2023 in the UK is expected to reach <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/1191944/average-christmas-spending-uk-by-region/">as much as £974</a>. Retailers, advertisers and a sense of tradition continue to encourage us towards ever greater levels of consumption.</p>
<p>Of course, excessive seasonal consumerism has long been a <a href="https://theconversation.com/has-consumerism-taken-over-christmas-two-marketing-experts-discuss-108618">subject of concern</a>. But what if this appetite for treating ourselves and our loved ones actually makes people feel happier during the coldest and darkest time of the year? </p>
<p>Here’s what some of the great economists of history might have made of the modern Christmas rush…</p>
<h2>Needs or wants</h2>
<p>The frenzy of shopping for gifts, food and decorations would likely have attracted disdain from the Scottish economist and philosopher <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Adam-Smith">Adam Smith</a> (1723-1790). He would no doubt have considered some of the things that we persuade ourselves we need to be excessive, <a href="https://www.ibiblio.org/ml/libri/s/SmithA_WealthNations_p.pdf">“frivolous and useless”</a>. </p>
<p>Smith had little time for consumption which served no real physical needs – like the need for water or warmth. At the heart of consumption theory in economics is the <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF01675959">concept of “utility”</a>, which is variously interpreted as “usefulness” or something that contributes to happiness, satisfaction or wellbeing. For Smith, utility was derived from satisfying genuine needs. </p>
<p>In consuming far beyond that level, the satisfaction we tend to seek at Christmas may be more in line with the view of the English philosopher, John Stuart Mill (1806-1873). He adopted a more <a href="https://oll.libertyfund.org/title/mill-principles-of-political-economy-ashley-ed">hedonistic concept of utility</a> following that of <a href="https://archive.org/details/legislation00bentuoft">his godfather Jeremy Bentham</a> (1748-1832). Their take was that utility also comes from the pleasure we experience from consumption.</p>
<p>But had they discussed the issue with Smith, Mill and Bentham would probably have agreed that utility derived from pleasure increases in importance only when the fundamental needs of most people have been met. And that means that the greater levels of utility may only be experienced by the wealthy, who have the means to get what they want. </p>
<h2>Diminishing returns</h2>
<p>The American economist – and critic of capitalism – <a href="https://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/display/document/obo-9780199756384/obo-9780199756384-0124.xml">Thorstein Veblen</a> (1857-1929) was concerned with a different kind of utility which is a familiar facet of modern Christmases – <a href="https://archive.org/details/theoryofleisurec01vebl">“conspicuous consumption”</a>. The big trees, the lavish decorations and the expensive gifts can all be part of a utility designed to impress others – a display of high status. </p>
<p>Consuming to excess – and providing the same opportunity for your guests – would be <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/thorstein-veblen/capitalising-expectations-veblen-on-consumption-crises-and-the-utility-of-waste/BB8F28325E5126AFD6DC7E26B098420B">seen by Veblen</a> as evidence of the host’s generosity and wealth. But this needn’t be restricted to invited guests. Eye-catching Christmas lights are also enjoyed by passers-by, making it a seasonal show of prosperity for the whole neighbourhood to enjoy.</p>
<p>And then there’s the Christmas meal itself, which illustrates another view of utility which may sound familiar.</p>
<p>For as you eat and drink (perhaps more than you might normally) you may well experience the idea of “<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/psychology/diminishing-marginal-utility">diminishing marginal utility</a>”. Put simply, this is the theory that each additional unit of something you consume adds less and less to your overall satisfaction.</p>
<p>At the Christmas table for example, the pleasure of that first delicious mouthful of turkey (or nut roast) is not quite repeated with the second mouthful, or the third, or the 20th. As you become more full, and your taste buds less tantalised, so the pleasure from each subsequent serving declines. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A toast being raised over the Christmas meal." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567078/original/file-20231221-19-ydxwdx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567078/original/file-20231221-19-ydxwdx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=316&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567078/original/file-20231221-19-ydxwdx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=316&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567078/original/file-20231221-19-ydxwdx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=316&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567078/original/file-20231221-19-ydxwdx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567078/original/file-20231221-19-ydxwdx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567078/original/file-20231221-19-ydxwdx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Here’s to diminishing marginal utility.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/parents-children-friends-spend-christmas-dinner-2370463497">Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>This idea of diminishing marginal utility from consumption did not become <a href="https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/256962">part of mainstream economics</a> until the 1870s, when it was (re)discovered by the likes of Carl Menger (1841-1921) and Léon Walras (1834-1910). But now it affects everything from retail pricing (buy one get the second half price, because the second one is less valuable) to how governments decide on rates of income tax (higher rates cause less harm to the weathy). </p>
<p>While Bentham and many other economists struggled (and still do) with the difficulty in comparing the value of utility between types and individuals, there is little argument over the usefulness of comparing marginal utilities. </p>
<h2>No regrets</h2>
<p>So how should we aim to maximise our utility – or satisfaction or wellbeing – at Christmas? Should we redistribute some of our wealth to charity to meet the needs of those who have less? </p>
<p>Should we give lots of gifts? Should we eat like hedonists or invest in decorations and feasts to impress others? </p>
<p>The German economist <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-349-12992-8_7">Hermann Gossen</a> (1810-1858) might suggest that to maximise utility, we need to diversify, and do all of these things.
But he suggests that each activity lasts only until we receive a certain amount of satisfaction. </p>
<p>For example, we only eat slices of turkey to the point that the last mouthful provides the same degree of pleasure as the last cracker pulled or present opened. Once there is little pleasure to be had from eating another sprout, it’s time to move on to something different – like dessert. </p>
<p>That may be one way of avoiding overconsumption. If we try to keep in mind how much pleasure is genuinely gained from that extra glass of sherry or yet another game of charades, we have a good chance of stopping before we regret continuing. </p>
<p>And regret, so vividly conjured up by the Ghost of Christmas Past in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, is something to be avoided. Our “spirits of economists past” would probably all agree on that.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/219069/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
How much of anything do we need?
Davina Bird, Lecturer in Economics, University of Lincoln
Jane Charlesworth, Senior Lecturer in Economics, University of Lincoln
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/216361
2023-12-21T19:08:21Z
2023-12-21T19:08:21Z
What are the origins of Santa Claus?
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566439/original/file-20231218-18-5qoql0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=18%2C0%2C4071%2C2139&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/close-shot-senior-bearded-man-santa-2321017363">Andrei Porzhezhinskii/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>We’re all familiar with the jolly, white-haired and bearded overweight man who sneaks down chimneys on Christmas Eve delivering presents to children. But where did this come from? </p>
<p>With roots in Christianity, the origins of the world’s most beloved gift-giver transcend time, culture and religion.</p>
<h2>St Nicholas</h2>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566520/original/file-20231219-17-4dyqky.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Old painting of Saint Nicholas" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566520/original/file-20231219-17-4dyqky.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566520/original/file-20231219-17-4dyqky.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=825&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566520/original/file-20231219-17-4dyqky.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=825&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566520/original/file-20231219-17-4dyqky.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=825&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566520/original/file-20231219-17-4dyqky.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1037&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566520/original/file-20231219-17-4dyqky.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1037&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566520/original/file-20231219-17-4dyqky.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1037&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Saint Nicholas of Myra.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/saint-nicholas-on-golden-background-73429252">Alexander Donchev/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>It all starts with St Nicholas, a man who lived in the fourth century. No credible historical sources can prove the facts of his life, but according to tradition, St Nicholas of Myra, later known as St Nicholas of Bari, lived during the reign of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Constantine-I-Roman-emperor">Emperor Constantine the Great</a>.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/Icons_and_Saints_of_the_Eastern_Orthodox/uODOkMgUZKYC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Nicholas%20born%20in%20Patara%2C%20Lycia%20in%20Asia%20Minor&pg=PA308&printsec=frontcover">According to tradition</a>, he was born in Patara, a city in ancient Lycia in Asia Minor, part of what is now Turkey. Nicholas, who would later become the bishop of Myra, was known for his profound Christian faith and extraordinary compassion.</p>
<p>Although historical record does not provide detailed accounts of his life, tradition tells us <a href="https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/Medieval_Art_Architecture_and_Archaeolog/uFb7CwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=st%20nicholas%20Palestine%20and%20Egypt&pg=PA96&printsec=frontcover">he travelled to Palestine and Egypt</a> in his youth, further cultivating his deep spiritual conviction.</p>
<p>Nicholas was <a href="https://www.google.com.au/books/edition/How_Far_Have_We_Strayed/YiDi4GNpEHEC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Nicholas%20born%20in%20Patara%2C%20Lycia%20in%20Asia%20Minor%20orphaned&pg=PA215&printsec=frontcover">orphaned when he was young</a> and was left with a substantial inheritance. He chose to use this wealth to help the needy. </p>
<p>His most famous act of generosity was providing <a href="https://www.stnicholascenter.org/who-is-st-nicholas/stories-legends/traditional-stories/life-of-nicholas/three-impoverished-maidens">dowries for three impoverished sisters</a>.</p>
<p>His acts of generosity meant when he was recognised as a saint, he was acclaimed the patron and protector of children. </p>
<h2>St Nicholas Day</h2>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566106/original/file-20231216-31-om80z0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566106/original/file-20231216-31-om80z0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566106/original/file-20231216-31-om80z0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=701&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566106/original/file-20231216-31-om80z0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=701&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566106/original/file-20231216-31-om80z0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=701&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566106/original/file-20231216-31-om80z0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=880&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566106/original/file-20231216-31-om80z0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=880&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566106/original/file-20231216-31-om80z0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=880&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The Feast of St Nicholas, Jan Havicksz. Steen, 1665 - 1668.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/collection/SK-A-385">Rijksmuseum</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Across Europe, the legacy of St Nicholas’s charity and kindness sparked a variety of traditions, with <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Saint-Nicholas-Day">December 6</a> becoming his feast day. </p>
<p>In France, particularly in regions such as Alsace and Lorraine, children would leave their shoes out for St Nicholas, hoping to find them filled with chocolates and gifts the next morning. </p>
<p>This tradition was accompanied by parades in which a donkey would pass through town streets, laden with baskets of biscuits and sweets for the children. </p>
<p>In Central Europe, particularly in Alpine regions, St Nicholas Day tradition merged gradually with unique local customs when the non-Christian population adopted Christianity as their religion.</p>
<figure class="align-left zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566108/original/file-20231216-21-kzzjtu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566108/original/file-20231216-21-kzzjtu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566108/original/file-20231216-21-kzzjtu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=809&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566108/original/file-20231216-21-kzzjtu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=809&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566108/original/file-20231216-21-kzzjtu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=809&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566108/original/file-20231216-21-kzzjtu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1016&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566108/original/file-20231216-21-kzzjtu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1016&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566108/original/file-20231216-21-kzzjtu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1016&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">An image of Nikolaus and Krampus from the early 20th century.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nikolaus_und_Krampus.jpg">Wikimedia Commons</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Here, St Nicholas not only rewarded well-behaved children with gifts but was also accompanied by <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/131217-krampus-christmas-santa-devil">Krampus</a>, a fearsome figure who would “punish” those who had misbehaved. </p>
<p>This tradition underscored the contrasting themes of reward and retribution, integral to the local folklore.</p>
<p>In some regions of Poland, the earlier traditions centred on a figure called <a href="https://lamusdworski.wordpress.com/2016/12/17/gwiazdor/">Gwiazdor</a>. This “Star Man” dressed in sheepskin and a fur cap, with his face hidden under a mask or smeared with soot, carried a bag of gifts and a rod for naughty children.</p>
<h2>The transformation into Santa Claus</h2>
<p>The metamorphosis of St Nicholas into Santa Claus was a gradual process influenced by cultural and religious shifts. </p>
<p>In Germany and the Netherlands in the course of the 17th century, the practice of gift-giving in the name of St Nicholas began to take root. The Dutch called him “Sinterklaas”, a term that would eventually evolve into the English colloquial “Santa Claus”. This transformation first occurred in Germany and later spread to other European countries.</p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566521/original/file-20231219-17-bbaaum.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566521/original/file-20231219-17-bbaaum.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566521/original/file-20231219-17-bbaaum.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=596&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566521/original/file-20231219-17-bbaaum.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=596&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566521/original/file-20231219-17-bbaaum.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=596&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566521/original/file-20231219-17-bbaaum.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=749&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566521/original/file-20231219-17-bbaaum.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=749&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566521/original/file-20231219-17-bbaaum.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=749&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The Children’s Friend published in 1821 by William B. Gilley, includes a poem about ‘Santeclaus’ along with eight coloured illustrations.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Santeclaus_with_Much_Delight#/media/File:The_Children's_friend._Number_III._A_New-Year's_present,_to_the_little_ones_from_five_to_twelve._Part_III_(1821),_page_1.jpg">Wikimedia Commons</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The tradition of St Nicholas was brought to North America in the 17th century.</p>
<p>By the 19th century, various iterations of St Nicholas were emerging in English-speaking communities across the world. </p>
<p>One of the first literary mentions of this figure in the American context was in Washington Irving’s 1809 book, <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/files/13042/13042-h/13042-h.htm">Knickerbocker’s History of New York</a>, which portrayed Nicholas flying in a wagon, delivering presents to children.</p>
<p>The red Santa suit and all related apparel, so familiar to us today, seem to be the invention of modern-day marketing in the English-speaking world.</p>
<p>Across Europe, St Nicholas’s outfit draws more on the traditional image of the saint, with clothes more closely resembling a bishop’s religious attire, complete with a mitre, the tall headdress.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566519/original/file-20231219-15-vfinj1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Saint Nicholas cookie" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566519/original/file-20231219-15-vfinj1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566519/original/file-20231219-15-vfinj1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566519/original/file-20231219-15-vfinj1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566519/original/file-20231219-15-vfinj1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566519/original/file-20231219-15-vfinj1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566519/original/file-20231219-15-vfinj1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566519/original/file-20231219-15-vfinj1.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">In many parts of Europe, the more traditional dress of St Nicholas is still widely depicted at Christmas.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/tasty-gingerbread-cookies-on-wooden-table-2081823397">New Africa/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>The legacy of St Nicholas and Santa Claus</h2>
<p>Through centuries of transformation, the core values of St Nicholas – generosity, compassion, and the joy of giving – have remained intact in the figure of Santa Claus. He has gone from being a revered Christian saint to a beloved secular icon. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566111/original/file-20231216-23-lxbpv3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566111/original/file-20231216-23-lxbpv3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566111/original/file-20231216-23-lxbpv3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566111/original/file-20231216-23-lxbpv3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566111/original/file-20231216-23-lxbpv3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566111/original/file-20231216-23-lxbpv3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566111/original/file-20231216-23-lxbpv3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566111/original/file-20231216-23-lxbpv3.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"><em>When We All Believe</em>, Rose O'Neill, Puck Magazine December 1903.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rose_O%27Neill_-_When_We_All_Believe_(Santa_Claus_and_children_illustration_from_the_1903_December_2_issue_of_Puck).jpg">Wikimedia Commons</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>This evolution reflects the dynamic interplay of religious tradition and popular folklore. English-speaking Santa Claus, with his North Pole workshop, flying reindeer, and elves, may seem a far cry from the historical bishop of Myra. Yet he continues to embody the spirit of giving that characterised St Nicholas.</p>
<p>Today, thanks to global marketing and commercialisation, Santa Claus transcends religious and cultural boundaries. </p>
<p>The story of his origin, rooted in the life of St Nicholas, enriches our understanding of Christmas and connects us to a tradition that spans centuries and continents.</p>
<p>It reminds us that at the heart of these festivities lies a timeless message: the importance of kindness, generosity, and the spirit of giving.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/216361/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Darius von Guttner Sporzynski does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
Over millennia St. Nicholas became the modern-day Santa Claus - transcending time, culture, and religion.
