HIST 289R Lecture Notes - Lecture 27: Sonora Smart Dodd, Anna Jarvis, Christmas Club
2 May 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
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Holiday(Creep-in(an(effort(to(maximize(profits(producers(start(putting(up(
holiday(goods(earlier(and(earlier(
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Anna(Jarvis-Created(mothers(day(after(the(civil(war(to(reunite(families(and(in(
1914(Wilson(made(it(an(official(holiday.((Once(she(died(her(daughter(introduced(
the(concept(
○
In(1923(Jarvis(sued(to(stop(mothers(day(because(she(was(mad(about(it(
being(a(day(of(profit(and(not(of(sentiment(
○
She(hated(how(people(were(promoting(the(commercialization(of(fathers(
day(
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Consumer(surplus-the(difference(between(our(valuation(and(the(cost(of(the(gift
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Christmas(club(-The(member(of(the(club(would(go(to(the(bank(and(would(put(in(
money(all(year(weekly(to(save(for(Christmas(and(there(was(a(group(pressure(to(
keep(putting(money(in(and(it(would(earn(a(little(interest(
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SPUG(-society(for(the(prevention(of(useless(giving(and(thinks(giving(is(too(
commercialized(
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Critics(of(commercialization(-see(religious(or(family(ties(overwhelmed(by(
advertising(and(merchandising(
○
See(both(the(profit(making(of(merchants(and(the(gift(seeking(of(
individuals(as(supplanting(community(celebration(
○
See(homogeneity(of(mass(produced(foods(as(replacing(imagination,(
originality,(and(self(expression(
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Americans(spend(billions(on(holidays((throughout(the(years(
○
Gifts(are(the(most(common(purchase(that(consumers(make(during(the(
major(holidays,(and(accounts(for(47.2(percent(of(total(holiday(sales(
○
Food(and(drink(make(up(the(second(largest(category(of(holiday(spending(
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People(began(buying(gifts(for(Valentine's(day(in(1840s
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Mass(produced(valentines(were(bad(because(they(were(all(the(same(and(
less(genuine
○
By(the(1890s(gifts(were(more(popularized(than(cards.((Emphasized(
chocolates(
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Mothers(day(
○
98%(of(moms(celebrate
○2nd(most(popular(holiday(to(purchase(flowers
○3rd(largest(card(selling(holiday(
-Fathers(day(was(also(created(as(a(tribute(by(one(daughter(to(her(own(father(by(
Sonora(Smart(Dodd(in(1909
○She(wanted(to(encourage(shopping(to(promote(the(holiday(
○Wasn’t(recognized(as(an(official(holiday(until(1972(
○Took(off(in(the(great(depression
-Religious(holidays(demonstrate(even(more(strongly(the(tension(between(
sentiment(and(commercialism(
-The(Easter(parade(in(NY(was(the(biggest(fashion(display(of(the(year(in(the(early(
1900s(
-Frank(Baum(who(wrote(the(Wizard(of(Oz(was(in(charge(of(increasing(
consumption(for(Easter(
-Hanukkah(celebrations(also(combined(religion(with(commercialism(
-Christmas(spending(-by(far(the(largest(holiday(in(terms(of(spending,(which(is(
why(so(many(retailers(rely(on(fourth(quarter(retailing(seasons(to(promote(sales(
-People(wrap(gifts(to(make(it(seem(more(personalized(
-Scroogenomics(
○Gifts(are(poorly(matched(with(your(preferences
○As(a(way(to(allocate(resources,(holiday(giving(doesn’t(work(
○Economists(argue(that(this(practice( of(giving(gifts(destroys(millions(of(
dollars(of(value(
○Gift(giving(servers(the(link(between(the(buying(decision(and(the(items(
value(to(its(user(
-The(idea(of(gift(cards(is(to(reduce(waste(but(actually($8(billion(per(year(in(gift(
cards(goes(unredeemed
-A(close(look(at(a(century(of(US(spending(patterns(demonstrates(that(
contemporary(holiday(spending(is(neither(unique(nor(excessive( compared(to(
that(of(the(past(century.((What's(different(today(is(that(its(put(on(credit(cards(
Marketing*America's*Holiday*Traditions
Wednesday,( May(2,(2018
2:01(PM
Document Summary
Holiday creep- in an effort to maximize profits producers start putting up holiday goods earlier and earlier. Anna jarvis- created mothers day after the civil war to reunite families and in. Once she died her daughter introduced the concept. In 1923 jarvis sued to stop mothers day because she was mad about it being a day of profit and not of sentiment. She hated how people were promoting the commercialization of fathers day. Consumer surplus- the difference between our valuation and the cost of the gift. Spug - society for the prevention of useless giving and thinks giving is too commercialized. Critics of commercialization - see religious or family ties overwhelmed by advertising and merchandising. See both the profit making of merchants and the gift seeking of individuals as supplanting community celebration. See homogeneity of mass produced foods as replacing imagination, originality, and self expression. Americans spend billions on holidays throughout the years.
