The bumps and bruises of Black Friday reveal an extremely material-focused culture in pursuit of Christmas celebrations. Many now believe Christmas itself has shifted to a Hallmark holiday due to unnecessary emphasis on the commercial aspects, instead of the true values of Christmas.

“I think a lot of it is just about giving presents and receiving presents, and for some people it’s just spending quality time with their family, but I think a lot of religious aspects have been lost,” junior Eline Ferket. “For a lot of people it’s just about presents.”

Besides businesses pushing the products a few months early, many students believe the religious aspect has been lost as the holiday has continued to morph into a new sort of holiday.

“I view Christmas as celebrating the birth of Christ, personally,” sophomore Lance Johnson said. “For people to think it’s about the presents more than the reason to have the holiday, I find it weird. People are changing the holiday for the presents.”

And this change isn’t just cultural. Many people from different countries now celebrate Christmas, regardless of their religion. Junior Cole Schaar believes that a societal change may be contributing to the change in focus of religion.

“In my own mind, I see it as less people are becoming religious these days, and since we’re becoming less religious these days, we’re more focused on material goods,” Schaar said.

While celebrating Christmas, it is important to remember the true ideals of Christmas time. The focus should not be on the presents and commerciality that comes with it, but rather the traditions and memorable time with family.