Darius von Guttner Sporzynski, Historian, Australian Catholic University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/220037
2023-12-21T13:45:57Z
2023-12-21T13:45:57Z
New date, same traditions: Ukraine’s wartime Christmas celebrations
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566160/original/file-20231217-21-nxjzz5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=7%2C3%2C1014%2C679&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Singers in Lviv, Ukraine, before the traditional Christmas Stars Parade during Orthodox Christmas in January 2023. </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/participants-sing-outside-the-church-of-the-holy-eucharist-news-photo/1246086484?adppopup=true">Artur Widak/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>This year, despite the raging war, people in Ukraine will continue celebrating Christmas – but not without politics.</p>
<p>In 2023, after years of debates, <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-a-centuries-old-religious-dispute-over-ukraines-orthodox-church-matters-today-109768">the Orthodox Church of Ukraine </a> and <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/29/europe/ukraine-christmas-date-change-intl/index.html">the Ukranian government</a> both declared Dec. 25 to be <a href="https://kyivindependent.com/orthodox-church-of-ukraine-to-switch-to-revised-julian-calendar-celebrate-christmas-on-dec-25/">the official date</a> for celebrating Christmas.</p>
<p>Traditionally, Orthodox Christians in Ukraine have celebrated on Jan. 7, in keeping with the Julian calendar that most branches of the Orthodox Church use to determine fixed-day religious celebrations. The decision to switch dates for Christmas and other holidays is one more way to assert Ukraine’s cultural and political independence from Russia since Moscow’s troops <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-did-russia-invade-ukraine-178512">invaded the country</a> in February 2022.</p>
<p>No matter what the calendar says, though, many Ukrainian traditions will continue as best as they can amid the fighting. As <a href="https://folklore.indiana.edu/about/graduate-students/voloshyna-iryna.html">a folklorist and ethnomusicologist</a>, and a native Ukrainian, I am particularly interested in how “koliadky” – Ukrainian carols – reflect the realities of the ongoing Russian war against Ukraine.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566169/original/file-20231217-17-qsu4cf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A blue and yellow flag flutters on a short flagpole on a snow-covered field, next to a thin tree decorated with a few ornaments." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566169/original/file-20231217-17-qsu4cf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566169/original/file-20231217-17-qsu4cf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566169/original/file-20231217-17-qsu4cf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566169/original/file-20231217-17-qsu4cf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566169/original/file-20231217-17-qsu4cf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566169/original/file-20231217-17-qsu4cf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566169/original/file-20231217-17-qsu4cf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A Christmas tree close to the front line, amid intense fighting, near Bakhmut, Ukraine, in December 2023.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/view-of-a-christmas-tree-5-km-from-the-front-line-as-news-photo/1850685504?adppopup=true">Marek M. Berezowski/Anadolu via Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Ancient heritage</h2>
<p>Like in other Slavic cultures, the roots of Christmas celebrations in Ukraine reach back before Christianity itself. In 988, Prince Volodymyr the Great of the Kyivan Rus — the medieval state centered around current-day Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital — <a href="https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000084613">was baptized</a>, marking the beginning of Christianity in the region. </p>
<p>Originally, <a href="https://ukrainer.net/krasnoilsk-malanka-the-revival-of-the-carnival/">winter festivals</a> were mainly a celebration of the harvest from the previous year: a moment of reflection, expressions of gratitude, and hopes for another prosperous year. These themes are still widely recognizable in the koliadky. </p>
<p>Songs for Christmas and <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/pages/article/160120-ukraine-malanka-festival-costumes-new-year">Malanka, another Ukrainian folk holiday around New Year’s</a> often address members of the family: the host, their children, and sometimes even livestock <a href="https://rivisteclueb.it/index.php/etnoantropologia/article/view/321/510">and bees</a>, who are also seen as important for a family’s and community’s well-being. Many koliadky start with greeting the host – “Good evening to you, dear host,” or “dear hostess” – and proceed with praising the couple for their hard work, embodied in the plentiful breads and other foods on the table. Holiday songs usually end with <a href="https://www.kusc.org/culture/staff-blog/the-ukrainian-folk-tune-behind-carol-of-the-bells/">a wish of many happy years</a> to the family. </p>
<p>Some carols are tailored to special social situations. For instance, there are carols for the unmarried family members – sons and daughters – wishing them to find a partner and start a big prosperous family: “May you have as many children, as there are stars in the sky.” Other carols have special messages of encouragement and support to a widow or to an orphan. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/svDovA5ZaH0?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">“Oh, How It Used to Be in the Ancient Times”</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Some carols go so far back that they retell the Slavic creation myth, including “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svDovA5ZaH0">Oh, How It Used to Be in the Ancient Times</a>.” The song depicts a mythical time when there was no land or sky, just a blue sea. The saints volunteered St. Peter to dive to the bottom of the sea and get some sand, to sprinkle it all over the world, so that the sky could yield stars and the Earth could yield flowers. This carol is a good example of how pre-Christian cosmology <a href="https://euromaidanpress.com/2016/01/07/prehistoric-christmas-reconstructed-a-celebration-of-the-birth-of-the-world/">overlaps and coexists</a> with Biblical stories about the generosity and martyrdom of St. Peter. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566170/original/file-20231217-17-mzkrvy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Six people in heavy coats and festive crowns stand outside, taking a selfie on a smart phone, in a snow-covered field." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566170/original/file-20231217-17-mzkrvy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566170/original/file-20231217-17-mzkrvy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=415&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566170/original/file-20231217-17-mzkrvy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=415&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566170/original/file-20231217-17-mzkrvy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=415&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566170/original/file-20231217-17-mzkrvy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=522&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566170/original/file-20231217-17-mzkrvy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=522&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566170/original/file-20231217-17-mzkrvy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=522&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">People perform and sing carols near Kyiv during the celebration of Malanka in January 2023.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/people-take-a-selfie-as-costumed-people-perform-and-sing-news-photo/1246226899?adppopup=true">Sergei Supinsky/AFP via Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Pre-Christian koliadky are sung alongside the carols based on the Nativity story, while the birth of Jesus and praises of the Virgin Mary are filled with Ukrainian imagery. The saints are given Ukrainian equivalents of their names, and depictions of the Nativity reflect the everyday life in rural Ukraine. </p>
<p>The storytelling of koliadky materialize in another important part of the Ukrainian Christmas celebration: Vertep, <a href="https://euromaidanpress.com/2023/02/01/authentic-18th-century-ukrainian-christmas-tradition-vertep-reconstructed-and-performed-in-ukraine-despite-war/">a folk theater play</a> based on the biblical story of Jesus’ birth. The Vertep is typically performed by children and adults in someone’s house, or outside to gather more viewers.</p>
<p>Within the Vertep, which is performed with puppets, are many Gospel stories that stand out poignantly amid the war. In one scene, without blinking an eye, King Herod orders the murder of hundreds of innocent children – an attempt to kill the infant Jesus, whom he views as a threat. In another scene, the three wise men offer gifts to Jesus, Mary and Joseph – assistance from afar.</p>
<h2>Wartime Christmas</h2>
<p>Ukrainian artists today are also taking opportunities to demonstrate resistance through folklore. In 2022, Hey Guide, a Kyiv-based communications agency, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/31653f7Fsvj4llWikCw4Wf?si=g4G-lVDMRBS8z-8rSHzqBA&nd=1">released an album called “Ukrainian Christmas Polyphony</a>.” <a href="https://slukh.media/en/texts/partes-church-chant/">Ukrainian polyphony</a>, a form of singing with multiple parts or voices, is an object of pride in Ukrainian culture. </p>
<p>Along with the koliadky collected by ethnomusicologists around the country, several are newly composed. For instance, Oleksiy Zayets, an ethnomusicologist and a folk singer, offered his own carol that he dedicated to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. After each verse, the refrain repeated, “Lord, give our army good health and strength in their battle.”</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566171/original/file-20231217-25-axyuut.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Blue and yellow decorations, along with a tiny Christmas tree and candles, positioned on snow with a large monument in the background." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566171/original/file-20231217-25-axyuut.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566171/original/file-20231217-25-axyuut.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=404&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566171/original/file-20231217-25-axyuut.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=404&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566171/original/file-20231217-25-axyuut.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=404&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566171/original/file-20231217-25-axyuut.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=508&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566171/original/file-20231217-25-axyuut.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=508&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566171/original/file-20231217-25-axyuut.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=508&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Ukrainian flags with the names of fallen soldiers are visible in Independence Square in Kyiv in December 2023.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/flowers-candles-and-a-small-christmas-tree-near-ukrainian-news-photo/1841160234?adppopup=true">Sergei Chuzavkov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Another recent project also aims to offer a fresh look at the traditional koliadky. In the 2022 Christmas film “<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBJO9H3-pr8&t=982s">Koliadky at Kudriavka</a>,” the Kyiv-based folk-singing ensemble Shchuka-Ryba invited established as well as up-and-coming Ukrainian pop artists to give their renditions of Christmas songs. The film <a href="https://vogue.ua/article/culture/kino/zberezhene-rizdvo-prem-yera-novogo-muzichnogo-filmu-kolyadki-na-kudryavci-50869.html">was shot at Kudriuavka</a>, an abandoned wine factory in Kyiv, between the air raid sirens and blackouts.</p>
<p>The film’s message is that koliadky are not just a part of the past; they can be modern and hip. Most important, they are yet another testament to the vibrant and living Ukrainian culture that is under siege. </p>
<p>In preparation for Christmas, many folk-singing ensembles and researchers have offered workshops to teach general audiences some of the lesser-known koliadky. For instance, ethnomusicologist and folk singer Vira Ibryamova-Sivoraksha <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C0wvZqyNbqI/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==">will host a workshop</a> in an underground church in <a href="https://museum-portal.com/en/museums/73_anthony-caves">the Antoniy caves</a> in Chernihiv, which are believed to be the home of an 11th century saint. In addition to the solemn environment, the location will also serve as shelter in case of an attack in the city, which is just a few dozen miles from the border with Russia, as well as the border with <a href="https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/belarus-russia-alliance-axis-autocracy-eastern-europe">Russia-backed Belarus</a>. </p>
<p>From Vertep performances to koliadky workshops, Christmas celebrations illustrate the resilience of the Ukrainian people. Despite the war, people continue to not only learn about their heritage, but to celebrate it – and continue a long, evolving tradition into the future.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/220037/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Iryna Voloshyna does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
An expert on Ukrainian music and folklore explains how holiday traditions celebrate both centuries of culture and present-day resistance.
Iryna Voloshyna, Ph.D. Candidate in Folklore, Indiana University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/219525
2023-12-21T11:58:09Z
2023-12-21T11:58:09Z
‘It’ll all be over by next year’ − how Britain celebrated Christmas in 1943
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565175/original/file-20231212-25-cvmrru.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C613%2C457&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">A bit of Christmas cheer: members of the Women's Royal Naval Service taste the pudding at Greenock in Scotland, December 1943.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Admiralty official collection</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Britain’s popular newspapers greeted Christmas 1943 with the fond hope that it would be the last Christmas of the war. Daily Mail columnist Simon Harcourt-Smith wrote: “We will have only ourselves to blame if by Christmas 1944 our victory in Europe is not several months old.”</p>
<p>The popular left-wing weekly Picture Post was equally optimistic: “Christmas 1943 brings promise,” it declared, adding: “The day we are looking for is coming – perhaps sooner than we all expect.” And writing for Picture Post, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1989/07/30/dorothy-hazard-dies-at-78/1b414e1e-05b2-40e6-b909-9a2fb8847a40/">Dorothy Crook</a>, an American experiencing her first Christmas in England, thought Britons were enjoying “the brightest and most hopeful Christmas season in five years”.</p>
<p>Having spent one career as a journalist, my main research area these days is the history of journalism, to find out more about how the UK press reported important events. It’s interesting to look back at Christmas 80 years ago, when Britons thought – with some good reasons – that an end to the second world war was in sight.</p>
<p>The year 1943 had seen significant military success. The Red Army had pushed invading Germans back to the banks of the Dnieper. British and American forces had made landings in Italy and its fascist dictator, Benito Mussolini, had been removed from office. Intense bombing raids had obliterated much of Hamburg, dealt colossal damage to industry in the Ruhr valley, and destroyed 40% of Berlin. Indeed, the Daily Telegraph relayed reports from neutral Swedish newspapers that Joseph Goebbels, Reich minister for propaganda, wanted to evacuate the German capital entirely.</p>
<p>But if victory appeared certain, Allied success was yet to deliver material rewards to war-weary Britons. With factories converted to war work, the Daily Mirror reported intense competition for second-hand toys.</p>
<p>In Newcastle, auction rooms had closed because they were “ashamed to take the money which frantic bidders were prepared to pay”. Auctioneers blamed the parents – one told the Mirror that once children had “set their minds on” toys such as a toy train or doll, the parents “fight for the article because they haven’t the heart to disappoint the child”.</p>
<h2>Rationing out the joy</h2>
<p>Many titles focused on the shortage of traditional food. The Listener, a weekly magazine published by the BBC, acknowledged that there would be no extra rations – but it said things would be much worse for the Germans, who were led by “pre-Christian barbarians opposed to the Christian way of life”.</p>
<p>The Daily Telegraph poured scorn on the minister for food’s prediction that “a substantial proportion of the population will get their turkey”. Butchers made it plain that this was unlikely. The Telegraph concluded that: “Roast pork without apple sauce and simplified plumb pudding (ie, what housewives can make from sultanas, prunes and raisins they may have saved from rations) will be the mainstay in many homes.”</p>
<p>A <a href="https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C786">ministry of food</a> advertisement in the national press encouraged the “resourceful housewife” to “make Christmas meals different by serving something usual in an unusual manner”. It advised readers to “s-t-r-e-t-c-h the meat ration with delicious new stuffings and make it a real feast”. Suggestions included parsley and celery stuffing and “bacon olives” made by wrapping lumps of stuffing in bacon.</p>
<p>The Daily Mirror was equally determined to encourage innovation. It lamented the failure of communities “to club together” and make toys. The popular left-wing daily title was certain that “no part of the country” lacked “people able to use a saw, chisel and paintbrush”. Advertising its commitment to post-war reform, it warned that: “If we can’t produce a few homemade toys, the outlook for a whole new world is pretty grim.”</p>
<h2>Songs of thanksgiving?</h2>
<p>The Times offered a picture of choristers rehearsing for the Christmas Eve festival of nine lessons and carols in King’s College Chapel, Cambridge. The Daily Telegraph offered a competition for junior readers – they could win book tokens by finding toys hidden in a picture of Father Christmas.</p>
<p>But the Conservative broadsheet’s editorial offered a more sobering thought. There was “no power on Earth” that could now prevent the allies achieving the destruction of German fighting forces. However, it went on:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>British and American forces may have to endure the greatest sacrifice of life which they have yet suffered.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>From the US, the Economist reported that the festive season was not offering President Franklin D. Roosevelt tranquillity. Striking rail workers’ trade unions had expressed “deep dissatisfaction with the economic management of the war”. Among the causes was white workers’ hostility to the employment or promotion of black colleagues on southern railroads.</p>
<p>The Daily Mirror found a more personal story about Britain’s American allies. Columnist <a href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/nephew-hero-journalist-who-died-26833646">Ian Fyfe</a> (who was to die while covering the D-Day landings the following year) met Private Hank Burnett of Ohio at an American Forces club in London.</p>
<p>Burnett missed his children but was sure his beloved wife, Myrtle, would fill their Christmas stockings. His concern was that he could not find a suitable present for her. “She’s gonna get the best and London ought to be able to give it to her,” Hank explained. The problem, in this fifth Christmas of war, was that London could not.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/219525/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Tim Luckhurst has received funding from News UK and Ireland Ltd. He is a member of the Free Speech Union and the Society of Editors.</span></em></p>
In 1943, Britons thought the war was nearly over − but another 18 months of hardship and a decade of rationing lay ahead.
Tim Luckhurst, Principal of South College, Durham University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/219784
2023-12-21T10:30:17Z
2023-12-21T10:30:17Z
Overeating at Christmas can cause weight gain – but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s permanent
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566864/original/file-20231220-19-v3wltp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C8%2C5455%2C3628&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Many of us look forward to sharing Christmas dinner with friends and family.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/diverse-family-clinking-glasses-sparkling-wine-2204856027">DC Studio/ Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The holidays are a time of indulgence, with most celebrations centred on having festive food and drinks. It’s no wonder then that most people expect to gain some weight over Christmas. </p>
<p>Indeed, plenty of research suggests that people can gain a couple of kilos over the festive period. But whether this weight gain is only temporary or not depends on many factors. </p>
<p>First, it’s important to note that our body weight varies quite a lot from day to day. One <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0232152">study of three European countries</a> suggested that adults tend to be 0.35% heavier on a Monday than they were the previous Friday. </p>
<p>This might be due to people eating differently at weekends. Or it could be down to natural fluctuations in our weight – with one study finding <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/03014467400000011">weight can change</a> by an average of 1kg (2.2lb) in a single day thanks to activity levels, fluid retention and food intake.</p>
<p>But when it comes to the Christmas period, weight gain tends to fluctuate more. Research shows that at Christmas, people saw their <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0232152">weight increase</a> by 1.35% on average (about 1.2kg or 3lb).</p>
<p>Research from Australia also shows that adults gain around 0.65% body weight over the <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2807660">Christmas period</a> (which falls during their summer). This is particularly interesting, as the study found participants tended to weigh 0.23% less in the summer compared to the winter. </p>
<p>This suggests that Christmas weight gain may be solely down to overeating – not because people are exercising less during the cold winter months. </p>
<p>But is this weight gain actually due to an increase in body fat? Or is it simply because of bloating, fluid retention and having more food in our stomachs?</p>
<h2>Calorie count</h2>
<p>When looking at how much people eat on Christmas day itself, there’s little in the way of rigorous research. </p>
<p>But if we look at American Thanksgiving – a holiday similarly characterised by indulgence and overeating – research shows people <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01615440.2021.2010153?casa_token=UF1TfKOlsocAAAAA%3AST5MZTZ0EjbjRKs_lnpBBSXyMEJVqUDg2R3x7UklPFEYjcnW9TtffwIJ9m6Tw4Vro5mlOePJYic">eat around 3,960 calories</a> at Thanksgiving dinner alone. This translates to an approximately <a href="https://nutritionj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1475-2891-5-29?report=reader">0.5kg (1.1lb) weight increase</a> at the end of the Thanksgiving period.</p>
<p>That’s nearly double the <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/food-and-diet/what-should-my-daily-intake-of-calories-be/">daily recommended calorie requirements</a> for the average adult woman and almost one-and-a-half times the recommended requirements for an adult man. </p>
<p>But just because it’s double the amount of calories we need, this doesn’t mean we may necessarily gain weight.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A family walks outdoors in the winter." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566866/original/file-20231220-21-hurgjv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566866/original/file-20231220-21-hurgjv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=377&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566866/original/file-20231220-21-hurgjv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=377&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566866/original/file-20231220-21-hurgjv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=377&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566866/original/file-20231220-21-hurgjv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=474&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566866/original/file-20231220-21-hurgjv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=474&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566866/original/file-20231220-21-hurgjv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=474&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">A post-dinner walk with family may off-set some of the calories – and help with digestion.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/family-running-on-country-road-autumn-1558478252">avtk/ Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>For many years, it was believed that consuming an additional 3,500 calories or more over a week would result in 0.5kg (1lb) of weight gain. But <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3859816/">research now suggests</a> this might not necessarily be true for everyone. Many factors can affect how easily a person gains weight – and how many additional calories per week it takes to do this.</p>
<p>For example, it seems that, in general, men gain weight <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3880593/">less easily</a> than women, linked to differences in body composition and where fat tends to be stored. Other factors – including body size and weight as well as how much muscle you have, age and how physically active you are – can also affect how easily you <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3880593/">might gain weight</a>. </p>
<p>Additionally, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41576-021-00414-z">your genes</a> and some health conditions (such as an <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/0002934384908428">underactive thyroid</a>) can influence how easy it is to gain weight.</p>
<p>So it’s possible that even if different people eat the same number of extra calories over Christmas, one person may gain more weight than the other.</p>
<p>Another consideration is that many of us are eating additional calories on more than just one day over the holidays. For some of us, the holiday indulgence begins in early December, or even late November. This increases the likelihood you’ll gain weight over the holidays.</p>
<p>But let’s say you’re only going to be indulging on Christmas day. It’s unlikely you can eat so much in a single day as to lead to significant weight gain. This is partly because of how our metabolism works – which balances itself over <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3302369/">several days</a>. </p>
<p>Still, you might feel that single day of overeating for a few days afterwards as a result – meaning you feel “heavier”, even if you haven’t actually gained weight. Also, if you do gain a little weight, once you go back to your normal routine your body weight will also go back to normal. </p>
<p>Even if you do gain weight at Christmas, research suggests this weight can also be lost after the holidays and your <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0232152">lifestyle settles down</a>. </p>
<p>But if you do want to be mindful about what you eat during the holidays, as a dietitian I would suggest the following things. </p>
<ol>
<li><strong>Be mindful.</strong> Your enjoyment of the holidays doesn’t have to be based on how much you eat – it can be about being in the moment and enjoying the holidays and food more mindfully. But when you do indulge, try to be mindful of how much you’re putting on your plate – don’t just snack without thinking.</li>
<li><strong>Eat plenty of veggies</strong>, salads and fruit. Save the calorie-rich festive treats as the highlight – rather than the main event of meals.</li>
<li><strong>Try to get a bit of exercise.</strong> A Christmas or Boxing day walk with family and friends can help to offset some of the calories and may also help with digestion and bloating.</li>
</ol>
<p>If you still feel like you might have overindulged over Christmas, I would not recommend rushing into making New Year’s resolutions. Instead, I would encourage people to make small changes to their diet and physical activity levels, which are easy to stick to.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/219784/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Duane Mellor is a member of the British Dietetic Association and member of the Scientific Committee of the British Nutrition Foundation.</span></em></p>
Body weight is affected by many factors – so it’s possible that even if different people ate the exact same foods at Christmas, one may gain more weight.
