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This is going to be an online meetup using Zoom. If you've never used Zoom before, don't worry — it's easy to use and free to join.

Here's the link to the event: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87649310415?pwd=WHlpRHNBZnd3YVhqOVIrcXlxMEJvUT09

Meeting ID: 876 4931 0415
Passcode: 587951

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THINKING ABOUT THE HOLIDAYS

INTRODUCTION:

This meetup is a sort of a "grab bag" of different topics that relate to the holiday season...

In the 1st section of this discussion, we'll talk about how the "War on Christmas" is essentially a debate over "separation of church & state" as well as a debate over how prominent Christian holiday of Christmas should be in our multicultural society. Part of the "War on Christmas" debate also centers around whether certain traditional Christmas songs are racist or sexist and should be banned.

In the 2nd part of this meetup, we'll look at the economic stimulus effect of Christmas spending, as well as the potential for "deadweight loss" if we buy gifts for people they don't want. We'll consider the debate back in the Great Depression over moving Thanksgiving a week earlier to allow for a longer period for Xmas shopping. We'll also consider how the COVID pandemic and government-mandated lockdowns and social distancing protocols has affected holiday spending.

In the 3rd part of this meetup, we'll look at the psychological effects of Christmas music and how it can create either a pleasant sense of nostalgia or annoyance & burnout. We'll also consider the psychological effects of holiday shopping, which can be both fun & stressful, and we'll look at how interacting with friends & family over the holidays affect our mental health.

In the 4th part of this meetup, we'll consider whether or not it's worth discussing politics with your friends & family over the holidays, and if so how can you keep the conversation civil & productive so it doesn't degenerate into angry recriminations and damage to your relationships.

RELEVANT MATERIAL FROM PAST MEETUPS:

The material we'll cover in the 1st section of this discussion is similar to the debates over whether or not the U.S. is a "Christian nation" which we covered in a meetup back in March entitled "Should We Base Politics on Religion or Science?" - see Part 1:
https://www.meetup.com/Philadelphia-Political-Agnostics/events/mjlzgrybcfbcb/

The debate over whether certain traditional Christmas songs are racist or sexist is similar to the debate over racism in old films like "Birth of a Nation" and "Gone With The Wind" and books like "Uncle Tom's Cabin" and "Huckleberry Finn" that the Skeptics covered back in July in a meetup back in July - see Part 4:
https://www.meetup.com/Philly-Skeptics/events/djzwsrybckbjc/

The economic & psychological topics we'll cover in the 2nd & 3rd sections of this meetup are related to some topics the Skeptics covered in a meetup back in January of 2018 entitled "The Science of Happiness". They talked about hedonic set points & the hedonic treadmill (Part 1), the diminishing marginal utility of wealth (Part 2), the paradox of choice (Part 3), and the way friends & family affect our happiness (Parts 4-5).
https://www.meetup.com/Philly-Skeptics/events/246018303/

In a meetup back in September, the Skeptics covered some tips from positive psychology that could work well at managing holiday stress, savoring little joys, and practicing gratitude:
https://www.meetup.com/Philly-Skeptics/events/djzwsrybcmbbc/

Many of the conversational tips we'll cover in the 4th section were covered in a Braver Angels online workshop we had back in November entitled "Families & Politics":
https://www.meetup.com/Philadelphia-Political-Agnostics/events/274589307/

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DIRECTIONS ON HOW TO PREPARE FOR OUR DISCUSSION:

The videos & articles you see linked below are intended to give you an overview of some of the ways political, social, psychological & economic issues intersect with the holidays. As usual, I certainly don't expect you to read all the articles & watch all the videos prior to attending our discussion. The easiest way to prepare for our discussion is to just watch the numbered videos linked under each section - the videos come to about about 43 minutes total. The articles marked with asterisks are just there to supply additional details. You can browse and look at whichever ones you want, but don't worry - we'll cover the stuff you missed in our discussion.

In terms of the discussion format, my general idea is that we'll address the topics in the order presented here. I figure we'll spend about 30 minutes on each section.

