Cellar Scribblings

[Sason]

Honey, even we don't want him!

Hope you get rid of him soon, one way or another.

[CellarDweller]

I hope so too!

[Sason]

I guess. It's hard to separate here from general culture, which I do think shapes people's behavior, but retail is only part of that. I think it's easier to ignore what stores tell you unless everybody else -- your friends and family, celebrities, TV and movies, etc. etc. -- is telling you the same thing. From what I hear the U.S. retail industry is struggling. Which is why they're probably trying to expand their presence in other countries ... 

Sounds plausible.

But AFAIK, the retail companies that push the American holidays here are not American. They're Swedish or European.
By now it's become mainstream in the commercial field, so even small businesses follow suit.

It's probably just a matter of time before the general public start to celebrate in a major way.

[serious crayons]

But AFAIK, the retail companies that push the American holidays here are not American. They're Swedish or European.
By now it's become mainstream in the commercial field, so even small businesses follow suit.

Oh, OK. Still, the same explanation might be similar -- perhaps those European retailers are struggling and they picked up the idea from US retail and are hoping to capitalize on it there.

It's probably just a matter of time before the general public start to celebrate in a major way.

I like to give the general public a little more credit for independent thinking. Who knows, though. I do think everybody's affected by the culture they live in, and certainly the retail industry is part of that culture. But even retail here started getting into Valentine's Day and Halloween decades ago -- maybe as early as the late 19th/early 20th century, and gradually developed over a long time into what it is today. It's hard to believe a retail establishment could suddenly start selling and advertising products -- elaborate costumes and decorations and gifts and cards and foods and all that stuff -- and the population will all fall in line and start buying it, whether they like it or not. But if you see it happening, maybe so! 

[Jeff Wrangler]

Oh, OK. Still, the same explanation might be similar -- perhaps those European retailers are struggling and they picked up the idea from US retail and are hoping to capitalize on it there.

Just as McDonald's has taken over the world. ...

It's hard to believe a retail establishment could suddenly start selling and advertising products -- elaborate costumes and decorations and gifts and cards and foods and all that stuff -- and the population will all fall in line and start buying it.

I don't remember Halloween getting really big for adults until the 1980s, but then, in the late 1970s, I was kinda busy with college and stuff.

[brianr]

I would not put anything past retail firms. In Australia and NZ the term ANZAC is strictly regulated. There have been a few attempts by firms to sell items for the day with Anzac in the name but the Government has blocked it immediately. It is described as the most protected name in the world. You cannot even name your house Anzac, there are streets named Anzac but they have permission and usually are next to a War memorial. I am sure if they had not protected it, the gullible public would soon be buying items believing it was a way of celebrating the day.

[CellarDweller]

Just as McDonald's has taken over the world. ...

I will never forget going to Italy, and seeing all these great places to eat, and there being a line to get into McDonald's.

[serious crayons]

Oh, believe me, I'm not saying retailers never try tricks to boost sales, or that the tricks never work. Black Friday, even here, is one good example.

I'm just saying that to change an entire culture, introducing holidays that never before had been celebrated, and somehow scamming people into celebrating them -- that seems beyond the power of retail alone. Perhaps some people in the culture just think those things are fun, I don't know. Culture influences in a lot of different ways. Some reinforce trends and sales. But I still give people a little credit for either accepting things or not.

Trying to think of an example. OK, Grandparents' Day. Does any U.S. citizen even know what month that would be in? But I think it is a real "day" here, and retailers -- at least card manufacturers, which play an important role in most of these -- have tried to push it, without success.

[Jeff Wrangler]

Trying to think of an example. OK, Grandparents' Day. Does any U.S. citizen even know what month that would be in?

September?

I vaguely remember something else called "Children's Day," which I'm sure didn't fly. I mean, if you've got kids, isn't every day "Children's Day"?

Too bad retailers haven't caught on to International Talk Like a Pirate Day.  

Card manufacturers (and florists?) seem to have caught on to Secretary's Day and Boss' Day.

[serious crayons]

September?

Correct! Sept. 9, according to Google. I've never heard of anybody observing it, but ... 

I vaguely remember something else called "Children's Day," which I'm sure didn't fly. I mean, if you've got kids, isn't every day "Children's Day"?

Yes.

Too bad retailers haven't caught on to International Talk Like a Pirate Day.  

They could not only manufacture cards with pirate language, they could encourage people to dress up in pirate costumes. Woo-hoo. People who really got into it could amputate their legs at the knee and replace them with wooden pegs. 

Card manufacturers (and florists?) seem to have caught on to Secretary's Day and Boss' Day.

I've never seen that observed, either, but I don't work closely with secretaries, or secretaries who have bosses. The latter seems pretty scummy, BTW. Secretary's Day, fine. But Boss' Day?? Isn't the fact that the boss probably makes 20 times more than the secretary enough, without her having to suck up to him/her with a card and flowers, too?