Duane Mellor, Lead for Evidence-Based Medicine and Nutrition, Aston Medical School, Aston University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/220175
2023-12-21T10:30:16Z
2023-12-21T10:30:16Z
How Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol anticipated the psychology of Freud in its tale of childhood trauma
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566613/original/file-20231219-29-hn8nob.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Arthur Rackham </span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>With a joyful celebration of family love and communal bonds at its heart, Charles Dickens’s story A Christmas Carol has often <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-charles-dickens-redeemed-the-spirit-of-christmas-52335">been credited with creating our modern idea of Christmas</a>. Published on December 19 1843, the <a href="https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/library/files/special/exhibns/month/dec1999.html#:%7E:text=Originally%20published%20on%2017%20December,by%20the%206th%20of%20January.">first edition sold out</a> rapidly and the story was <a href="https://www.dickenslondontours.co.uk/christmas-carol-on-stage.htm">immediately adapted onto the Victorian stage</a>. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.imdb.com/list/ls577200923/?sort=list_order,asc&st_dt=&mode=detail&page=2">The Internet Movie Database</a> now lists 213 versions of the story, with the <a href="https://victorianweb.org/authors/dickens/xmas/cinema.html">first film made in 1901</a>, the same year Queen Victoria died. Less well-known than the story itself though is Dickens’s importance to our understanding of trauma. </p>
<p>In simple terms, trauma is a “wounding” event or situation that produces ongoing psychological symptoms, such as nightmares, flashbacks and distress. We take the idea of trauma for granted now. </p>
<p>It is an ever-present way of understanding and describing ourselves and the complex societies we live in. But at the same time, awareness of the impact of traumatic events such as war, displacement and adversity feels like an urgent necessity in our troubled world.</p>
<p>The psychological category of trauma is relatively new. The word was not used in English to describe a damaging psychological event until <a href="https://www.oed.com/dictionary/trauma_n?tl=true">1894</a>. But the idea did not appear from nowhere. </p>
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<p>As literary scholar Jill Matus <a href="https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/Shock_Memory_and_the_Unconscious_in_Vict.html?id=6n0hAwAAQBAJ&redir_esc=y">has shown</a>, the “newly forming discipline” of psychology theorised the concept of “shock” in the mid-Victorian period, exploring how the mind could be wounded and the body disorientated. Victorian doctors including <a href="https://www.english.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/english/documents/media/aqa_c19th_text_train_travel.pdf?time=1553589898708">Benjamin Ward Richardson</a> identified <a href="https://diseasesofmodernlife.web.ox.ac.uk/home">new forms of “disease” arising from the fast pace of modern life</a>, such as stress and fatigue. </p>
<p>Meanwhile, as I research in <a href="https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/Parents_and_Children_in_the_Mid_Victoria.html?id=DmMGEAAAQBAJ&source=kp_book_description&redir_esc=y">my own work</a>, mid-Victorian writers traced and retraced how past events could impact the present. By focusing on painful childhood experiences, writers like Dickens and Charlotte Brontë (in the likes of Jane Eyre) helped shape the version of trauma we understand now. </p>
<p>The psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud argued that trauma could not be understood as a single event; it is defined by an unconscious “<a href="https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/Beyond_the_Pleasure_Principle.html?id=H_JyxgEACAAJ&redir_esc=y">compulsion to repeat</a>”, the trauma replayed in new scenes. </p>
<p>For Dickens, it is not just that bad stuff happens – it recurs, it haunts and this implicates who you are and who you can be. In A Christmas Carol, Dickens anticipates Freud’s work and psychoanalysis, which are equally concerned with the reverberating echoes of childhood.</p>
<h2>Scrooge, neglect and forgetfulness</h2>
<p>Scrooge is now a byword for meanness. In A Christmas Carol, Dickens crafts an allegory of trauma and recovery through Ebeneezer Scrooge’s moral redemption. In the first chapter, we witness him bullying Bob Cratchit, his long-suffering clerk, and reject his almost painfully cheerful nephew, Fred. We soon learn that Scrooge’s only friend was Jacob Marley, his business partner, now long since dead.</p>
<p>For Scrooge, all forms of human feeling are “humbug”. The remedies for collective suffering are the workhouse and the prison. The poor are better off dead. Our familiarity with Scrooge perhaps dulls the shock we should feel at these beliefs. Dickens is clear that Scrooge has broken ties with himself, other people and society – and the situation is not just unpleasant, it is dangerous.</p>
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<p>Entwined in chains and cash boxes, Marley’s spirit visits Scrooge, warning that he too will be condemned to “wander through the earth” in an “incessant torture of remorse” if he doesn’t change his ways. Marley prepares Scrooge for the imminent arrival of three spirits: the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come who offer him this chance of redemption.</p>
<p>The first of the three spirits takes Scrooge back to a Christmas scene from his childhood. There, he witnesses himself as a boy, alone in a cold, “melancholy” schoolroom which is “earthy” like a tomb. </p>
<p>We realise that Scrooge is not just a nasty old man, he is also a neglected child. He has unknowingly recreated his childhood loneliness in later life, confined to his miserable counting house. He sought comfort from money. With devastating consequences.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/going-for-a-walk-wasnt-really-a-thing-300-years-ago-the-victorians-turned-it-into-a-popular-pastime-219450">Going for a walk wasn’t really a thing 300 years ago – the Victorians turned it into a popular pastime</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Mourning and recovery</h2>
<p>Meanwhile, the young Scrooge cheers his solitary Christmas by reading The Arabian Nights and Robinson Crusoe, <a href="https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Charles_Dickens/EeiVDwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=0">books loved by Dickens as a child</a>. The characters spring from the pages. Imagination protects the boy and restores the adult, who is learning to remember. Scrooge must watch, listen to and feel every detail of this scene, which has a “softening influence”, giving “freer passage to his tears”.</p>
<p>Observing his younger self, Scrooge begins to accept the past and mourn his losses. Writing 50 years before Freud and Josef Breuer published their “<a href="https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/Studies_on_hysteria.html?id=NgWMUNvKxWIC&redir_esc=y">preliminary communication</a>” in psychoanalysis, in this eerie ghost story, Dickens presents a therapeutic scene.</p>
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<p>But this is bigger than Scrooge. When he later meets the Ghost of Christmas Present, Scrooge must also acknowledge and grieve for the Victorian realities of poverty, adversity and cruelty – represented by the two allegorical children, Want and Ignorance.</p>
<p>As philosopher Judith Butler argued in her book <a href="https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Precarious_Life/pDf_DwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Precarious+life+judith+butler&printsec=frontcover">Precarious Life</a>, mourning can be an act of solidarity. In A Christmas Carol, Dickens shows us that it is also an ethical process. A fitting message perhaps for the 21st century, and for the harsh Christmas many have ahead of them during this cost of living crisis.</p>
<hr>
<figure class="align-left ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536131/original/file-20230706-17-460x2d.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/536131/original/file-20230706-17-460x2d.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536131/original/file-20230706-17-460x2d.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536131/original/file-20230706-17-460x2d.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536131/original/file-20230706-17-460x2d.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536131/original/file-20230706-17-460x2d.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/536131/original/file-20230706-17-460x2d.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
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<p><em>Looking for something good? Cut through the noise with a carefully curated selection of the latest releases, live events and exhibitions, straight to your inbox every fortnight, on Fridays. <a href="https://theconversation.com/uk/newsletters/something-good-156">Sign up here</a>.</em></p>
<hr><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/220175/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Madeleine Wood received funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council for her PhD, Victorian Familial Enigmas: Inheritance and Influence, where she first developed her work on Dickens and trauma. </span></em></p>
Scrooge was a neglected child whose trauma haunted him into old age.
Madeleine Wood, Lecturer in Childhood Studies, University of Essex
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/219589
2023-12-20T22:11:26Z
2023-12-20T22:11:26Z
How to make gravy (using chemistry)
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566166/original/file-20231217-26-g6qyx4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C8%2C5472%2C3628&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/caucasian-male-hand-pouring-gravy-on-1256033632">OKMG/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>“Gravy Day” is a relatively new date in the Australian calendar. Paul Kelly’s song <a href="https://theconversation.com/humbug-tinsel-and-gravy-in-search-of-the-perfect-christmas-pop-song-88924">How to Make Gravy</a> tells the story of a prisoner (Joe) writing to his brother on December 21. Joe laments missing the family Christmas celebrations and asks who will make gravy for the roast lunch in his absence.</p>
<p>While a roast may not be everyone’s idea of the perfect <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-festive-feast-of-fish-and-fruit-the-creation-of-the-australian-christmas-dinner-151201">Christmas feast</a>, “Gravy Day” does give the opportunity to discuss the chemistry involved in making gravy – a thickened sauce made from drippings collected from roasted meats.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FozoWgvh-m4?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Paul Kelly performs his song How To Make Gravy.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-does-ice-cream-work-a-chemist-explains-why-you-cant-just-freeze-cream-and-expect-results-205038">How does ice cream work? A chemist explains why you can't just freeze cream and expect results</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Give my love to Angus (beef?)</h2>
<p>Roasting meat sets off a cascade of chemical reactions, producing myriad new flavour chemicals. More than <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4615-2143-3_10#:%7E:text=This%20has%20resulted%20in%20the,and%20lean%20components%20of%20meat.">1,000</a> flavour compounds have been identified in roasted meats.</p>
<p>Each chemical gives its unique characteristics to the taste and smell of the finished roast. The chemical <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0308814698000764">12-methyltridecanal</a> helps give roast beef its “beefy” flavour, while the sulfur-containing compound <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0963996922004422">2-methyl-3-furanthiol</a> is more often found in roast chicken.</p>
<p>There are three main types of chemical reactions taking place when roasting meats that produce flavour chemicals. </p>
<p>The <a href="https://theconversation.com/kitchen-science-from-sizzling-brisket-to-fresh-baked-bread-the-chemical-reaction-that-makes-our-favourite-foods-taste-so-good-58577">Maillard reaction</a> is responsible for both colour and flavour. This broad reaction type takes place between amino acids from the protein and sugars and simple carbohydrates found in the meat. </p>
<p>The Maillard reaction is also the chemistry responsible for many favourite flavours, including roasted coffee, chocolate, steak, toast and more. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566164/original/file-20231217-27-m8n75f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A roast chicken is displayed on a table." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566164/original/file-20231217-27-m8n75f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566164/original/file-20231217-27-m8n75f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566164/original/file-20231217-27-m8n75f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566164/original/file-20231217-27-m8n75f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566164/original/file-20231217-27-m8n75f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566164/original/file-20231217-27-m8n75f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566164/original/file-20231217-27-m8n75f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The sulfur-containing compound 2-methyl-3-furanthiol is often found in roast chicken.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/homemade-chicken-rotisserie-thyme-lemon-closeup-1574170006">AS Foodstudio/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>A hundred degrees, even more maybe</h2>
<p>The other main type of reaction occurring in a hot oven is the breakdown of fats by “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2022.111385">lipid degradation</a>”. This can form hundreds of different chemical compounds. Many of these chemicals are described as “fatty”, “tallowy”, or smell like fried foods. </p>
<p>The unique fat profiles found in different animals translate to the profile of flavour chemicals that form from lipid degradation when roasted. Further flavour compounds can arise through the third type of reactions combining products of Maillard reactions and lipid degradation.</p>
<p>One specific flavour compound identified as having a “gravy aroma” is known as <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/jf9023189">3-mercapto-2-methylpentan-1-ol</a>. This compound comes from roasted vegetables, so including some veggies in your roasting pan will give you more depth of gravy flavour. Also, “cutting onions” is a useful excuse if listening to How to Make Gravy gets you feeling emotional.</p>
<h2>The treasure and the trash</h2>
<p>Roasting meats causes the fats to “render” and separate from the meat as a liquid. The fat pools in the tray with flavour-rich meat juices.</p>
<p>While the fat and the water both carry flavour compounds, too much fat can give the finished gravy an unpleasant mouth feel, or can separate into layers when served.</p>
<p>It’s worth pouring off the pan juices into a jug to allow the fat to separate from the liquid so you can control how much fat you’re adding. Be sure to dispose of the excess fat responsibly – <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-shouldnt-i-pour-oil-or-paint-down-the-sink-and-what-should-i-do-instead-206604">don’t pour it down the drain</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566165/original/file-20231217-19-yw2q11.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Meat juices drip off a spoon into a tray of roasted meats." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566165/original/file-20231217-19-yw2q11.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566165/original/file-20231217-19-yw2q11.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566165/original/file-20231217-19-yw2q11.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566165/original/file-20231217-19-yw2q11.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566165/original/file-20231217-19-yw2q11.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566165/original/file-20231217-19-yw2q11.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566165/original/file-20231217-19-yw2q11.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Roasting meats causes the fats to ‘render’ and separate from the meat as a liquid.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/closeup-spoon-juice-sauce-over-cooked-1005879244">Jevanto Productions/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Just add flour…</h2>
<p>Flour (or, more specifically, starch) is the secret ingredient of a good gravy. Starches are <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168945222000474">large complex chemicals</a> that are made up of lots of sugars joined together. </p>
<p>Starch granules are tightly packed and swell greatly when they absorb water. The swollen starch molecules forms a gel-like network that traps water and oil to give a thickened gravy.</p>
<p>Wheat flour is most often used as the starch source. Corn and arrowroot starch can also be used. They have a higher percentage of starch than flour and a more neutral flavour. </p>
<p>Wheat starch typically requires a larger quantity to be added and longer cooking to form a paste. Whichever starch you use, don’t add it too quickly or without mixing as you’ll form lumps.</p>
<h2>…salt, red wine, and a dollop of tomato sauce</h2>
<p>Salt is a common ingredient when preparing roast meats, both on the surface of the meat to draw out moisture and as a flavouring agent. The pan juices are typically concentrated as part of the gravy making process. </p>
<p>Make sure you taste the gravy before seasoning, as salt will be concentrated by heating. </p>
<p>Additional flavour components can be introduced by adding red wine, sherry, stock, or tomato sauce. These ingredients will broaden the flavour profile through sweetness (sugar), acidity (vinegar, citric and malic acids), and umami in the case of tomato sauce (natural glutamates, such as those found in MSG). Some folk even add Vegemite to their gravy for an extra umami boost.</p>
<h2>I bet it will taste the same</h2>
<p>If you happen to have screwed up your gravy this time, or are after convenience, then you can turn to an instant gravy powder. The main ingredient is typically maltodextrin or another corn-derived (and possibly chemically modified) starch.</p>
<p>Shelf-stable powdered fats, salt, colours, and a range of <a href="https://theconversation.com/busting-the-myth-that-all-food-additives-are-bad-a-quick-guide-for-label-readers-82883">flavour additives</a> will be present in varying amounts depending on the style and price point of the product.</p>
<p>The advantages of the instant version are speed and uniformity due to the carefully controlled commercial production.</p>
<p>So unlike Joe’s concerns for his family’s gravy, an instant gravy will be more likely to taste the same, regardless of who ends up making it.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-make-the-perfect-pavlova-according-to-chemistry-experts-196485">How to make the perfect pavlova, according to chemistry experts</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/219589/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Nathan Kilah does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
Roasting meat sets off a cascade of chemical reactions. With a bit of kitchen chemistry know-how, you can use these reactions to your advantage when you make gravy.
Nathan Kilah, Senior Lecturer in Chemistry, University of Tasmania
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/219946
2023-12-20T20:29:28Z
2023-12-20T20:29:28Z
How to keep your physical and mental health on track during the holidays
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566975/original/file-20231220-15-t8vqeb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=67%2C67%2C5178%2C3665&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Many people veer from their healthy lifestyle routines during the holidays.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100px; border: none; position: relative; z-index: 1;" allowtransparency="" allow="clipboard-read; clipboard-write" src="https://narrations.ad-auris.com/widget/the-conversation-canada/how-to-keep-your-physical-and-mental-health-on-track-during-the-holidays" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<p>With the festive season upon us, many people will be gathering with family and friends, whether it’s a workplace party, a friend’s get-together or a quiet night at home watching Christmas movies. While enjoyable, these events can disrupt your healthy lifestyle habits. </p>
<p>A <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/12/231204135305.htm">recent survey</a> reported nearly 45 per cent of people take a break from exercise during the holidays, more than half say they feel more tired and have less time for themselves, and about one-third report drinking more. </p>
<p>My research looks at the benefits of a <a href="https://drscottlear.com/">healthy lifestyle</a> on <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/1xsvY0F6qbBKDG8INVvy5T">physical and mental health</a>. And many of these same healthy behaviours can help you navigate the holidays.</p>
<h2>Eating right</h2>
<p>Cakes, chocolates, spiced ham, turkey stuffing, mulled wine and other delights abound during this time of year. Most of these foods are high in fat, sugar and calories. So it’s no surprise the holidays are associated with a greater consumption of food. And one survey even pegged people <a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/calories-consumed-on-christmas-day_uk_584abfb4e4b0fccb67997275">eating close to 6,000 calories on Christmas Day</a>. That’s two to three times the daily caloric recommendation for most people.</p>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="A wine bottle and wine glass wearing a santa hat, with holiday wreath in the background" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566977/original/file-20231220-19-y85bzk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566977/original/file-20231220-19-y85bzk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=745&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566977/original/file-20231220-19-y85bzk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=745&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566977/original/file-20231220-19-y85bzk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=745&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566977/original/file-20231220-19-y85bzk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=936&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566977/original/file-20231220-19-y85bzk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=936&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566977/original/file-20231220-19-y85bzk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=936&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">In one survey, one-third of people reported drinking more alcohol during the holidays.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>With this amount of eating, there are many claims the holidays result in weight gain. While there is an enduring rumour that <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/31/health/nutrition/31real.html">average holiday weight gain is five to 10 pounds</a> (2.25 to 4.5 kilograms), in reality it may be much less. A study published in 2000 reported it to be only <a href="https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJM200003233421206">around one pound</a>, or about half a kilogram. However, as this was an average amount, there were still some people in the study who gained five or more pounds. </p>
<p>While indulging on one or two occasions isn’t going to derail your diet, if you have a holiday circuit of events you do, you may want to develop a strategy on how to manage your diet. First ask yourself if you need (or want) to go to all of them. </p>
<p>For the events you do go to, pick one or two occasions at which you’ll indulge. These might have the best food, or your closest family and friends are present. For the others, try staying on the healthier side of things.</p>
<p>Before you go, make sure you eat well during the day leading up to your event so you’re not going to the event hungry. Also, make sure you get plenty of sleep. A lack of sleep can make you more likely to reach for <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2020.104074">high-energy foods and eat more</a>. </p>
<p>Try to enlist a health buddy, whether a friend or even the host, to keep you on track. And be mindful of alcohol intake, which can impair your self-discipline.</p>
<h2>Staying active</h2>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Melted snowman cookies against a blue background" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566978/original/file-20231220-21-7k59t4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566978/original/file-20231220-21-7k59t4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566978/original/file-20231220-21-7k59t4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566978/original/file-20231220-21-7k59t4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566978/original/file-20231220-21-7k59t4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566978/original/file-20231220-21-7k59t4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566978/original/file-20231220-21-7k59t4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Missing a few exercise sessions isn’t going to affect your fitness and long-term health, but it can affect your mood.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>When it comes to exercise, most of us are creatures of habit. This is a good thing, because having <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1559827618818044">a routine is the best way to maintain regular exercise</a>. But the holidays are anything but routine. Gyms, pools and community centres may have shortened hours or be closed. Your trainer or aerobics instructor may have taken time off.</p>
<p>Now, missing a few exercise sessions isn’t going to affect your fitness and long-term health, but it can affect your mood. Exercise is known to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2017.03.013">increase energy levels</a>, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-018-9976-0">improve mood</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2014.10.019">reduce stress</a>. All of which can be helpful during the frenetic holidays. And missing an exercise session can be like not having your morning coffee.</p>
<p>But the holidays also present numerous opportunities to get in a lot of activity — from shopping to Christmas markets to walking around your neighbourhood looking at the decorations. </p>
<p>You can also get into the holiday spirit by singing Christmas carols (or any other song). Singing can <a href="https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-026995">reduce anxiety</a>, potentially <a href="https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjresp-2021-000959">increase your lung capacity</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-004-0006-9">increase the number of infection-fighting molecules</a> in your blood. And singing with others is known to build social bonds and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/03057356211042668">release oxytocin</a>, which can improve one’s mood. </p>
<p>While the quality of your singing doesn’t matter for most of these benefits, the more you do sing, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/hbm.21173">the more you’ll likely benefit</a>.</p>
<h2>Managing stress</h2>
<p>Nearly <a href="https://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2023/11/holiday-season-stress">90 per cent of adults in the United States associate the holiday season with some form of stress</a>. While the holidays are meant to be a period of joy, it’s not uncommon to feel overwhelmed by the shopping, hosting events, expectations of others and the added financial costs. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="red and white mini candy canes arranged in heart shapes and big candy canes in a heart shape with one side broken into three pieces" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566979/original/file-20231220-19-y2x3cx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566979/original/file-20231220-19-y2x3cx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566979/original/file-20231220-19-y2x3cx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566979/original/file-20231220-19-y2x3cx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566979/original/file-20231220-19-y2x3cx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566979/original/file-20231220-19-y2x3cx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566979/original/file-20231220-19-y2x3cx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">While the holidays are meant to be a period of joy, it’s not uncommon to feel overwhelmed by the shopping, hosting events, expectations of others and the added financial costs.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>This may be one of the reasons why the number of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1161/01.CIR.100.15.1630">heart attacks and cardiac-related deaths</a> increase during the holiday period. In addition, it’s believed people delay seeking treatment during the holidays, given that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1161/01.CIR.0000151424.02045.F7">emergency department visits spike after they’re over</a>.</p>
<p>Stress occurs when people feel they don’t have control over what’s going on. Setting up a holiday plan can help. Your plan could include a spending budget, which events you’ll attend and which you’ll say no to. If you’re hosting a dinner, plan the menu ahead of time, enlist help from others or even get take-out. </p>
<p>Other strategies for managing, and preventing, stress include getting regular exercise, ensuring you get enough sleep, avoiding unrealistic expectations and setting aside some quiet time to do something just for yourself.</p>
<p>While we all want things to be perfect, even the best plans may go astray. If that does happen, that’s okay and go easy on yourself. If you do find the holidays challenging, make sure you speak up to the people around you for their support.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/219946/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Scott Lear receives funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and Hamilton Health Sciences, and has received funding from the Heart and Stroke Foundation, Novo Nordisk, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.</span></em></p>
The holidays can disrupt healthy lifestyle habits, like nutrition and exercise routines. Here’s how to enjoy the season without derailing your physical or mental health.