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I. THE "WAR ON CHRISTMAS" - MANUFACTURED CONTROVERSY OR A REAL ISSUE FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM & CULTURAL IDENTITY?

  • DO CHRISTMAS DISPLAYS ON PUBLIC PROPERTY VIOLATE THE 1st AMENDMENT'S ESTABLISHMENT CLAUSE & THE THREE-PRONGED "LEMON TEST"? IS ALLOWING CHRISTIAN NATIVITY SCENES ON PUBLIC LAND & CHRISTMAS SONGS IN SCHOOLS OKAY SO LONG AS OTHER RELIGIONS ARE REPRESENTED (E.G. JEWISH HANUKKAH)?

  • IS THERE A CULTURAL "WAR ON CHRISTMAS" IN THE SENSE THAT CHRISTIAN ASPECTS OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON HAVE GRADUALLY BEEN DEEMPHASIZED BY RETAIL STORES IN RECENT DECADES? IF SO, IS THIS MOSTLY DRIVEN BY CONSUMER BEHAVIOR OR H.R. DEPARTMENTS?

  • DO DEBATES OVER SANTA'S RACE & ALLEGATIONS THAT THE OBAMAS PACKED AWAY THE NATIVITY SCENE SHOW THAT CONSERVATIVE RACIAL ANXIETY IS PARTLY BEHIND THE FEARS OF A "WAR ON CHRISTMAS"?

  • IS THE SONG "JINGLE BELLS" INHERENTLY RACIST DESPITE THE ABSENCE OF RACIST LYRICS BECAUSE IT WAS ORIGINALLY WRITTEN FOR & PERFORMED IN MINSTREL SHOWS?

  • IS THE SONG "BABY, IT'S COLD OUTSIDE" AN IMPLICIT ENDORSEMENT OF DATE RAPE, OR ARE MODERN AUDIENCES MERELY MISUNDERSTANDING DATING NORMS FROM THE 1950s?

1a) 13WMAZ, "VERIFY: Is it legal to have religious holiday decorations on public property?" (video - 2:57 min.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsrEFG-ArVE

1b) Fox News w/ Carol Swain, "Professor claims 'Jingle Bells' is rooted in racism" (video - 4:36 min, listen to 2:00)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IEBCXG4Ke8

1c) HuffPost, "Why 'Baby It's Cold Outside' Should Be Retired" (video - 2:41 min.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOwH8gZ3lTE

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II. THE ECONOMICS & PSYCHOLOGY OF GIFT-GIVING:

  • DO CHRISTMAS SHOPPING SPREES ACT AS AN IMPORTANT ECONOMIC STIMULUS? WAS FDR WISE OR FOOLISH TO TRY TO AMPLIFY THIS STIMULUS BY MOVING THANKSGIVING A WEEK EARLIER IN 1939?

  • HAVE HIGHER UNEMPLOYMENT & RETAIL SHUTDOWNS CAUSED BY THE COVID PANDEMIC DAMPENED THE XMAS SHOPPING STIMULUS IN 2020, OR WILL HIGHER CONSUMER SAVINGS & ONLINE SHOPPING HELP?

  • DOES HOLIDAY GIFT-GIVING ACTUALLY WASTE MONEY & CREATE "DEADWEIGHT LOSS" IN THE ECONOMY DUE TO PEOPLE GETTING GIFTS THEY DIDN'T REALLY WANT?

  • IS REGIFTING A GOOD WAY TO DEAL WITH UNWANTED GIFTS WHEN YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO MAY APPRECIATE IT MORE (I.E. REDUCING "DEADWEIGHT LOSS"), OR IS IT INHERENTLY UNETHICAL?

  • DOES GIFT-GIVING HAVE IMPORTANT PSYCHOLOGICAL & SOCIAL BENEFITS THAT CAN'T BE MEASURED BY ECONOMICS - SUCH AS REINFORCING SOCIAL BONDS?

  • DO OUR SOCIAL NORMS AROUND GIFTING HAVE A DOWNSIDE IN TERMS OF CREATING A SENSE OF GUILT IF WE CAN'T MATCH SOMEONE'E PRESENT OR FORGET TO BUY THEM SOMETHING?

