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　　Stories of Christmas

In many countries of the world, The celebration of Christmas on December 25th is a high point of the year. From November onward, it is impossible to forget that Christmas is coming. Colored lights decorate many town centers and shops, along with shimmy decorations and artificial snow painted on shop windows. In streets and shops, “Christmas trees” (real or plastic evergreen conifer trees) will also be decorated with lights and Christmas ornaments. Shopping centers become busier as December approaches and often stay open till late. By mid-December, most homes will also be decorated with Christmas trees, colored lights and paper or plastic decorations around the rooms. These days many more people also decorate garden trees or house walls with colored electric lights, a habit, which has been long popular in USA. In many countries, most people post Christmas greeting cards to their friends and families, and these cards will be hung on the walls of their homes.

The custom of sending Christmas cards started in Britain in 1840 when the first “Penny Post” public postal deliveries began. (Helped by the new railway system, the public postal service was the 19th century’s communication revolution, just as e-mail is for us today.) As printing method improved, Christmas cards were produced in large numbers from about 1860. Today, pictures are often about jokes, winter pictures, Father Christmas, or romantic scenes of life in past times.

Father Christmas (or Santa Claus) has become the symbol of Christmas. Pictures will be seen everywhere of the old man with long white beard, red coat, and bag of toys. Children are taught that he brings them presents the night before Christmas, and many children up to the age 7 or 8 really believe this is true. In most countries, it is said that he lives near the North Pole, and arrives through the sky on a sledge (snow-cart) pulled by reindeer. He comes into houses down the chimney at midnight and places presents for the children in socks or bags by their beds or in front of the family Christmas tree. In shops or at children’s parties, someone will dress up as Father Christmas and give small presents to children, or ask them what gifts they want for Christmas. Christmas can be a time of magic and excitement for children.

Father Christmas is based on a real person, St. Nicholas, which explains his other name “Santa Claus” which comes from the Dutch “Sinterklaas.” Nicholas was a Christian leader from Myra (in modern-day Turkey) in the 4th century AD. He was very shy, and wanted to give money to the poor people without their knowing about it. It is said that one day, he climbed up the roof of a house and dropped a purse of money down the chimney. It happened to land in the stocking which a girl had put to dry by the fire! This may explain the belief that Father Christmas comes down the chimney and places gifts in children’s stockings.

In English speaking countries, the day following Christmas Day is called “Boxing Day.” This word comes from the custom which started in the Middle Ages around 800 years ago: Churches would open their “alms box” (boxes in which people had placed gifts of money) and distribute the contents to poor people in the neighborhood on the day after Christmas. The tradition continues today.

　　Compulsive Spenders

Are you a compulsive spender, or do you hold on to your money as long as possible? Are you a bargain hunter? Would you rather use charge accounts than pay cash? Your answer to those questions will reflect your personality. According to psychologists, our individual money habits not only show our beliefs and values, but can also develop from past problems.

Experts in psychology believe that for many people, money is an important symbol of strength and influence. Husbands who complain about their wives’ spending habits may be afraid that they are loosing power in their marriage. Wives, on the other hand, may waste huge amounts of money because they are angry with their husbands. In addition, many people consider money a symbol of love. They spend it on their families and friends to express love, or they buy themselves expensive presents because they need love.

People can be addicted to different things, for example, alcohol, drugs, certain foods, or even television. They are compulsive in their addictions, that is, they must a satisfy these needs to feel comfortable. In the same way, according to psychologists, compulsive spenders must spend more money. For those who buy on credit, further more, charge accounts are even more exciting than money: in other words, these people feel that with credit they can do anything. Their pleasure at spending enormous amounts is actually greater than the pleasure they get from the things they buy.

There is even a special psychology of bargain hunting. To save money, of course, most people look for sales, low prices, and discounts. Compulsive bargain hunters, however, often buy things that they don’t need just because they are cheap. They want to believe that they are helping their budget, but they are really playing an exciting game: when they can buy something for less than other people, they are winning.

It is not only scientists, of course, who understand the psychology of spending habits, but also business people. Stores, companies, and advertisers use psychology to increase business. They consider people’s need for love, power or influence, as well as their values, beliefs and opinions, in their advertising and sales methods.

Psychologists often use a method called “behavior therapy” to help individuals solve their personality problems. In the same way, they can help people who feel that they have problems with money. They give them “assignments.” If a person buys something in every store that he enters, for instance, a therapist might teach him self-discipline in this way. On the first of his therapy, he must go into a store, for five minutes, and then leave. On the second day, he should stay for ten minutes and try something on. On the third day he stays for fifteen minutes, asks the sales clerk a question, but does not buy anything. Soon he will learn that nothing bad will happen to him if he doesn’s buy anything, and he can solve the problem of his compulsive buying.