Scott Lear, Professor of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/220047
2023-12-20T19:07:00Z
2023-12-20T19:07:00Z
Santa Claus is coming to town! How to help kids manage the big build-up to Christmas
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566744/original/file-20231219-15-uy70xb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=49%2C70%2C4674%2C3078&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/a-couple-of-women-wearing-santa-hats-MgM577HC5-M">Richard Stachmann/Unsplash</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>School is out and Santa is on his way, but there’s still a bit of a wait before he wriggles down that chimney. The days before Christmas are both exciting and challenging for children and families. </p>
<p>How can you manage kids’ excitement in this last build-up to Christmas? What should you do if emotions run over? And how might you respond if all the focus on Santa means some kids start asking if he is real? </p>
<h2>Help kids manage outbursts</h2>
<p>Parents and carers may notice children are adorably ridiculous at this time of year (or maybe just ridiculous). </p>
<p>Each day brings a swirling mix of tears, laughter, shouts and tired panda eyes. Sleep patterns can also be disturbed across the Christmas break, with late nights and early mornings leading to extra tiredness.</p>
<p>For younger (and even older) children, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1745-7599.2012.00755.x">temper tantrums</a> may be more common.</p>
<p>If your child does have an outburst, give them some time to cool off. Although it can be tempting, try not to enforce harsh punishments in the moment. An angry threat to cancel Christmas (“I’m going to tell Santa not to come!”) may be matched by an equally angry response by your child. </p>
<p>Instead, come back when you are both calm, <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-94-024-1042-6_13">acknowledge</a> how they and others might be feeling and <a href="https://denhamlab.gmu.edu/Publications%20PDFs/Denham%202005.pdf">discuss</a> how best to manage those emotions (“If you are feeling very excited, go outside and run around instead of hitting your brother”). </p>
<p>Also be conscious of your own emotions. Children <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1513625/">often model</a> the emotions and behaviours they see from others. So, despite all the things you have to do at the moment, try and pause, relax and seek out opportunities for joy in this festive season. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A child in a Santa suit pulls the hat over their head." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566746/original/file-20231219-29-y829kl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566746/original/file-20231219-29-y829kl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566746/original/file-20231219-29-y829kl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566746/original/file-20231219-29-y829kl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566746/original/file-20231219-29-y829kl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566746/original/file-20231219-29-y829kl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566746/original/file-20231219-29-y829kl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">You may seem more tantrums before Christmas as kids navigate their excitement.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/boy-in-bright-red-soft-santa-costume-hiding-in-hat-6437851/">Marta Wave/Pexels</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/parents-make-mistakes-so-what-does-good-enough-parenting-look-like-214146">Parents make mistakes. So what does 'good enough parenting' look like?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Help children explore questions about Santa</h2>
<p>Of course, Christmas holds a range of deeper meanings for religion and family. But a key source of excitement in the lead up to Christmas is Santa. The magical world of Santa, reindeers and elves sparks particular joy for kids. </p>
<p>If your child is in early primary school, you might be worrying “what happens if Stella discovers <em>the truth</em>”? </p>
<p>Try not to let this become a family stressor. </p>
<p>Children begin making distinctions between fantasy and reality in preschool, although <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.2466/pr0.1980.46.3.691">often continue</a> to believe in Santa for longer: particularly <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0885201416300375">if parents</a> promote these beliefs. </p>
<p>In <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF02253287">one study</a>, children who no-longer believed were interviewed about how they had felt when they realised Santa was not real. Some felt momentarily bad or disappointed but more than half reported feeling happy or relieved to know the truth. They had been wondering anyway. </p>
<p>If children are questioning their beliefs already, consider exploring this with them by asking “what do you think?” Either way, negative emotions tend to be <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/2024-25574-001.html">short-lived</a>: indeed, many children continue to pretend to believe in Santa just for fun. </p>
<h2>Help manage holiday expectations</h2>
<p>For those at home before Christmas, complaints of boredom may already have set in. These are particularly challenging for parents who are still working. </p>
<p>Some children may be happy playing with siblings. For other children, it can help to <a href="https://journals.lww.com/iycjournal/Fulltext/2007/10000/Family_Routines_and_Rituals__A_Context_for.2.aspx">create routines</a> to manage their expectations. This might include times you will be available to play with them, excursions and free play. Include children in <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09362835.2011.537228?src=recsys">the negotiations</a> and help them to manage excitement by creating a list of activities they would like to complete. </p>
<p>For families already away on holidays, the challenges are <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15022250510014255">different but real</a>. An expectation of relaxing bliss can sometime contrast with a reality that is more intense. </p>
<p>Interviews with <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/YC-06-2017-00703/full/html">Danish children and their parents</a> about their trips away reveal both joy and tension, with closer living quarters and 24/7 activities bringing social overload and frayed tempers over time. </p>
<p>Routines can help here too, even if they differ from those at home. Map out when you will be sharing fun activities together and build in quiet time to soothe frayed nerves. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A child prays in front of Christmas candles." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566755/original/file-20231219-23-d2da5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566755/original/file-20231219-23-d2da5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566755/original/file-20231219-23-d2da5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566755/original/file-20231219-23-d2da5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566755/original/file-20231219-23-d2da5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566755/original/file-20231219-23-d2da5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566755/original/file-20231219-23-d2da5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Dear Santa, I promise I have been really good this year …</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/toddler-praying-in-front-of-candle-lights-on-table-14737999/">Helena Jankovičová Kováčová/ Pexels</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Plan Christmas Eve</h2>
<p>For all children, Christmas Eve is likely to see a clash of excitement and emotion. Help children to plan out any family rituals beforehand, including what time they will go to bed.</p>
<p>For those with siblings, help them to plan who will complete what tasks. This might include chopping carrots for reindeer, pouring milk for Santa, or lighting special Christmas candles. Ensure the negotiations are fair and everyone is happy.</p>
<p>Above all, enjoy. Stories of stress and conflict related to Christmas abound, yet research shows an abundance of <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1174/021347411797361347">positive emotions</a> across the period. ‘Tis a most wonderful time of the year.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/8-tips-to-navigate-christmas-if-you-have-a-fussy-eater-or-child-with-allergies-219118">8 tips to navigate Christmas if you have a fussy eater or child with allergies</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/220047/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Penny Van Bergen receives funding from the Australian Research Council and NSW Department of Education. </span></em></p>
School is out and Santa is on his way, but there’s still a bit of a wait before he wriggles down that chimney.
Penny Van Bergen, Head of School of Education and Professor of Educational Psychology, University of Wollongong
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/219271
2023-12-20T15:23:52Z
2023-12-20T15:23:52Z
This Christmas, avoid slipping cash into your children’s stockings
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563670/original/file-20211213-19-1sx1oes.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=47%2C51%2C1443%2C884&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">A gift's value goes beyond its price tag.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fake_one_dollar_with_Santa_Claus.jpg">Lloydoramcdowell / Wikimedia Commons</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>What toy should I buy my niece for Christmas? No easy task, since I was never an eight-year-old girl. For my brother, a bottle of whisky. But hasn’t he stopped drinking it lately? And my aunt? The Prix Goncourt of the year, as always. But I’m not sure he’s interested in the story this time.</p>
<p>For my partner, it’s easier, I know her tastes and everything she already owns. In any case, no money for either of them - possibly a gift voucher if I don’t have time to scour the shops and websites. The economics of gift-giving never cease to fascinate me.</p>
<p>In the early 1990s, they baffled a young assistant professor at Yale University, Joel Waldfogel. Intrigued by the economic theory of rational consumer choice, Waldfogel took issue with the Christmas tradition of giving something to someone else <a href="https://www.amherst.edu/media/view/104699/original/christmas.pdf">without fully knowing their preferences</a>. Had he spent 50 dollars on a present for a loved-one, he reasoned, the recipient would have likely been better qualified to direct that money toward something more suited to their taste.</p>
<p>He then asked the students on his microeconomics course to estimate the price of the gifts they recently received for Christmas, and what they would be prepared to fork out for their gifts had they not received them. One person answered that the sweatshirt they found under the tree cost €50 in the shops, but that they would have only been willing to pay €43 had they had to buy it.</p>
<h2>Gift-giving: a deadweight loss?</h2>
<p>The young teaching assistant observes a systematic difference of around 20% between the two estimates of the students interviewed. Applying this ratio to the sales figure for Christmas 1992, he deduced that the exchange of gifts resulted in a deadweight loss to society of several billion dollars. To correct this inefficient allocation of resources, he recommended giving money rather than wrapped presents - i.e. a 50 euro note rather than 7 euros wasted on a surprise sweatshirt.</p>
<p>But his economic reasoning is flawed and absurd.</p>
<p>But before I explain why, let’s note that had his reasoning been correct, the loss of wealth would be even greater today. Spending on Christmas presents has risen considerably since the early 1990s. China and its low-cost production have been there.</p>
<p>Take toys, for example. The Middle Kingdom accounts for <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2017/12/25/china-is-still-a-toy-manufacturing-powerhouse">around three quarters of global production</a>.</p>
<p>All the companies in the rest of the world source their supplies or manufacture there. Even <a href="https://theconversation.com/economie-du-jouet-le-jeu-de-lego-52608">Lego ended up building a factory there</a>. European consumers appreciate this, having seen the price of toys steeply fall over the past decades. </p>
<p><iframe id="REZaV" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/REZaV/1/" height="400px" width="100%" style="border: none" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p>At the same time as this unit decline, the budget allocated to Christmas presents is steadily increasing. In the United States, spending per household has increased by almost <a href="https://think.ing.com/reports/special-report-presents-of-mind-christmas-2016/">40% over the last 30 years</a>. Some people have a problem with this spending spree. Two out of ten Americans say they went into debt for Christmas. And just over one in two say it’s the time of year when they don’t have to worry about spending money. The same may be true for you. In any case, marketing experts and salespeople know this, and they’re having a field day trying to get us to spend money at this time of the year.</p>
<p>Had Waldfogel been right when he calculated that one-fifth of Christmas gift spending goes up in smoke, the bill - or rather the subtraction - would be even higher today. But there’s no need to worry because, as announced above, he’s wrong.</p>
<h2>Reciprocity</h2>
<p>Intuitively, this won’t surprise you. Imagine giving your partner money under the Christmas tree rather than a present. They’re unlikely to react any more positively than they would to a beautifully wrapped present. The same goes for the friend who has invited you to New Year’s Eve dinner, when you hand them a 10 or 20 euro note on the doorstep instead of a bottle of wine or a bouquet of flowers!</p>
<p>And Christmas presents are usually reciprocal. Imagine an exchange of envelopes between spouses, each containing 50 euros. Great, the two gifts cancel each other out! Note that the situation would undoubtedly be even trickier if one put far fewer notes in one’s envelope than the other.</p>
<p>Modern-day economists make no mistake. In 2013, nearly fifty of them, most of them teaching at Chicago, Harvard, MIT, Stanford and Berkeley, had been asked to respond to the following <a href="https://www.igmchicago.org/surveys/bah-humbug/">proposal</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>“Giving specific gifts as party favours is inefficient because recipients could satisfy their preferences much better with cash.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Only a small minority agreed. As for the seven winners of the "Nobel” prize for economics questioned in the group, they were unanimously against.</p>
<p>Anthropologists would surely have been even more unanimous. As keen <a href="https://journals.openedition.org/lectures/520">observers of giving</a> in traditional and modern societies, they know more about this complex subject than anyone else. They can only denounce the reductionism of Joel Waldfogel. But by looking to economics for a rebuttal, we can brush up our knowledge of consumer theory.</p>
<p>The loss between the gift of a wrapped present and the gift of money has its origins in the now outmoded model of a consumer who chooses what they buy in a perfectly rational way: they know their own preferences intimately and calculate, for all goods and on the basis of their means, what would maximise their pleasure, or utility, as the economists would say. Like <em>Homo œconomicus</em>, they are therefore unbeatable in their choice of purchases.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437177/original/file-20211213-21-1twe7l5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437177/original/file-20211213-21-1twe7l5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=391&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/437177/original/file-20211213-21-1twe7l5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=391&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/437177/original/file-20211213-21-1twe7l5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=391&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/437177/original/file-20211213-21-1twe7l5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=491&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/437177/original/file-20211213-21-1twe7l5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=491&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/437177/original/file-20211213-21-1twe7l5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=491&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Christmas presents are usually reciprocated.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/vintagehalloweencollector/2084765580/">Dave/Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Joel Waldfogel’s merit would then have lay in being the first to measure to what extent the person who chooses instead of the consumer is beaten. Except that his approach isn’t strictly orthodox. In the eyes of a purist, he is committing a sin: he is capturing utility through a monetary measure and comparing utility between people. In a way, this amounts to making money the universal instrument for measuring pleasure, and a dollar for the giver is worth as much as a dollar for the receiver, even though the former may be richer than the latter, or vice versa; something that is contested by theorists.</p>
<h2>The pleasure of giving</h2>
<p>Moreover, the <a href="https://www.nber.org/system/files/working_papers/w18687/w18687.pdf">theoretical model of the consumer</a> has shifted away from perfect rationality and is currently seeking to integrate the affects (feelings and emotions) and motivations (family devotion, altruism, socialisation, etc.) that guide its choices. The wrapped gift can therefore be appreciated as a signal of the giver’s attachment, because they have thought about it and <a href="https://sites.duke.edu/djepapers/files/2016/10/Yao.pdf">spent time choosing it</a>, or even because it simply provides a few minutes spent discovering a surprise, the time it takes to remove the ribbon and open the package.</p>
<p>In short, there’s more to a gift than its monetary value. What’s more, as soon as the question put to the students is no longer to estimate the price of the gift received, telling them to leave out the sentimental value, but to ask about its total value, understood as its material value plus its sentimental value, a <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/116876.pdf">gain rather than a loss</a> appears.</p>
<p>Strictly speaking, the donor’s satisfaction should also be taken into account. Isn’t it said that the pleasure of giving is often greater than the pleasure of receiving? The consumption of the gift received can also give rise to a <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/116876.pdf">positive feedback effect</a>, such as the smile and thanks of the recipient. </p>
<h2>Our relationship to gifts in practice</h2>
<p>After these considerations on how we should and could behave with our Christmas presents, it might be time to take a look at what happens in practice. What do the polls and surveys say?</p>
<p>Firstly, the vast majority of gift-givers are satisfied with the presents they receive. In Europe, only one <a href="https://think.ing.com/reports/special-report-presents-of-mind-christmas-2016/">in seven has received a gift they don’t appreciate</a>, with France having the highest proportion. Donors are therefore quite right. Some may have been helped by suggestions from the friends and family of the person they wanted to give a present to. Or even by asking them directly what they want for Christmas!</p>
<p>Secondly, the gift of money is very much in the minority – one person in 10 receives one among all their gifts. The gift card still far outstrips it. It avoids giving a soulless cheque or notes and reduces the chances of a specific gift being disliked. But it shifts the burden of going to the shop, whether brick and mortar or online, onto the recipient. According to one consumer association, an American spends about <a href="https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2010/11/americans-spend-42-hours-each-on-holiday-shopping-and-partying/index.htm">fifteen hours shopping plus three hours wrapping</a> gifts.</p>
<p>Lastly, gifts that don’t appeal have all sorts of fates. They usually end up at the bottom of a cupboard or drawer, but are sometimes thrown away with the wrapping paper. </p>
<p>To avoid waste, gifts can be passed on, exchanged in a shop, or donated to charity.
Given the commercial scale of the Christmas season and the avalanche of gifts it triggers, we may also be tempted to return to a more sober tradition of giving to others. Many charities accept gifts for redistribution.</p>
<p>You can donate any of the gifts you have received that you don’t like or that you already have. You can also donate a gift that you like, but that would be more pleasing or even more useful to others: this would be no more an economic heresy than sending a cheque or transferring money to a charity.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/219271/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>François Lévêque ne travaille pas, ne conseille pas, ne possède pas de parts, ne reçoit pas de fonds d'une organisation qui pourrait tirer profit de cet article, et n'a déclaré aucune autre affiliation que son organisme de recherche.</span></em></p>
From an economic viewpoint, the idea may initially appeal by appearing to maximise the economic utility of the receiver. But it suffers from fundamental flaws.
François Lévêque, Professeur d’économie, Mines Paris
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/219837
2023-12-20T10:19:44Z
2023-12-20T10:19:44Z
Alcohol, artificial trees and ‘granny dumping’: why Christmas is such a busy time in A&E
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566253/original/file-20231218-25-c3sqs8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=16%2C0%2C5447%2C3637&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Christmas day is actually the least busy day in A&E during the holidays.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/blur-image-patients-hospital-waiting-see-1142067620">Medical-R/ Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Christmas is a time for families and friends to come together, relax and enjoy themselves. It’s a time of giving and receiving and of feasting – and perhaps, for some, a celebratory tipple. But sometimes, yuletide plans can go awry. And some of these purported pleasures might lead to a visit to the local emergency department.</p>
<p>The holiday season is often one of the busiest times in A&E departments in the UK and <a href="https://emj.bmj.com/content/28/5/373">around the world</a>. But Christmas day itself is actually the least busy day of the bunch. In my A&E department, attendances temporarily fall by up to a third on Christmas day.</p>
<p>This is perhaps unsurprising, as people will want to be with their families on December 25th. So those who might have otherwise visited the emergency department with <a href="https://www.lep.co.uk/health/seven-figure-cost-of-unnecessary-ae-visits-in-preston-and-chorley-3138023">less urgent reasons</a> for attending may prioritise their family time on that day instead.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, the remainder of the Christmas season sees a surge in attendances – *<em>and the number of these Christmas attendances in the UK is rising by <a href="https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2023/01/Statistical-commentary-December-2022-cftre1.pdf">around 4% each year</a>.</em> </p>
<p>The reasons for this surge are quite complex. One explanation is that primary care is less available over the holidays. We actually see the same sort of surge in A&E attendances <a href="https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/17615949.doctors-call-better-medical-awareness-easter-surge/">around Easter</a> too.</p>
<p>Another reason is that patients are unable to visit their general practitioners, so they go elsewhere, often <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/hex.12995">to the emergency department</a>.</p>
<p>This time of year is particularly stressful for staff, so many apply for <a href="https://www.myemergencydr.co.uk/media-centre/staffing-crises-in-emergency-departments-this-christmas-its-different">annual leave over that time</a> as a consequence. Senior staff are also <a href="https://www.sthelensstar.co.uk/news/23797617.hospitals-face-christmas-day-staffing-due-strikes/">often unavailable</a> because staffing is reduced and many want to be with their families.</p>
<p>All of these factors combined explain why A&E is often uniquely packed around the holidays. Some of the problems that land people in A&E at this time of year are also unique to the Christmas period. </p>
<h2>Overindulgence</h2>
<p>Food, alcohol and drugs are often taken to excess at Christmas. </p>
<p>Alcohol is a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165032716323035">common reason for attendances</a> during public holidays worldwide. <strong>Even on regular weekends, <a href="https://emj.bmj.com/content/33/3/187?ijkey=985e35e0f484d37e5dfea06970d0d99a46a58b05&keytype2=tf_ipsecsha">up to 70% of A&E attendances</a> in the UK are alcohol related.</strong> </p>
<p>Alcohol intoxication is a <a href="https://academic.oup.com/alcalc/article/54/5/516/5524731">significant burden</a> on emergency departments. Unruly drunken patients may cause disruption. Patients who are rendered unconscious by alcohol require careful monitoring to ensure they don’t fill their airways with vomit.</p>
<p>Gluttony can also bring someone to the emergency department. Eating and drinking too much can cause acid reflux, which in severe cases can mimic the <a href="https://health.ucdavis.edu/news/features/telling-the-difference-between-heartburn-and-heart-attack/2022/12#:%7E:text=Indigestion%20can%20cause%20acid%20reflux,but%20not%20to%20the%20extremities.">symptoms of a heart attack</a>. However, the number of these attendances are dwarfed by the number of those related to alcohol misuse.</p>
<h2>Accidents</h2>
<p>Christmas presents can sometimes be a significant threat to safety.</p>
<p>Over 40 years ago, <a href="https://www.sciencealert.com/chemistry-kits-history-risks-benefits-education">poisoning and burns related to chemistry sets</a> were quite common and sometimes fatal. In more recent times, it’s <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07420528.2021.1993239">electric scooters</a> which have become a significant threat due to collisions and lithium battery-related fires. </p>
<p>Christmas trees – particularly artificial ones – can also <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/tech/annals-of-technology/christmas-decoration-injuries">cause injuries</a>. In fact, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2212958818301769">artificial Christmas trees</a> carry a sixfold higher risk of injury over real ones. Fires, electrical injuries and blunt injuries have all been reported. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A father and daughter wearing santa hats put up their artificial Christmas tree." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566254/original/file-20231218-17-acgmnu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566254/original/file-20231218-17-acgmnu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=353&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566254/original/file-20231218-17-acgmnu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=353&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566254/original/file-20231218-17-acgmnu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=353&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566254/original/file-20231218-17-acgmnu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=444&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566254/original/file-20231218-17-acgmnu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=444&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566254/original/file-20231218-17-acgmnu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=444&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Danger may be lurking in your Christmas tree.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/father-daughter-install-artificial-christmas-tree-2199216143">Andrew Angelov/ Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Some of those glass baubles can be quite nasty too. The glass is sharp, thin and in my experience, sometimes quite difficult to locate and extract from a wound.</p>
<h2>Violence</h2>
<p>Christmas is said to be the season of good will. Sadly, this is not always the case. The Christmas period sees an <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10140-022-02103-8">increase in the incidence of assaults</a>. These are commonly alcohol related, and may occur within families or even outside in the community.</p>
<p>There’s also an increase in <a href="https://metro.co.uk/2022/12/20/one-in-four-women-are-worried-about-sexual-assault-over-christmas-17968012/">sexual assault</a> and <a href="https://www.dvact.org/post/why-does-domestic-violence-increase-over-christmas">domestic violence</a> at Christmas. Much of this comes to the emergency department. </p>
<h2>Poor mental health</h2>
<p>Loneliness is rife in old and young alike. Christmas sees an increase in those feeling desperate – and in some cases, <a href="https://www.mind.org.uk/news-campaigns/news/mind-warns-that-people-with-mental-health-problems-struggle-with-self-harm-and-suicidal-feelings-due-to-the-pressure-of-christmas/">harming themselves</a>.</p>
<p>Psychiatric services come under <a href="https://mentalhealth-uk.org/blog/what-its-like-to-work-in-mental-health-support-over-christmas/">particular pressure at this time</a>. The number of these attendances at Christmas are no higher compared to <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1049935/full">the rest of the year</a> but services are less well staffed so patients may be waiting longer for support. </p>
<h2>Elder abuse</h2>
<p>One of the most egregious things we see in emergency departments is the abandonment of elderly relatives by families wishing to rid themselves of them for a quieter time at home or perhaps make their holiday celebrations easier.<strong>Known as “<a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/elderly-relatives-granny-dumping-holidays-1.6295864">granny dumping</a>, this involves people bringing a relative to A&E in the days before Christmas, claiming they require care and need to be admitted to hospital for monitoring.</strong> Figures on this are hard to come by, but it’s <a href="https://www.bigissue.com/news/politics/adam-kay-its-christmas-everyday-in-the-nhs-but-not-in-a-good-way/">seen widely</a> in <a href="https://www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/commentanalysis/arid-40195434.html#:%7E:text=One%20is%20the%20use%20of,decline%20to%20bring%20them%20home.">emergency departments</a>.</p>
<p>Emergency departments continue to function over the festive season. Patients present with all manner of emergencies that require immediate treatment, and by no means are they all due to human folly. In fact, such presentations are a minority.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/219837/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Stephen Hughes does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
Some of the reasons people end up in A&E at Christmas are unique to the season.
Stephen Hughes, Senior Lecturer in Medicine, Anglia Ruskin University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/220019
2023-12-20T01:28:46Z
2023-12-20T01:28:46Z
With ‘White Christmas,’ Irving Berlin and Bing Crosby helped make Christmas a holiday that all Americans could celebrate
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566447/original/file-20231218-29-3t65vi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=451%2C37%2C5721%2C3895&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">After Irving Berlin, left, penned 'White Christmas,' he pegged Bing Crosby as the ideal singer for what would become a holiday classic.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/american-composer-lyricist-and-songwriter-irving-berlin-and-news-photo/1296904202?adppopup=true">Irving Haberman/IH Images via Getty Images</a></span></figcaption></figure><p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1989/09/23/obituaries/irving-berlin-nation-s-songwriter-dies.html">Irving Berlin</a> was a Jewish immigrant who loved America. As his 1938 song “<a href="https://www.loc.gov/item/ihas.200000007/">God Bless America</a>” suggests, he believed deeply in the nation’s potential for goodness, unity and global leadership. </p>
<p>In 1940, he wrote another quintessential American song, “<a href="https://achristmasclassic.org/">White Christmas</a>,” which the popular entertainer <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1977/10/15/archives/bing-crosby-73-dies-in-madrid-at-golf-course-bing-crosby-73-dies-at.html">Bing Crosby</a> eventually made famous.</p>
<p>But this was a profoundly sad time for humanity. World War II – what would become <a href="https://www.highpointnc.gov/2111/World-War-II">the deadliest war in human history</a> – had begun in Europe and Asia, just as Americans were starting to pick up the pieces from the Great Depression.</p>
<p>Today, it can seem like humanity is at another tipping point: <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-depolarise-deeply-divided-societies-podcast-193427">political polarization</a>, war in <a href="https://theconversation.com/west-banks-settler-violence-problem-is-a-second-sign-that-israels-policy-of-ignoring-palestinians-drive-for-a-homeland-isnt-a-long-term-solution-217177">the Middle East</a> <a href="https://theconversation.com/russian-attempt-to-control-narrative-in-ukraine-employs-age-old-tactic-of-othering-the-enemy-206154">and Europe</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/2023s-extreme-storms-heat-and-wildfires-broke-records-a-scientist-explains-how-global-warming-fuels-climate-disasters-217500">a global climate crisis</a>. Yet like other historians, I’ve long thought that <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=pGEB0QIAAAAJ&hl=en">the study of the past</a> can help point the way forward.</p>
<p>“White Christmas” has resonated for more than 80 years, and I think the reasons why are worth understanding.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GJ36gbGlm8Y?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Bing Crosby sings ‘White Christmas’ in the 1942 musical ‘Holiday Inn.’</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Yearning for unity</h2>
<p>Christmas in America had always reflected a mix of influences, from ancient Roman <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-christmas-tree-is-a-tradition-older-than-christmas-195636">celebrations of the winter solstice</a> to the Norse festival <a href="https://theconversation.com/yule-a-celebration-of-the-return-of-light-and-warmth-218779">known as Yule</a>. </p>
<p>Catholics in Europe had celebrated Christmas with public merriment since the Middle Ages, but Protestants often denounced the holiday as a vestige of paganism. These religious tensions <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-the-puritans-cracked-down-on-celebrating-christmas-151359">spilled over to the American colonies</a> and persisted after the Revolutionary War, when slavery divided the nation even further.</p>
<p>After the Civil War, many Americans pined for national traditions that could unify the country. Protestant opposition to Christmas celebrations had relaxed, so Congress finally <a href="https://time.com/4608452/christmas-america-national-holiday/">declared Christmas a federal holiday in 1870</a>. Millions of Americans soon adopted <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-christmas-tree-is-a-tradition-older-than-christmas-195636">the German tradition of decorating trees</a>. They also exchanged presents, sent cards and shared stories of Santa Claus, a figure whose image the cartoonist <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/civil-war-cartoonist-created-modern-image-santa-claus-union-propaganda-180971074/">Thomas Nast</a> perfected in the late 19th century.</p>
<p>The Christmases that Berlin and Crosby “used to know” were those of the 1910s and 1920s, when the season expanded to include <a href="https://madisonsquarepark.org/community/news/2021/04/holiday-tree/">the nation’s first public Christmas tree lighting ceremony</a> and <a href="https://www.history.com/news/the-first-macys-thanksgiving-day-parade">the appearance of Santa Claus</a> at the end of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. </p>
<p>Despite these evolving secular influences, Christmas music and entertainment continued to emphasize Christianity. Churchgoers and carolers often sang “Silent Night” and “Joy to the World.”</p>
<h2>‘The best song anybody ever wrote’</h2>
<p>Berlin’s inspiration for the song came in 1937, <a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/White-Christmas/Jody-Rosen/9780743218764">when he spent Christmas in Beverly Hills</a>. He was near the film studios where he worked but far from his wife, Ellin – a devout Catholic – and the New York City home in Manhattan where they had always celebrated the holiday with their three daughters. </p>
<p>Being apart from Ellin that Christmas was particularly difficult: Their infant son had died on Dec. 26, 1928. Irving knew his wife would have to make the annual visit to their son’s grave by herself.</p>
<p>By 1940, Berlin had come up with his lyrics. In his Manhattan office, he sat at his piano and asked his arranger to take down the notes.</p>
<p>“Not only is it the best song I ever wrote,” <a href="https://www.dacapopress.com/titles/laurence-bergreen/as-thousands-cheer/9780306806759/">he promised</a>, “it’s the best song anybody ever wrote.”</p>
<p>Berlin had connected his lonesome Christmas to the broader turmoil of the time, including the outbreak of World War II and fraught debates about America’s role in the world. </p>
<p>This new song reflected his response: a dream of better times and places. It evoked a small town of yesteryear in which horse-drawn sleighs crossed freshly fallen snow. It also imagined a future in which dark days would be “merry and bright” once again.</p>
<p>This was a new kind of Christmas carol. It did not mention the birth of Jesus, angels or wise men – and it was a song that all Americans, including Jewish immigrants, could embrace.</p>
<p>Berlin soon took “White Christmas” back to Hollywood. He wanted it to appear in his newest musical, one that would tell the story of a retired singer whose hotel offered rooms and entertainment, but only on American holidays. He titled the film “Holiday Inn” and pitched it to Paramount Pictures, with Crosby as the lead.</p>
<h2>Fighting for ‘the right to dream’</h2>
<p>Raised in Spokane, Washington, Crosby had launched his music career in the 1920s. A weekly radio show and a contract with Paramount led to stardom during the 1930s. </p>
<p>With his slim build and protruding ears, Crosby did not look the part of a leading man. But his easygoing demeanor and mellow voice made him immensely popular. </p>
<p>“<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034862/">Holiday Inn</a>” premiered in August 1942. Reviewers barely mentioned the song, but ordinary Americans couldn’t get enough of it. By December it was on every radio, in every jukebox and, as the Christian Science Monitor newspaper noted, in nearly “every home and heart” in the country.</p>
<p>The key reason was the nation’s entry into World War II.</p>
<p>“White Christmas” was not overtly patriotic, but it made Americans think about why they fought, sacrificed and endured separation from their loved ones. <a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/White-Christmas/Jody-Rosen/9780743218764">As an editorial</a> in the Buffalo Courier-Express concluded, the song “provided a forcible reminder that we are fighting for the right to dream and for memories to dream about.”</p>
<p>This made it a song all Americans could embrace, including those not always treated like Americans.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Painting of Santa Clause wearing a stars-and-stripes hat as a young boy and girl sit on his lap." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566453/original/file-20231219-15-3zn321.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566453/original/file-20231219-15-3zn321.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=434&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566453/original/file-20231219-15-3zn321.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=434&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566453/original/file-20231219-15-3zn321.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=434&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566453/original/file-20231219-15-3zn321.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=545&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566453/original/file-20231219-15-3zn321.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=545&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566453/original/file-20231219-15-3zn321.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=545&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">During World War II, aspects of the Christmas holiday – family, home, comfort and safety – took on greater meaning.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/retro-santa-claus-wearing-a-stars-and-stripes-tophat-with-a-news-photo/525363617?adppopup=true">GraphicaArtis/Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Affirming faith in humanity</h2>
<p>Berlin and Crosby didn’t set out to change how Americans celebrate Christmas. But that’s what they ended up doing.</p>
<p>Their song’s universal appeal and phenomenal success launched a new era of holiday entertainment – traditions that helped Americanize the Christmas season.</p>
<p>Like “White Christmas,” popular songs such as “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” (1943) tapped into a longing for being with friends and family. “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” (1949) and other new songs celebrated snow, sleigh rides and Santa Claus, not the birth of Jesus.</p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566381/original/file-20231218-25-udqob2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Red and blue cover for sheet music featuring photographs of two smiling young men and two smiling young women." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566381/original/file-20231218-25-udqob2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566381/original/file-20231218-25-udqob2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=799&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566381/original/file-20231218-25-udqob2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=799&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566381/original/file-20231218-25-udqob2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=799&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566381/original/file-20231218-25-udqob2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1004&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566381/original/file-20231218-25-udqob2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1004&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566381/original/file-20231218-25-udqob2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1004&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The sheet music for Irving Berlin’s ‘White Christmas.’</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/sheet-music-for-irving-berlins-white-christmas-new-york-news-photo/455915107?adppopup=true">Robert R. McElroy/Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>“White Christmas” <a href="https://books.google.com/books/about/Bing_Crosby_a_Pocketful_of_Dreams.html?id=2DRE2U_8WJIC">had already sold 5 million copies by 1947</a> when Crosby recorded “Merry Christmas,” the first Christmas album ever produced. On the album, “White Christmas” appeared alongside holiday classics such as “Jingle Bells” and “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town.”</p>
<p>Hollywood followed suit. In the popular 1946 film “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038650/">It’s a Wonderful Life</a>,” for example, bonds of family and friendship proved their value just in time for Christmas. </p>
<p>Faith was affirmed, but it was a faith in humanity. </p>
<p>Over the coming decades, Christmas entertainment continued to reach new audiences.</p>
<p>The upbeat songs of Phil Spector’s 1963 album “A Christmas Gift for You,” for example, appealed to baby boomers. Producers also catered to younger audiences with television specials such as “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.”</p>
<p>Hollywood then rediscovered Christmas during the 1980s, largely because of “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085334/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_1_tt_7_nm_0_q_christmas%2520story">A Christmas Story</a>,” a film that didn’t exactly view Christmas through rose-colored glasses. While satirizing the chaos and angst of the holiday season, the film nonetheless embraced Christmas, warts and all. A steady stream of Christmas films followed – “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096061/">Scrooged</a>,” “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099785/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_1_tt_7_nm_0_q_home%2520alone">Home Alone</a>,” “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0319343/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_1_tt_7_nm_0_q_elf">Elf</a>” – where themes of nostalgia, family and togetherness were ever-present.</p>
<p>Since the 1940s, the Christmas season has become even more inclusive. <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2013/12/23/christmas-also-celebrated-by-many-non-christians/">A 2013 Pew Research survey</a> found that 81% of non-Christians in the U.S. celebrate Christmas. Yes, the holiday has also <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/122132/the-battle-for-christmas-by-stephen-nissenbaum/">become more commercial</a>. But that, too, has made it all the more American.</p>
<p>Amid these changes, Irving Berlin’s song has been a holiday mainstay, reminding listeners of what makes them not just American, but human: the importance of home, a longing for togetherness and a shared hope for a better future.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/220019/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Ray Rast does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
The secular carol doesn’t mention Jesus, angels or wise men, while reminding listeners of what makes them not just American, but human.
Ray Rast, Associate Professor of History, Gonzaga University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/219927
2023-12-19T16:54:10Z
2023-12-19T16:54:10Z
Vape deals are everywhere this Christmas – here’s how to deal with the horrific waste problem
<p>Vape deals are all over the place in the run-up to Christmas. Vape kits, e-liquids and accessories are being widely promoted as stocking fillers, frequently with upwards of 50% off. </p>
<p>There’s certainly a big market, with <a href="https://ash.org.uk/uploads/Use-of-e-cigarettes-among-adults-in-Great-Britain-2023.pdf?v=1691058248#:%7E:text=The%20number%20of%20e%2Dcigarette,see%20Appendix%201%20for%20methodology).&text=There%20are%20differences%20in%20vaping,of%20those%20classified%20as%20ABC1.">nearly 5 million</a> vapers in the UK alone, growing at nearly 10% a year. Many are no doubt attracted by all the bright colours and funky shapes, not to mention a <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/smokers-urged-to-swap-cigarettes-for-vapes-in-world-first-scheme#:%7E:text=As%20part%20of%20the%20world,smoking%20rates%20to%205%25%20or">UK government plan</a> to offer starter kits to one in five smokers to help make the nation “smoke-free” by 2030. </p>
<p>Quite aside from <a href="https://theconversation.com/uk-plan-to-encourage-smokers-to-take-up-vaping-means-swapping-one-health-risk-with-another-204152">the potential health issues</a>, this is causing an enormous waste problem – above all with disposable vapes. These now make up <a href="https://ash.org.uk/uploads/Use-of-e-cigarettes-among-adults-in-Great-Britain-2023.pdf?v=1691058248#:%7E:text=The%20number%20of%20e%2Dcigarette,see%20Appendix%201%20for%20methodology).&text=There%20are%20differences%20in%20vaping,of%20those%20classified%20as%20ABC1.">almost a third</a> of the whole market, a near-doubling in share in the past year alone. According to research by recycling campaigners Material Focus, some <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-66740556">5 million vapes</a> are now being disposed of weekly in the UK – that’s nearly 500 a minute. </p>
<p>So how bad are the consequences and what might a solution look like?</p>
<h2>Why it’s a problem</h2>
<p>Vapes traditionally consist of an e-liquid cartridge, heating element, wick, built-in battery and a mouthpiece. Disposable vapes are very similar, except that instead of a cartridge, there’s typically a small quantity of e-liquid absorbed into the wick; when the wick dries out, the device is spent. For both disposables and reusables, there’s usually also an electronic system to control power and functionality and ensure safe operation. </p>
<p>These devices consist of plastic, glass, rubber, various metals and cotton. The electronic parts use elements that are both valuable and potentially hazardous. These include lithium in the batteries, various heavy metals and rare earths in the battery, circuitry and wiring, and aluminium in the cartridge and battery casings. </p>
<p>To give just one example of what we’re throwing away, research <a href="https://www.materialfocus.org.uk/press-releases/one-million-single-use-vapes-thrown-away-every-week-contributing-to-the-growing-e-waste-challenge-in-the-uk/">published in 2022</a> indicated that annual UK vape waste included 10 tonnes of lithium, enough to power 1,200 electric vehicles. And with vape disposals having <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-66740556">already trebled</a> since then, the figure is now likely to be considerably higher. </p>
<p>When it comes to recycling, vapes are comparable to other small devices such as electric toothbrushes, smoke detectors and battery-operated toys. These are all complex to recycle, even if few product lines have been growing so quickly as vapes. Most concerning, however, is the environmental footprint of the disposables. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.materialfocus.org.uk/press-releases/one-million-single-use-vapes-thrown-away-every-week-contributing-to-the-growing-e-waste-challenge-in-the-uk/">Most are not</a> disposed of properly and end up in household trash or even littering pavements, public amenities and beaches. <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/electrical-and-electronic-equipment-eee-covered-by-the-weee-regulations/electrical-and-electronic-equipment-eee-covered-by-the-weee-regulations#:%7E:text=Category%207%3A%20toys%2C%20leisure%20and%20sports%20equipment&text=e%2Dcigarettes,details%20see%20European%20Commission%20guidance">By law</a> they are supposed to be disposed of in the same way as electrical toys and sports equipment, either via household waste-recycling centres or retailer take-back channels, where they are subsequently sent for dismantling and recycling or safe disposal. </p>
<p>If you look closely at the product or packaging, this requirement should be confirmed with a symbol of a crossed-out wheelie bin with a thick line underneath, which refers to WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment) recycling, though in my experience this is not always evident. </p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565974/original/file-20231215-15-jc6k6c.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="The WEEE symbol." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565974/original/file-20231215-15-jc6k6c.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565974/original/file-20231215-15-jc6k6c.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=861&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565974/original/file-20231215-15-jc6k6c.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=861&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565974/original/file-20231215-15-jc6k6c.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=861&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565974/original/file-20231215-15-jc6k6c.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1082&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565974/original/file-20231215-15-jc6k6c.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1082&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565974/original/file-20231215-15-jc6k6c.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1082&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The WEEE symbol.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7e/WEEE_symbol_vectors.svg/350px-WEEE_symbol_vectors.svg.png">Wikimedia</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Improper disposal of vapes <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/may/13/single-use-vapes-sparking-surge-in-fires-at-uk-waste-plants">can result</a> in harmful chemicals leaching into the environment. There’s a fire and explosion hazard when batteries become detached, damaged or submerged in water. Disposable vapes are also linked with <a href="https://lungfoundation.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/First_Nations_Vape-Animation_Fact-Sheet.pdf">generating microplastics</a>. </p>
<p>Unfortunately producers, importers and retailers are not fully acknowledging or even understanding the problem. This is exemplified by most UK producers failing to register with a UK environmental agency under WEEE regulations, which they are supposed to do. Instead most mistakenly <a href="https://www.mrw.co.uk/news/vape-firms-failing-to-comply-with-weee-regulations-07-03-2023/">register with</a> the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency. </p>
<p>Meanwhile, leading disposable-vapes manufacturer Elf Bar was <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/nov/29/elf-bar-vape-ads-uk-over-recycling-asa">recently censured</a> by the Advertising Standards Authority for playing up the recycling service it offers customers, when in reality all manufacturers are supposed to offer this service, and also because it implied vapes could be disposed of at home. </p>
<h2>What can be done</h2>
<p>Clearly, users need a greater understanding of the environmental harm and potential dangers that improper disposal of single-use vapes can cause, as well as better awareness of and access to suitable recycling facilities. Local drop-off points and take-back schemes for small electrical items could be better promoted for single-use vapes by councils, while everyone from universities to festivals could incentivise vape-recycling or offer collection points. </p>
<p>Even then, the fire hazard during storage and transport is a concern. To this end, Veolia, the largest waste management company in the UK, <a href="https://www.letsrecycle.com/news/veolia-launches-nationwide-vape-recycling-scheme/">recently launched</a> a nationwide fire-safe vape-recycling scheme where retailers are supplied with containers of vermiculite, a mineral that minimises the risk of combustion. The vapes are then transported in these containers to specialist facilities for recycling.</p>
<p>Veolia and the UK Environment Agency are also calling for vapes to be put in their own unique WEEE category because of the quantities and hazards associated with them. Alternatively, it’s sometimes suggested that councils should be made to start including all WEEE electrical waste in their rubbish collection. </p>
<p>Other potential solutions include getting the manufacturers to bear more costs towards vape collection and recycling, making them put clearer instructions about safe disposal on the packaging, or even banning disposable vapes altogether. This latter option is currently being considered by the <a href="https://www.gov.scot/news/single-use-vapes-ban-considered/#:%7E:text=The%20Scottish%20Parliament%20has%20successfully,from%20the%20Internal%20Market%20Act.">Scottish government</a> and would be my preferred choice. </p>
<p>In the meantime, for individuals getting knockdown deals on vapes this Christmas, it is best to keep spent ones in good condition and with the battery intact until you can get to a suitable recycling facility. Your retailer should be able to point you towards the nearest one, or else the information is <a href="https://www.recycleyourelectricals.org.uk/how-to-recycle-electronics/what-electronics-can-be-recycled/recycle-vapes/">available online</a>. Whatever you do, please don’t make this waste problem any worse than it is already.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/219927/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Andrew Turner does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
With 5 million vapers in the UK and rising fast, nearly 500 of these devices are being thrown away every minute.
Andrew Turner, Associate Professor in Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/219114
2023-12-18T19:09:51Z
2023-12-18T19:09:51Z
5 ways to avoid weight gain and save money on food this Christmas
<p>As Christmas approaches, so does the challenge of healthy eating and maintaining weight-related goals. The season’s many social gatherings can easily tempt us to indulge in calorie-rich food and celebratory drinks. It’s why we typically <a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc1602012">gain weight</a> over Christmas and then struggle to take it off for the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031938414001528">remainder of the year</a>.</p>
<p>Christmas 2023 is also exacerbating cost-of-living pressures, prompting some to rethink their food choices. Throughout the year, <a href="https://dvh1deh6tagwk.cloudfront.net/finder-au/wp-uploads/2023/03/Cost-of-Living-Report-2023.pdf">71% of Australians</a> – or 14.2 million people – <a href="https://retailworldmagazine.com.au/rising-cost-of-living-forces-aussies-to-change-diets/">adapted</a> their eating behaviour in response to rising costs.</p>
<p>Fortunately, there are some simple, science-backed hacks for the festive season to help you celebrate with the food traditions you love without impacting your healthy eating habits, weight, or hip pocket.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/when-christmas-comes-so-do-the-kilos-new-research-tracks-australians-yo-yo-weight-gain-210709">When Christmas comes so do the kilos. New research tracks Australians' yo-yo weight gain</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>1. Fill up on healthy pre-party snacks before heading out</h2>
<p>If your festive season is filled with end-of-year parties likely to tempt you to fill up on finger foods and meals high in fat, salt, and sugar and low in nutritional value, have a healthy pre-event snack before you head out.</p>
<p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5015032/#sec-a.g.atitle">Research</a> shows carefully selected snack foods can impact satiety (feelings of fullness after eating), potentially reducing the calories you eat later. High-protein, high-fibre snack foods have the strongest effect: because they take longer to digest, our hunger is satisfied for longer.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Person pours a handful of mixed nuts" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565710/original/file-20231214-31-zsoyv0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565710/original/file-20231214-31-zsoyv0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565710/original/file-20231214-31-zsoyv0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565710/original/file-20231214-31-zsoyv0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565710/original/file-20231214-31-zsoyv0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565710/original/file-20231214-31-zsoyv0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565710/original/file-20231214-31-zsoyv0.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Nuts are a good option.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/hands-holding-jar-nuts-dried-fruits-1112521214">Shutterstock/NazarBazar</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>So enjoy a handful of nuts, a tub of yoghurt, or a serving of hummus with veggie sticks before you head out to help keep your healthy eating plan on track.</p>
<h2>2. Skip the low-carb drinks and enjoy your favourites in moderation</h2>
<p>Despite the marketing promises, low-carb alcoholic drinks <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/hpja.531">aren’t better for our health or waistlines</a>.</p>
<p>Many low-carb options have a similar amount of carbohydrates as regular options but lull us into thinking they’re better, so we drink more. A <a href="https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/K-013_Low-carb-beer_FactSheet_FINAL.pdf">survey</a> found 15% of low-carb beer drinkers drank more beer than they usually would because they believed it was healthier for them.</p>
<p>A typical lager or ale will contain less than 1.5 grams of carbohydrate per 100 ml while the “lower-carb” variety can range anywhere from 0.5 grams to 2.0 grams. The calories in drinks come from the alcohol itself, not the carbohydrate content. </p>
<p>Next time you go to order, think about the quantity of alcohol you’re drinking rather than the carbs. Make sure you sip lots of water in between drinks to stay hydrated, too.</p>
<h2>3. Don’t skimp on healthy food for Christmas Day – it’s actually cheaper</h2>
<p>There’s a perception that healthy eating is more expensive. But studies show this is a misconception. A <a href="https://southwesthealthcare.com.au/swh-study-finds-eating-a-healthier-diet-is-actually-cheaper-at-the-checkout/#:%7E:text=A%20recent%20study%20from%20the,does%20not%20meet%20the%20guidelines">recent analysis</a> in Victoria, for example, found following the Australian Dietary Guidelines cost the average family A$156 less a fortnight than the cost of the average diet, which incorporates packaged processed foods and alcohol.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/trying-to-spend-less-on-food-following-the-dietary-guidelines-might-save-you-160-a-fortnight-216749">Trying to spend less on food? Following the dietary guidelines might save you $160 a fortnight</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>So when you’re planning your Christmas Day meal, give the pre-prepared, processed food a miss and swap in healthier ingredients:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>swap the heavy, salted ham for leaner and lighter meats such as fresh seafood. Some seafood, such as prawns, is also tipped to be cheaper this year thanks to <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/goodfood/lobsters-up-prawns-stable-a-buying-guide-to-seafood-this-christmas-20231208-p5eq3m.html">favourable weather conditions</a> boosting local supplies</p></li>
<li><p>for side dishes, opt for fresh salads incorporating seasonal ingredients such as mango, watermelon, peach, cucumber and tomatoes. This will save you money and ensure you’re eating foods when they’re freshest and most flavoursome</p></li>
</ul>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Woman holds platter at Summer Christmas lunch outdoors" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565716/original/file-20231214-17-kdrjv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565716/original/file-20231214-17-kdrjv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565716/original/file-20231214-17-kdrjv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565716/original/file-20231214-17-kdrjv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565716/original/file-20231214-17-kdrjv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565716/original/file-20231214-17-kdrjv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565716/original/file-20231214-17-kdrjv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Swap in healthier ingredients.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/be-jolly-fill-your-belly-cropped-2146240039">PeopleImages.com - Yuri A/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<ul>
<li><p>if you’re roasting veggies, use healthier cooking oils like olive as opposed to vegetable oil, and use flavourful herbs instead of salt</p></li>
<li><p>if there’s an out-of-season vegetable you want to include, look for frozen and canned substitutes. They’re cheaper, and <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0889157517300418">just as nutritious</a> and tasty because the produce is usually frozen or canned at its best. Watch the sodium content of canned foods, though, and give them a quick rinse to remove any salty water</p></li>
<li><p>give store-bought sauces and dressings a miss, making your own from scratch using fresh ingredients.</p></li>
</ul>
<h2>4. Plan your Christmas food shop with military precision</h2>
<p>Before heading to the supermarket to shop for your Christmas Day meal, create a detailed meal plan and shopping list, and don’t forget to check your pantry and fridge for things you already have. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4586574/">Eating beforehand</a> and shopping with a plan in hand means you’ll only buy what you need and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8206473/">avoid impulse purchasing</a>.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/bring-a-plate-what-to-take-to-christmas-lunch-that-looks-impressive-but-wont-break-the-bank-196565">Bring a plate! What to take to Christmas lunch that looks impressive (but won't break the bank)</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>When you’re shopping, price check everything. Comparing the cost per 100 grams is the most effective way to save money and get the best value. Check prices on products sold in different ways and places, too, such as nuts you scoop yourself versus prepacked options.</p>
<h2>5. Don’t skip breakfast on Christmas Day</h2>
<p>We’ve all been tempted to skip or have a small breakfast on Christmas morning to “save” the calories for later. But this plan will fail when you sit down at lunch hungry and find yourself eating far more calories than you’d “saved” for. </p>
<p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32073608/">Research</a> shows a low-calorie or small breakfast leads to increased feelings of hunger, specifically appetite for sweets, across the course of the day. </p>
<p>What you eat for breakfast on Christmas morning is just as important too – choosing the right foods will <a href="https://theconversation.com/im-trying-to-lose-weight-and-eat-healthily-why-do-i-feel-so-hungry-all-the-time-what-can-i-do-about-it-215808">help you manage your appetite</a> and avoid the temptation to overindulge later in the day. </p>
<p><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24703415/">Studies</a> show a breakfast containing protein-rich foods, such as eggs, will leave us feeling fuller for longer. </p>
<p>So before you head out to the Christmas lunch, have a large, nutritionally balanced breakfast, such as eggs on wholegrain toast with avocado.</p>
<p><em>At the Boden Group, Charles Perkins Centre, we are studying the science of obesity and running clinical trials for weight loss. You can <a href="https://redcap.sydney.edu.au/surveys/?s=RKTXPPPHKY">register here</a> to express your interest.</em> </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/5-ways-to-make-christmas-lunch-more-ethical-this-year-218351">5 ways to make Christmas lunch more ethical this year</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/219114/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Nick Fuller works for the University of Sydney and has received external funding for projects relating to the treatment of overweight and obesity. He is the author and founder of the Interval Weight Loss program.</span></em></p>
Many of us gain weight over Christmas and spend more than we’d like entertaining. Here’s how to keep both in check.
Nick Fuller, Charles Perkins Centre Research Program Leader, University of Sydney
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/217992
2023-12-18T16:17:20Z
2023-12-18T16:17:20Z
Advertising toys to children is an environmental nightmare – here’s how parents can deal with it
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566310/original/file-20231218-23-ncxq5h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C1280%2C960&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://pixabay.com/photos/lego-blocks-multicoloured-plastic-1649878/">RegenWolke/Pixabay</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>As Christmas approaches, many children experience the “gimme-gimmes” and write a list of toys that they hope Santa will bring. This is to be expected. Toys give children a chance to learn and be curious, engage their imaginations in play and become socialised with others.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, <a href="https://fashnerd.com/2018/05/ecobirdy-sustainable-recycling-innovative-technology/#:%7E:text=According%20to%20ecoBirdy's%20website%2C%2080,just%20six%20months%20on%20average.">80% of all toys</a> end up in landfills, incinerators or the ocean. The toy industry uses <a href="https://www.theworldcounts.com/challenges/consumption/other-products/environmental-impact-of-toys">40 tonnes of plastic</a> for every US$1 million it generates in revenue and has <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352550922000550">an excessive carbon footprint</a>.</p>
<p>Toys may contribute to the development of a child while threatening their health and wellbeing with pollution. Advertisers perpetuate this paradox, and children are vulnerable to their persuasive tactics.</p>
<p>Advertisers know that children are an inevitable part of the consumer decision-making cycle and coax them to pester their parents to part with hard-earned cash. Creating an emotional attachment to toys in the minds of children is key – tie-ins with food, fun, clothing and music create a spiral of brand-associated desire. </p>
<p>Popular but non-recyclable loom bands (a wrist-worn accessory) are <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2715044/Loom-band-craze-eco-ticking-timebomb-Fears-thousands-bands-recycled-discarded-street.html">a poignant example</a>. This worldwide children’s craze, often used to signal solidarity with a cause, has led to a deluge of silicone-based rubber reaching landfills and the ocean every year. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A colourful selection of children's toys on a white background." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566298/original/file-20231218-21-uk0iid.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C5162%2C3993&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566298/original/file-20231218-21-uk0iid.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=464&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566298/original/file-20231218-21-uk0iid.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=464&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566298/original/file-20231218-21-uk0iid.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=464&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566298/original/file-20231218-21-uk0iid.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=583&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566298/original/file-20231218-21-uk0iid.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=583&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566298/original/file-20231218-21-uk0iid.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=583&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The vast majority of plastic toys are not widely recycled.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/multicolored-learning-toys-gDiRwIYAMA8">Vanessa Bucceri/Unsplash</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Aside from emotional marketing (which works on children and adults alike) <a href="https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1348/026151008X388378">studies have shown</a> that very young children often cannot tell whether they are watching a television programme or an advertisement. Banner advertising on game sites present the same issue. </p>
<p>Only from the <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1470785318802682">ages of nine to 11</a> do children begin to become brand-aware and conscious of the social currency that brand power presents. While they may increasingly understand the intent behind branding, they are also at an age where they are prone to peer pressure and will use what psychologists call their “<a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0267257X.2010.495281">pester power</a>”.</p>
<p>Children are clearly vulnerable to these tactics, and the result is a growing stream of plastic into the environment. But psychological research suggests that a child’s developmental capacity to understand the climate crisis and its consequences could provide an antidote. By giving children space to participate fully in decisions that are potentially harmful to the environment, parents may counteract a child’s susceptibility to aggressive advertising. </p>
<h2>Give children more agency</h2>
<p>The Psychological Society of Ireland recently responded to a call for recommendations on improving children’s rights laws from the <a href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/calls-for-input/2023/call-comments-draft-general-comment-childrens-rights-and-environment-special">United Nations</a>. Leading the submission, <a href="https://www.psychologicalsociety.ie/source/PSI%20response%20to%20UN%20Committee%20on%20Rights%20of%20the%20Child%20-%20Draft%20General%20comment%20No-26%20(SIGHRP).pdf">the team and I</a> addressed the mental health problems caused to children by environmental harm. </p>
<p>Elaine Rogers, Alexis Carey and I published a <a href="https://muse.jhu.edu/article/904850/pdf">review paper</a> drawing on psychological research and the UN’s global consultation with 16,000 children. This consultation found that children across a range of ages not only demonstrate their understanding of the threat climate change poses but readily propose solutions. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A child holding up a toy camera." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566302/original/file-20231218-29-okj15f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566302/original/file-20231218-29-okj15f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=414&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566302/original/file-20231218-29-okj15f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=414&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566302/original/file-20231218-29-okj15f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=414&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566302/original/file-20231218-29-okj15f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=521&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566302/original/file-20231218-29-okj15f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=521&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566302/original/file-20231218-29-okj15f.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=521&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Children can understand the climate crisis – and the role that consumerism plays in it.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/girl-holding-purple-and-green-camera-toy-GagC07wVvck">Tanaphong Toochinda/Unsplash</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>When the opportunity arises, children and adolescents express empathy and distress at the situation, and may even be predisposed to anxiety. The climate anxiety that children experience may be for themselves and their own family, for future generations, or for the environment and other species. These findings suggest that the capacity for children to understand the climate crisis could counteract their susceptibility to advertising which inflames it.</p>
<p>Drawing on our analysis of how children’s participation can generate solutions to environmental issues, I have put together recommendations which may be helpful to parents and guardians this Christmas season.</p>
<h2>Get the whole family involved</h2>
<p>Have discussions with your child about how a toy will possibly be good or bad for the environment. For instance, some <a href="https://corporate.mattel.com/sustainable-materials-in-toys">well-known brands</a> have switched to using plastic made from ethanol extracted from sugar cane.</p>
<p>Look for eco-labels on toys and find out which suppliers stock <a href="https://www.greentoys.com/">Green Toy</a> brands. Also ask questions about the educational merit of a toy choice and help your child weigh up the pros and cons. Try balancing these purchases with more commercial ones.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A selection of wooden toy animals." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566300/original/file-20231218-17-3tuk08.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/566300/original/file-20231218-17-3tuk08.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=422&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566300/original/file-20231218-17-3tuk08.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=422&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566300/original/file-20231218-17-3tuk08.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=422&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566300/original/file-20231218-17-3tuk08.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=530&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566300/original/file-20231218-17-3tuk08.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=530&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/566300/original/file-20231218-17-3tuk08.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=530&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Certification schemes exist to make ethical choices easier for parents and guardians.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/green-crocodile-wooden-toy-on-the-floor-3661197/">Cottonbro Studio</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Perhaps find out how your children could become involved in national and international debates on climate change. The UN recently made explicit that there is a legal responsibility on advertisers to ensure that marketing does not mislead children and it has placed a high value on children’s involvement in these matters, producing a <a href="https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/hrbodies/crc/gcomments/gc26/2023/GC26-Child-Friendly-Version_English.pdf">child-friendly version</a> (and an accompanying <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88ytWDLmyC8">video</a>) of its position on children’s rights and the environment. </p>
<h2>Toy banks</h2>
<p>Look out for collection points for pre-loved toys. Toy banks can start with family, friends and neighbours. Perhaps canvass local residential committees and local government to start one if there isn’t one near you.</p>
<p>Encourage your children to gather a used-toy selection to send to local charity shops in the run up to Christmas. </p>
<h2>Encourage longevity</h2>
<p>When toys have a personal story, children are more likely to want to play with them for longer, especially <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/andyrobertson/2018/01/26/connected-toys-need-to-learn-longevity-from-traditional-toy-makers/?sh=32b506292ad2">character toys</a>. </p>
<p>For example, a doll and teddy bear “holiday” or “hospital stay” might reignite your child’s interest in a toy when they return. </p>
<h2>Safe spaces</h2>
<p>Creating <a href="https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/hrbodies/crc/gcomments/gc26/2023/GC26-Child-Friendly-Version_English.pdf">safe spaces</a> for discussion at home, at school or in the community will help your children think critically about how product marketing or merchandise could make them complicit in damaging the environment. The discussion should feel safe and non-adversarial. </p>
<p>Remember that children are the gatekeepers of purchasing power, with the ability to persuade parents, caregivers and even Santa to bring them the toys they choose. </p>
<p>Empowering your children to make grown-up decisions about the toys they’d like to have, or to keep, will help reduce the negative impact of advertising on their wellbeing.</p>
<hr>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="Imagine weekly climate newsletter" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
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<p><strong><em>Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?</em></strong>
<br><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/uk/newsletters/imagine-57?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=Imagine&utm_content=DontHaveTimeTop">Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead.</a> Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. <a href="https://theconversation.com/uk/newsletters/imagine-57?utm_source=TCUK&utm_medium=linkback&utm_campaign=Imagine&utm_content=DontHaveTimeBottom">Join the 30,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.</a></em></p>
<hr><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/217992/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Michelle Cowley-Cunningham is a chartered psychologist of the British Psychological Society and an associate fellow of the Psychological Society of Ireland. She is affiliated with the Green Party, Ireland. </span></em></p>
Until the age of nine, children struggle to distinguish adverts from TV shows.
Michelle Cowley-Cunningham, Chartered Psychologist and Postdoctoral Researcher at the National Centre for Family Business, Dublin City University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/218718
2023-12-17T19:17:49Z
2023-12-17T19:17:49Z
An austere Christmas is on the cards – but don’t say recession
<p>The rapid increase in interest rates over the past year and a half is causing many consumers to feel less than joyous this festive season. </p>
<p>Spending in the lead up to Christmas is likely to remain subdued, with consumers more budget conscious than in previous years. The muted outlook for consumption has got some economists and media outlets predicting a possible recession in 2024.</p>
<p>So, what is a recession and how likely is it Australia will actually see one next year?</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/were-in-a-per-capita-recession-as-chalmers-says-gdp-steady-in-the-face-of-pressure-212642">We're in a per capita recession as Chalmers says GDP 'steady in the face of pressure'</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>What is a recession, anyway?</h2>
<p>The National Bureau of Economic Research (a private research organisation widely seen as the authority for determining recessions in the US) <a href="https://www.nber.org/research/business-cycle-dating/business-cycle-dating-procedure-frequently-asked-questions">defines</a> recession as “a significant decline in economic activity that is spread across the economy and that lasts more than a few months.”</p>
<p>But it is not all just about weak consumption expenditure (people spending a bit less money than usual). In an open economy like Australia, a decline in consumption could just mean a decline in imports. In other words, weak consumption doesn’t necessarily mean we are producing less goods and services locally.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/564723/original/file-20231211-23-rwk6l5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A couple of sad looking presents are placed around a very small Christmas tree." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/564723/original/file-20231211-23-rwk6l5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/564723/original/file-20231211-23-rwk6l5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/564723/original/file-20231211-23-rwk6l5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/564723/original/file-20231211-23-rwk6l5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/564723/original/file-20231211-23-rwk6l5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/564723/original/file-20231211-23-rwk6l5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/564723/original/file-20231211-23-rwk6l5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">We may be in for an austere Christmas.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/vintage-house-decorated-small-christmas-tree-1935574153">Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Reserve Bank of Australia <a href="https://www.rba.gov.au/education/resources/explainers/recession.html">says</a> a recession is often defined as “a sustained period of weak or negative growth.”</p>
<p>But what do we mean by “sustained”? The media usually takes this to mean at least two consecutive quarters of negative growth in economic activity, typically measured by Gross Domestic Product (GDP). </p>
<p>However, the National Bureau of Economic Research does not use a two-quarter rule. And it looks at more than just domestic production. It examines a variety of different measures of economic activity – such as conditions in the labour market and industrial production – when making its decision about whether a recession has occurred or not.</p>
<p>Currently, there seems to an obsession with finding some measure that will indicate a recession. The latest candidate, popular among some observers and <a href="https://www.afr.com/policy/economy/the-big-squeeze-we-had-to-have-20230906-p5e2b8">media</a> <a href="https://theconversation.com/were-in-a-per-capita-recession-as-chalmers-says-gdp-steady-in-the-face-of-pressure-212642">outlets</a>, is a “per capita GDP recession”. </p>
<p>This means a fall in GDP per person. That’s an easier set of criteria to meet, so if you go by this definition, a recession is more likely.</p>
<p>Other economists and observers shy away from focusing on economic growth, saying the change in the unemployment rate is a better measure. These people believe a higher unemployment rate provides a better sign a recession has occurred.</p>
<p>The problem is, however, there can be other factors that weaken the link between the labour market and economic activity. Institutional changes to the labour market is one example. The decline in activity in 2008–2009, for instance, showed up as a decline in hours worked rather than an increase in unemployment, something that would not have occurred previously.</p>
<p>Even just using the “technical” definition (the two quarter rule) of a recession has its problems too. This is because of the issue of data revisions to measures of economic activity such as GDP.</p>
<p>The Australian Bureau of Statistics frequently revises historical values of GDP as new data become available. As a result, a negative quarterly growth outcome in one period can be revised away by the bureau in a subsequent period.</p>
<h2>Take any recession warnings with a grain of salt</h2>
<p>In the past, from about the 1960s to the 1980s, recessions were more frequent in Australia. But they are less likely now. This is partly because the frequency and volatility of shocks has declined since the mid-1980s. </p>
<p>A series of economic reforms that occurred in the 1980s and 1990s, such as floating the dollar and opening the economy up to greater competition, has also helped reduce the risk of recession. These changes have made Australia more robust to shocks.</p>
<p>We should be sceptical of anyone claiming a recession is just around the corner. Economists have a <a href="https://www.afr.com/markets/equity-markets/economists-are-terrible-at-predicting-recessions-20190812-p52g8r">terrible</a> <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-03-28/economists-are-actually-terrible-at-forecasting-recessions">track</a> <a href="https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/economists-are-bad-at-predicting-recessions/">record</a> when it comes to predicting recessions.</p>
<p>To forecast a recession, we need to be able predict “turning points” – periods when economic activity goes from positive growth to negative growth or vice versa. This requires us to predict future shocks, like the outbreak of COVID, which is hard to do consistently.</p>
<p>There will always be some probability of a recession in Australia when a very large shock hits us. But our ability to successfully predict when one will occur is poor.</p>
<p>Any prediction Australia is on the cusp of recession should be taken with a grain of salt.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/im-an-expert-in-diplomatic-gift-giving-here-are-my-5-top-tips-for-the-best-christmas-present-exchange-218819">I’m an expert in diplomatic gift giving. Here are my 5 top tips for the best Christmas present exchange</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/218718/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Luke Hartigan receives funding from the Australian Research Council. He previously worked as an economist at the Reserve Bank of Australia.</span></em></p>
We should be sceptical of anyone claiming a recession is just around the corner.
Luke Hartigan, Lecturer in Economics, University of Sydney
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/219293
2023-12-17T13:41:39Z
2023-12-17T13:41:39Z
Ensure a safe and delicious holiday feast: How to use a food thermometer to prevent foodborne illness
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565861/original/file-20231214-23-un4rke.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=646%2C71%2C5209%2C3916&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Different foods have different target temperatures to eliminate pathogens, so use a reliable food safety chart and a digital food thermometer when cooking each dish, and whenever you reheat leftovers.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100px; border: none; position: relative; z-index: 1;" allowtransparency="" allow="clipboard-read; clipboard-write" src="https://narrations.ad-auris.com/widget/the-conversation-canada/ensure-a-safe-and-delicious-holiday-feast-how-to-use-a-food-thermometer-to-prevent-foodborne-illness" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<p>Most holiday festivities include preparing and eating food. Addressing uninvited guests (pathogens) that lurk in the background is crucial amid the joy and celebration. </p>
<p>As food safety researchers, we study how to protect people from infections caused by <a href="https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/hc-sc/healthy-canadians/migration/publications/eating-nutrition/foodborne-illness-infographic-maladies-origine-alimentaire-infographie/alt/pub-eng.pdf">foodborne pathogens</a>. While you likely know to wash your hands and keep your raw meats separate from other foods, there’s another essential thing to do to avoid spending your holiday in the bathroom: probe your food. </p>
<p>Each year, <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/food-borne-illness-canada/yearly-food-borne-illness-estimates-canada.html">four million Canadians get sick from the food they eat</a>. The most common cause is <a href="https://doi.org/10.1089/fpd.2012.1389">norovirus, which causes the most illnesses</a>. Other leading causes include the bacteria Listeria, Salmonella, Campylobacter and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli.</p>
<p>The impact is far-reaching, from mild cases causing discomfort to severe instances requiring <a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/S0950268810001883">hospitalization</a>. Each year, these infections cause millions of missed workdays, resulting in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijfoodmicro.2008.06.007">productivity losses</a> and costs of <a href="https://doi.org/10.4315/0362-028X-69.3.651">about $400 million</a>. </p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.who.int/groups/foodborne-disease-burden-epidemiology-reference-group-(ferg)">World Health Organization</a> is currently determining how much foodborne illness occurs globally each year, including the long-term complications that can occur, like <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1001921">kidney disease and Guillain Barré syndrome</a>.</p>
<h2>Ensuring food is cooked correctly</h2>
<p>Many people may not know that a <a href="https://publications.gc.ca/Collection/A104-17-2003E.pdf">food thermometer</a> is the only way to know your food is cooked correctly. A food thermometer is your holiday feast’s unsung hero, ensuring that poultry, meats and other dishes — including those that are vegetable-based — reach the internal temperatures needed to eliminate harmful pathogens. </p>
<p>Proper food thermometer use not only safeguards against illness but also enhances the overall culinary experience by guaranteeing that your dishes are cooked to perfection.</p>
<p>But when should you <a href="https://blog.foodsafety.ca/how-use-and-calibrate-probe-thermometer">use a thermometer, and how</a>? You should <a href="https://doi.org/10.4315/0362-028X.JFP-18-245">use your food thermometer any time you cook meat</a> or other foods high in protein (like quiche, stir fry and plant-based “meats”), and whenever you <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/general-food-safety-tips/food-safety-tips-leftovers.html">reheat leftovers</a>. </p>
<p>Different foods have different target temperatures, so use a <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/general-food-safety-tips/safe-internal-cooking-temperatures.html">reliable food safety chart</a> to determine the appropriate temperature for each dish. If you are pressed for time, the safest temperature for most foods (except whole birds) is <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/general-food-safety-tips/safe-internal-cooking-temperatures.html">74 C (165 F)</a>. Health Canada recommends <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/general-food-safety-tips/safe-internal-cooking-temperatures.html">82 C (180 F) for whole birds</a> like turkey and chicken. </p>
<p>You can even update your old recipes and cookbooks by changing “cook until the juices run clear” (or other instructions that are not very useful!) to “cook until it reaches 74 (or 82) degrees Celsius.”</p>
<h2>Choosing and using a food thermometer</h2>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Illustration of a variety of food thermometers" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565864/original/file-20231214-27-mflv4p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565864/original/file-20231214-27-mflv4p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=225&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565864/original/file-20231214-27-mflv4p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=225&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565864/original/file-20231214-27-mflv4p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=225&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565864/original/file-20231214-27-mflv4p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=283&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565864/original/file-20231214-27-mflv4p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=283&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565864/original/file-20231214-27-mflv4p.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=283&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Types of food thermometers include instant-read models for quick checks and oven-safe thermometers that you can leave in items while they’re cooking in the oven.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>If you’re among the <a href="https://doi.org/10.4315/JFP-20-148">one-third of Canadians who don’t own a food thermometer</a>, your first step is <a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/kitchen-thermometers">selecting the right one</a>. </p>
<p>Choose a reliable digital food thermometer designed for the specific type of food you’re preparing. <a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/kitchen-thermometers">There are various types</a>, including instant-read thermometers for quick checks and oven-safe thermometers that you can leave in items while they’re cooking in the oven.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/heres-how-much-your-holiday-dinner-will-cost-this-year-218786">Here's how much your holiday dinner will cost this year</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>To <a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/kitchen-thermometers">check the temperature</a>, insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the food, avoiding bones and fatty areas. For poultry, the thermometer should be inserted into the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast. </p>
<p>Make sure to wait until the temperature readout stops changing, to allow the thermometer sufficient time to provide an accurate reading. Finally, make sure you <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/general-food-safety-tips/safe-internal-cooking-temperatures.html#s1">wash the thermometer</a> with warm soapy water after each use. </p>
<h2>Cooked to perfection</h2>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A roast on a carving board with a meat thermometer in it" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565863/original/file-20231214-19-sub7nr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565863/original/file-20231214-19-sub7nr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565863/original/file-20231214-19-sub7nr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565863/original/file-20231214-19-sub7nr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565863/original/file-20231214-19-sub7nr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565863/original/file-20231214-19-sub7nr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565863/original/file-20231214-19-sub7nr.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">If a friend cooks the roast beef to sawdust, giving them a meat thermometer can help them cook food to perfection without worrying about pathogens.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Besides making sure food gets hot enough to kill harmful pathogens, there’s other good news about food thermometer use. Does your best friend overcook the roast beef to sawdust level? Do you have a family member who cooks the taste out of chicken in the name of safety? Using a food thermometer <a href="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/seminoleco/2018/02/02/want-your-food-to-taste-better-use-a-thermometer/">can help ensure a moist and delicious meal</a>, bringing friends and family together. </p>
<p>As food safety researchers, our goal is to make sure that “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/josh.12782">all Canadians…know how to use a food thermometer, and that it becomes…as much a part of their life as a toothbrush</a>.” On that note, food thermometers make great gifts!</p>
<h2>Handling leftovers</h2>
<p>In addition to using a food thermometer to check that your leftovers are reheated to 74 C before you eat them, there are other important tips for safely handling leftovers this holiday season. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/seasonal-food-safety/holiday-food-safety.html">Refrigerate them promptly in ways that allow them to cool quickly</a>, such as in shallow containers, loosely covered until they are chilled. Either consume them in the next two to three days, or freeze them right away for later use.</p>
<p>Many people prepare unique dishes for the holidays, travel with food and prepared dishes, and host or attend holiday buffets and potlucks. <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/seasonal-food-safety/holiday-food-safety.html">Health Canada has specific tips</a> for ensuring your buffets, baked goods, ciders, eggnog, stuffing and more are safe to eat.</p>
<p>Finally, if you do happen to get sick this holiday season with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or other digestive troubles, make sure you seek health care as needed. From a food safety perspective, the best option, if you can, is to stay out of the kitchen while you are ill and don’t prepare food for others. </p>
<p><em>This article was co-authored by Ken Diplock. He is a professor and program co-ordinator of the Bachelor of Environmental Public Health program at Conestoga College, and a member of the Canadian Institute of Public Health Inspectors.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/219293/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Shannon Majowicz has held or currently holds research grants and contracts to study food safety related issues from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, World Health Organization, British Columbia Centre for Disease Control Foundation Open Award Program, Public Health Agency of Canada, and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs' Food Safety Research Fund.</span></em></p>
A food thermometer is your holiday feast’s unsung hero, ensuring that poultry, meats and other dishes, including vegetable-based, reach the internal temperatures needed to eliminate harmful pathogens.
Shannon Majowicz, Associate Professor, School of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/218575
2023-12-17T13:41:36Z
2023-12-17T13:41:36Z
Buying indie video games over the holidays can help make the industry more ethical and fair
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565328/original/file-20231212-17-944o3e.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=770%2C73%2C4677%2C3276&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Big video game companies often time the release of their most popular titles around the holidays, and that means Christmas shoppers can make an impact by reflecting on the games they buy.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><iframe style="width: 100%; height: 100px; border: none; position: relative; z-index: 1;" allowtransparency="" allow="clipboard-read; clipboard-write" src="https://narrations.ad-auris.com/widget/the-conversation-canada/buying-indie-video-games-over-the-holidays-can-help-make-the-industry-more-ethical-and-fair" width="100%" height="400"></iframe>
<p><a href="https://thegameawards.com/">The 2023 Game Awards</a> recently saw accolades doled out to the biggest and most celebrated games of the year — <a href="https://thegameawards.com/nominees/best-independent-game">alongside a few lucky indie titles</a> — and with the holidays fast approaching, many of those same games are starting to go on sale. </p>
<p>Video game companies often time the release of their most popular titles for the holiday season. The biggest sales of the year happen between Black Friday and Christmas, and since publishers often push hard for new game releases in the last quarter of the year, now is the time to reflect on the political economy of video games and to think carefully about which games to buy and why. </p>
<p>This year has been a tough one for game developers, with <a href="https://www.polygon.com/23964448/video-game-industry-layoffs-crisis-2023">massive layoffs</a> resulting from financial mismanagement, overzealous and unsustainable investments and generally unethical business practices, thanks in part to the <a href="https://www.polygon.com/gaming/23538801/video-game-studio-union-microsoft-activision-blizzard">lack of unions</a> in the game industry.</p>
<p>The biggest cuts often happen in the largest, most successful companies — the ones releasing the big-name titles with massive player bases and raking in the profits. <a href="https://www.geekwire.com/2023/the-state-of-video-games-big-releases-bigger-layoffs-and-an-imminent-crisis-point/">They boast about their sales, profits and record-breaking player bases</a> while laying off employees with little warning or explanation and inadequate severance.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565323/original/file-20231212-17-mwfdgg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=25%2C19%2C4228%2C2812&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A young man sitting at a computer playing a video game." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565323/original/file-20231212-17-mwfdgg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=25%2C19%2C4228%2C2812&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565323/original/file-20231212-17-mwfdgg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565323/original/file-20231212-17-mwfdgg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565323/original/file-20231212-17-mwfdgg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565323/original/file-20231212-17-mwfdgg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565323/original/file-20231212-17-mwfdgg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565323/original/file-20231212-17-mwfdgg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Ethical gamers should consider the labour exploitation and discrimination in the industry when deciding which games they choose to buy.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Even <a href="https://www.polygon.com/23903033/bioware-severance-lawsuit-canada-dragon-age-dreadwolf">industry veterans are not immune</a> to sudden job loss, and <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/the-iatse-is-shining-a-light-on-the-video-game-industrys-lack-of-unions-with-a-new-survey">many game developers see their careers as unsustainable</a>. Similarly, it tends to be the biggest companies that push their <a href="https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501746536/a-precarious-game/#bookTabs=1">precarious developers</a> the hardest during this time of year as part of the notorious <a href="https://jacobin.com/2023/10/video-game-workers-crunch-exploitation-union-organizing">“crunch culture”</a> of video games. These crunch periods see employees working ridiculously long hours and often <a href="https://www.gamesindustry.biz/everything-you-never-wanted-to-know-about-burnout">burning out</a> in an extreme push to get a game released in time for the fourth quarter sales boom, whether it’s actually ready for release or not. </p>
<p>Although many large studios are taking steps or at least starting to recognize these issues and address them, every year seems to bring a new issue, controversy or scandal to light. This year it’s been the massive layoffs, and I can only imagine what next year will bring. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.polygon.com/23485977/video-game-unions-guide-explainer">Labour exploitation and job precarity</a> have created an <a href="https://www.gameworkersunite.org/">ongoing push to unionize</a> game studios. But they are not the only problems plaguing the game industry.</p>
<h2>Discrimination in gaming</h2>
<p>Countless cases of <a href="https://magazine.swe.org/gaming-sidebar/">gender-</a> and <a href="https://www.gamesindustry.biz/lifting-the-barriers-for-black-professionals-in-the-games-industry">race-based</a> discrimination among game studios have come to light, including accusations of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/aug/08/activision-blizzard-lawsuit-women-sexual-harassment">sexual harassment and abuse</a>, in recent years. </p>
<p>For decades, critics have decried the lack of diversity among video game characters and the ongoing issue of stereotypical, problematic and harmful representation in games, especially when it comes to <a href="https://doi.org/10.17060/ijodaep.2023.n1.v1.2542">gender</a>, <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2020/06/21/confronting-racial-bias-in-video-games/">race</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1123/jege.2022-0043">body size</a>. </p>
<p>This is tied to the fact that the <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2023/08/24/leveling-up-the-gaming-gender-gap/">industry is dominated</a> by <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/video-games/2022/01/31/black-game-developers-diversity-push-is-lots-talk-little-progress/">white</a> <a href="https://igda-website.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/18113957/2021DSSFull.png">men</a> who seem to primarily make games for other white men. </p>
<p>For example, <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/women-video-games-representation-e3/">only 18 per cent of games</a> showcased at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in 2020 featured a playable female protagonist. Even when women are present, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.221095">men have twice as much in-game dialogue as women</a> (an issue that <a href="https://time.com/4837536/do-women-really-talk-more/">reflects real life</a>). This is despite the fact that roughly <a href="https://www.theesa.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/2022-Essential-Facts-About-the-Video-Game-Industry.pdf">50 per cent of gamers are women</a>. In fact, in Canada, <a href="https://theesa.ca/resource/bringing-canadians-together-through-gaming-essential-facts-2022/">more women than men play games</a>. </p>
<p>Yet, this finger-wagging at the industry, for the most part, is directed at what we refer to as the “mainstream” — those corporate studios that produce the big blockbuster titles. </p>
<p>Although they receive considerably less attention at events like The Game Awards, and <a href="https://gamestudies.org/1601/articles/Gardagrabarczyk/">the definition of “independent” is a little murky</a>, smaller-scale games produced by indie studios might be a better option for consumers interested in more diverse and progressive content. </p>
<p>That’s not to mention their <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/indie-studios-accessible-game-design-tunic-coromon/">often more innovative and accessible gameplay</a> and lower time commitment than most big-name games. Independent game developers, while sharing <a href="https://www.thegamer.com/indie-developers-abuse/">some of the same issues as the mainstream industry</a>, might be the place to look when choosing to purchase games in a more conscientious, ethical way. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565327/original/file-20231212-30-r7dzkd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A woman wearing headphones and holding a credit card looks at a computer screen" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565327/original/file-20231212-30-r7dzkd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565327/original/file-20231212-30-r7dzkd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565327/original/file-20231212-30-r7dzkd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565327/original/file-20231212-30-r7dzkd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565327/original/file-20231212-30-r7dzkd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565327/original/file-20231212-30-r7dzkd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565327/original/file-20231212-30-r7dzkd.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Buying games made by smaller independent developers can help make the industry more equitable.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Supporting indie games</h2>
<p>Independent games tend to be made by smaller teams, and are often what might be considered “passion projects.” <a href="https://igda.org/resources-archive/developer-satisfaction-survey-summary-report-2021/">Over 40 per cent of indie developers forego a salary</a> to bring their game to production, and indie studios are often <a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1527476419851081">mired in precarity</a> and are more likely to be deeply impacted by game sales — one bad flop could shutter an indie studio. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, mainstream games carry far more weight than independent games do, with much higher sales and far more aggressive marketing campaigns. This means that mainstream games have a far greater cultural impact and continue to be the driving force behind the medium as a whole. </p>
<p>It also means that it’s harder for most consumers to find new, more innovative and diverse games to play. While delightful indie games like <a href="https://www.cocoongame.com/">COCOON</a> or <a href="https://seaofstarsgame.co/">Sea of Stars</a> may shine at The Game Awards, the hundreds, if not thousands, of other beautiful interactive experiences produced each year largely go unnoticed by mainstream media and risk being passed over by consumers. </p>
<p>Gamers should support smaller-scale creators, especially those just starting out, risking it all to bring their artistic vision to life and standing out when it comes to supporting their own and their employees’ well-being. It’s an important and ethical thing to do. </p>
<p>If it means giving less money to large corporations that have shown all they care about is profit, then that’s an added bonus. I’m not advocating for boycotting the biggest hits of the year, but I am encouraging consumers to check out the indie scene as well.</p>
<p>Games hosted privately on sites like <a href="https://itch.io/">itch.io</a> are a great option, as developers receive the majority, if not all, of the profit from sales and you can even give a little extra money to support them if you’d like. </p>
<p>Or, for anyone who needs a little extra guidance, <a href="https://www.humblebundle.com/">Humble Bundle</a> curates huge collections of games around specific genres or themes — many of which are indie — and offers them at a very low price while also <a href="https://www.humblebundle.com/charities">raising money for charity</a> and <a href="https://blackgamedevfund.com/">supporting Black game developers</a>. </p>
<p>Developers, critics and scholars tirelessly advocate for and work toward positive change within the game industry, and consumers can help by thinking about the games they buy.</p>
<p>It takes a little research, but by not buying games made under crunch conditions by companies that don’t care about diversity and don’t protect their employees, and instead buying smaller independent games that support emerging and diverse developers, consumers can make a big difference and help push the industry in more ethical directions.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/218575/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Sarah Stang does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
Video game companies often time the release of their most popular titles for the holiday season. Now is the time to reflect on the political economy of video games and which games we buy.
Sarah Stang, Assistant Professor, Department of Digital Humanities, Brock University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/216834
2023-12-14T23:40:30Z
2023-12-14T23:40:30Z
Christmas drinks anyone? Why alcohol before bedtime leaves you awake at 3am, desperate for sleep
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/564156/original/file-20231207-21-eolo35.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C1000%2C666&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/new-year-christmas-celebration-champagne-front-1534963964">fornStudio/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>You’ve come home after a long day at work, you have dinner, put the kids to bed, and then you have your usual nightcap before drifting off to sleep. Or, perhaps you’re at the pub for the work Christmas party, and you think you’ll just have one more drink before heading home.</p>
<p>That last drink might help you fall asleep easily. But your nightcap can also wreck a good night’s sleep. How could it do both?</p>
<p>Here’s what’s going on in your body when you drink alcohol just before bedtime. And if you want to drink at the Christmas party, we have some tips on how to protect your sleep.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/how-can-i-get-some-sleep-which-treatments-actually-work-212964">How can I get some sleep? Which treatments actually work?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>What happens to my body when I drink?</h2>
<p>Soon after you drink, alcohol enters your bloodstream and travels to your brain.</p>
<p><a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/j.1530-0277.1998.tb03695.x">There</a>, it affects chemical messengers known as neurotransmitters and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2700603/">slows down communication</a> between nerve cells. </p>
<p>Certain <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4040959/">regions of the brain</a> are particularly vulnerable to the effects of alcohol. When alcohol interacts with cells in these regions, the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6826822/">overall effect</a> leads to those characteristic feelings of relaxation, lowered inhibitions, slurred speech, and may induce feelings of drowsiness and lethargy. </p>
<p>Alcohol can also have immediate effects on the heart and circulatory system. Blood vessels widen, resulting in a <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11906-021-01160-7">drop in blood pressure</a>, which can make you feel dizzy or lightheaded.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/do-different-drinks-make-you-different-drunk-88247">Do different drinks make you different drunk?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>What happens soon after a nightcap?</h2>
<p>Drinking alcohol before sleeping is like flipping a switch. At first, alcohol has a <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6826822/">sedative effect</a> and you will probably feel <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23347102/">more relaxed</a> and <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-62227-0#:%7E:text=In%20this%20large%2C%20population%20based,sleep%20(cross%20sectional%20analyses).">drift off easily</a>.</p>
<p>At this point, you still have a high level of alcohol in your blood. But don’t be fooled. As your body <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5821259/">processes the alcohol</a>, and the night goes on, alcohol actually <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/acer.12621">disrupts your sleep</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/564151/original/file-20231207-29-tofekf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Man sitting on sofa, wearing pyjamas, holding glass of red wine, sparkling lights on floor" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/564151/original/file-20231207-29-tofekf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/564151/original/file-20231207-29-tofekf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/564151/original/file-20231207-29-tofekf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/564151/original/file-20231207-29-tofekf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/564151/original/file-20231207-29-tofekf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/564151/original/file-20231207-29-tofekf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/564151/original/file-20231207-29-tofekf.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A nightcap might help you drop off, but there’s worse to come.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/man-check-pyjamas-holding-glass-red-1901882026">dabyki.nadya/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-do-i-fall-asleep-on-the-sofa-but-am-wide-awake-when-i-get-to-bed-208371">Why do I fall asleep on the sofa but am wide awake when I get to bed?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>And later that night?</h2>
<p>As your body processes the alcohol and your blood alcohol level drops, your brain rebounds from the drowsiness you would have felt earlier in the night. </p>
<p>This disturbs your sleep, and can wake you up <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1300/J465v26n01_01">multiple times</a>, particularly in the second half of the night. You may also have
vivid and stressful <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5821259/">dreams</a>.</p>
<p>This sleep disruption is mainly to the deep, “rapid eye movement” or REM sleep.</p>
<p>This type of sleep plays an important role in regulating your emotions and for your cognitive function. So not getting enough explains why you wake up feeling pretty lousy and groggy.</p>
<p>Drinking alcohol before bedtime also tends to mean you <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2775419/?source=post_page---------------------------">sleep less overall</a>, meaning important rest and recharge time is cut short.</p>
<p>There are also <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31234199/">long-term impacts</a> of alcohol on sleep. Moderate and heavy drinkers consistently have <a href="https://academic.oup.com/sleepadvances/article/3/1/zpac023/6632721">poor sleep quality</a> and more <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-62227-0#:%7E:text=In%20this%20large%2C%20population%20based,sleep%20(cross%20sectional%20analyses).">sleep disturbances</a> over time.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/adele-called-herself-a-borderline-alcoholic-but-is-that-a-real-thing-215987">Adele called herself a 'borderline alcoholic'. But is that a real thing?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>How about the Christmas party then?</h2>
<p>If you plan to drink this holiday season, here are some tips to minimise the effect of alcohol on your sleep:</p>
<ul>
<li><p><strong>swap every other drink</strong>. Try swapping every second drink for a non-alcoholic drink. The more alcohol you drink, <a href="https://academic.oup.com/sleep/article/44/1/zsaa135/5871424?casa_token=okbJAuf8TXUAAAAA:ye_q-DACToxvj8H3IVaiKrjNkDhHZnl-LKJdds3iteaKyzJFuHUzitlRv45DqxNO-FraDRAlQMV53z8">the more</a> sleep disruption you can expect. Reducing how much you drink in any one sitting can minimise the effect on your sleep</p></li>
<li><p><strong>avoid drinking alcohol close to bedtime</strong>. If you give your body a chance to process the alcohol before you go to sleep, your sleep will be less disrupted</p></li>
<li><p><strong>eat while you drink</strong>. Drinking on an empty stomach is going to worsen the effects of alcohol as the alcohol will be absorbed <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1467-3010.2006.00588.x?casa_token=TQiCqcbasYAAAAAA:GbEvnTT82aB3_sPfmJLOQXIV3ivjnbZdIoP2_XZBa8IDZ0YLaPxNfE6DMHLgH7obnpA22VDsM4vyGZV4dQ">faster</a>. So try to eat something while you’re drinking</p></li>
<li><p><strong>ditch the espresso martinis and other caffeinated drinks</strong>. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1087079207000937?casa_token=NJsobF-C-vwAAAAA:opzPjrglPdZTwXEo7rHil5vm0a1K3KmXw9vp0Het-eRHZEWbfRAA40vgicU3Z5kC8x7uEJF39C8">Caffeine</a> can make it hard to get to sleep, and hard to stay asleep</p></li>
<li><p><strong>be careful if you have sleep apnoea</strong>. People who have sleep apnoea (when their upper airway is repeatedly blocked during sleep) can be even more impacted by drinking alcohol. That’s because alcohol can act as a muscle relaxant, <a href="https://academic.oup.com/sleep/article/5/4/318/2753287">leading to</a> more snoring, and lower oxygen levels in the blood. If you have sleep apnoea, limiting how much alcohol you drink is the best way to avoid these effects</p></li>
<li><p><strong>drink plenty of water</strong>. Staying hydrated will help you <a href="https://academic.oup.com/sleep/article/42/2/zsy210/5155420">sleep better</a> and will hopefully stave off the worst of tomorrow’s hangover.</p></li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/what-causes-hangovers-blackouts-and-hangxiety-everything-you-need-to-know-about-alcohol-these-holidays-127995">What causes hangovers, blackouts and 'hangxiety'? Everything you need to know about alcohol these holidays</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/216834/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>
Here’s what’s going on in your body when you drink alcohol just before bedtime. And if you want to drink at the Christmas party, we have some tips on how to protect your sleep.
Madeline Sprajcer, Lecturer in Psychology, CQUniversity Australia
Charlotte Gupta, Postdoctoral research fellow, CQUniversity Australia
Chris Irwin, Senior Lecturer in Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Health Sciences & Social Work, Griffith University
Grace Vincent, Senior Lecturer, Appleton Institute, CQUniversity Australia
Saman Khalesi, Senior Lecturer and Discipline Lead in Nutrition, School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, CQUniversity Australia
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.
tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/219380
2023-12-14T21:26:41Z
2023-12-14T21:26:41Z
4 strategies to keep you from overspending this holiday season
<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565624/original/file-20231213-19-6iuxfv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=35%2C35%2C5955%2C3952&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">High prices for groceries, housing and entertainment are leaving shoppers with reduced funds as the holiday season descends upon us.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>The urge to spend money is present all year round, but during the gift-giving season, the temptation to splurge on loved ones can be particularly strong. For many, the desire to be generous during the holidays clashes with the need to conserve funds for essential expenses.</p>
<p>This year, money is tighter than ever, with <a href="https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/231121/dq231121a-eng.htm?indid=3665-1&indgeo=0">high prices for groceries, housing and entertainment</a> leaving shoppers with reduced funds as the holiday season descends upon us. </p>
<p>A growing number of individuals are feeling the financial squeeze, with 40 per cent of Canadians <a href="https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/financial-stress-is-impacting-the-mental-health-of-canadians-survey-1.1933491">citing money as their main source of stress</a>. <a href="https://newsroom.bmo.com/2023-11-08-78-Per-Cent-of-Canadians-Plan-to-Cut-Back-on-Holiday-Spending,-but-a-Third-Will-Still-Give-Back-to-Charitable-Causes-BMO-Survey">Seventy-eight per cent of Canadians</a> plan on buying fewer gifts this holiday season and 37 per cent are worried they won’t be able to afford all the items on their holiday shopping lists.</p>
<p>Given that <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.790434">pricier gifts are not necessarily more appreciated by the person receiving the gift</a>, what are some ways shoppers can resist the temptation of appealing, yet expensive, gift options that might strain their finances?</p>
<p>As a social psychologist who studies personal spending, I think it is worthwhile to remind ourselves of self-control strategies that can help us manage financial decisions during the holiday season. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A man in a red shirt sitting with his head in his hand at a table covered in paperwork. A Christmas tree is visible in the background." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565626/original/file-20231213-29-szas63.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565626/original/file-20231213-29-szas63.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565626/original/file-20231213-29-szas63.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565626/original/file-20231213-29-szas63.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565626/original/file-20231213-29-szas63.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565626/original/file-20231213-29-szas63.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565626/original/file-20231213-29-szas63.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The holidays should be about joy, not financial stress.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Strategies for resisting temptation</h2>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691615623">Self-control is not just suppressing temptation</a>; it also involves setting yourself up for success by creating situations that make resisting temptations easier. </p>
<p><strong>1. Avoid temptations</strong> </p>
<p>Perhaps the most obvious strategy is to avoid shopping temptations. This may include steering clear of places — both physical and online — that are out of your budget range. While this is easier said than done during gift shopping, it’s an effective way to manage temptations: People who report having an easier time with self-control <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2014.09.031">tend to avoid rather than resist temptations</a>.</p>
<p><strong>2. Make a budget</strong></p>
<p>If you haven’t sat down to make a holiday budget yet, it’s never too late to make one. Considering one-quarter of Canadians are <a href="https://globalnews.ca/news/10087745/canadian-holiday-spending-debt/">still paying off last year’s holiday debts</a>, being as fiscally responsible as possible is a wise choice this year. </p>
<p>Setting spending limits ahead of time makes your financial goals clear and explicit. When setting budgets for gifts <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/jcr/ucad011?">people tend to spend the entirety of the estimated amount (unlike budgets for personal purchases where they try to come in under the budget)</a>. It’s good to be realistic, rather than optimistic, when setting budgets.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="People walk down a cobble-lined street lined by vendor booths" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565880/original/file-20231214-23-mh3bd2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565880/original/file-20231214-23-mh3bd2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=403&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565880/original/file-20231214-23-mh3bd2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=403&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565880/original/file-20231214-23-mh3bd2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=403&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565880/original/file-20231214-23-mh3bd2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=507&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565880/original/file-20231214-23-mh3bd2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=507&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/565880/original/file-20231214-23-mh3bd2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=507&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Shoppers browse vendor booths at the Christmas Market in Toronto’s Distillery District in December 2022.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Shutterstock)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><strong>3. Implementation intentions</strong></p>
<p>Anticipate any potential shopping temptations you are likely to encounter so you can develop strategies to resist them. One effective approach is <a href="https://kops.uni-konstanz.de/server/api/core/bitstreams/14cc2a36-5f01-4dc1-b9ca-f2d0ca0c8930/content">forming intentions</a> about how you will act once you encounter a temptation. </p>
<p>For example, you might consider what you will do when you see a gadget your friend would enjoy when you have already bought them something and have reached the limit of your budget. Instead of purchasing it and exceeding your budget, you could write down the gadget for next year’s gift.</p>
<p><strong>4. Write a list</strong></p>
<p>Finally, thinking ahead to the gifts you plan to buy and writing a shopping list rather than relying on being inspired in the store might help with sticking to a budget. <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11747-019-00670-w">Consumers spend thousands each year on impulse purchases</a>. Writing shopping lists, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/cb.1812">even for online shopping</a>, can reduce overall spending and shopping regret. </p>
<h2>The best strategy is the one that works</h2>
<p>The holidays should be about joy, not financial stress. Maintaining self-control allows you to celebrate without compromising your financial well-being.</p>
<p>There are of course many strategies beyond the four strategies listed here that can help create situations where resisting temptations is easier. The most effective strategies for maintaining financial self-control <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2021.104189">are the ones you are already using</a>, and the ones <em>you</em> find most effective. If you want to avoid giving in to shopping temptations, take a moment to think about the financial strategies you are already using and think about how you might use them in your holiday shopping. </p>
<p>If you haven’t yet found a strategy that works for you, now is a great opportunity for you to try some out and see which ones are effective. Using strategies to manage the cost of holiday spending can prevent gift-giving from becoming a financial stressor in an already stressful time.</p>
<p>Finally, while adhering to a budget is important, it shouldn’t be the sole or primary focus during holiday shopping. Keep in mind that the true spirit of the season is spending quality time with loved ones. The joy of the holidays doesn’t come from extravagant gifts, but from shared moments and meaningful connections.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/219380/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Johanna Peetz receives funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada. </span></em></p>
There are a number of ways shoppers can resist the temptation of expensive gift options that might strain their budgets this holiday season.
Johanna Peetz, Professor in Psychology, Carleton University
Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.