  • WHY DO MOST PEOPLE TEND TO ENJOY GIVING GIFTS MORE THAN RECEIVING THEM? DOES OUR ALTRUISTIC JOY DEPEND ON WATCHING THE RECIPIENT OPEN THEIR PRESENT & SEEING THEIR PLEASED REACTION, OR CAN WE ALSO DERIVE HAPPINESS BY GIVING TO OTHERS FAR AWAY (E.G. DISTANT RELATIVES, CHARITIES)?

  • IS IT BETTER TO GIVE CHILDREN MATERIAL GIFTS (E.G. TOYS) OR EXPERIENCES (E.G. TRIP TO DISNEYLAND)? TO WHAT EXTENT DOES THIS DEPEND ON THE AGE OF THE CHILD & THEIR ABILITY TO APPRECIATE & REMEMBER AN EXPERIENTIAL GIFT?

2a) Ali Velshi, "FDR Learned The Hard Way Not To Tinker With Thanksgiving" (video - 3:39 min.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjvlU9jGpFk

2b) PBS w/ Joel Waldfogel, "Your holiday spending may result in an economic loss" (video - 8:30 min.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQqN7Ij5i2A

2c) PBS w/ Elizabeth Dunn & Michael Norton, "Want to be happy? Giving is more gratifying than receiving" (video - 7:55 min.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjOygpRdugU

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III. THE PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF THE HOLIDAYS & POTENTIAL "LIFEHACKS" TO MANAGE STRESS & INCREASE HAPPINESS:

  • WHY DOES XMAS MUSIC GENERATE NOSTALGIA FOR SOME PEOPLE BUT ALIENATE OTHERS - IS IT PAINFUL MEMORIES, OR A FEELING OF BEING MANIPULATED BY STORES THAT WANT US TO SPEND MORE, OR BURNOUT FROM HEARING SONGS ON REPEAT?

  • WHY ARE CERTAIN AROMAS (E.G. EVERGREEN, PEPPERMINT, GINGERBREAD) BETTER AT EVOKING PLEASANT HOLIDAY MEMORIES THAN MUSIC?

  • IS IT OKAY TO OVERINDULGE A BIT WITH CHRISTMAS FOODS, PROVIDED WE RETURN TO A NORMAL DIET IN JANUARY, OR DOES THIS LEAD TO INFLAMMATION & SABOTAGE OUR EMOTIONAL STATE?

  • TO WHAT EXTENT DOES SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER, THE FINANCIAL STRESS OF XMAS SHOPPING, BICKERING WITH FAMILY, AND SADNESS OVER LOST LOVED ONES LEAD SOME PEOPLE TO EXPERIENCE DEPRESSION AROUND THE HOLIDAYS? DOES THIS STRESS CAUSE A RISE IN SUICIDES, OR IS THIS JUST A MYTH?

  • IS VIDEO CONFERENCING A GOOD WAY TO STAVE OFF LONELINESS IF WE CAN'T GET TOGETHER WITH FAMILY IN 2020 DUE TO THE RISK OF COVID INFECTIONS?

  • IN GENERAL, HOW CAN WE APPLY WHAT PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDIES TELL US ABOUT EVOKING HAPPINESS & HANDLING STRESS TO MAKE OUR HOLIDAYS MORE ENJOYABLE?

  • EVEN AS THE U.S. BECOMES MORE SECULAR & MULTICULTURAL, SHOULD CHRISTMAS STILL BE VALUED AS AN IMPORTANT HOLIDAY THAT EVOKES POSITIVE EMOTIONS & PRO-SOCIAL BEHAVIOR, LIKE GENEROSITY & FORGIVENESS?

3a) NBC News, "The Psychological Effect Christmas Music Has On Your Brain" (video - 1:38 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otwkPobZkkQ

3b) MedStar Health w/ Dr. Elias Shaya, "Feeling the Holiday Blues? Tips for Managing Stress and Sadness" (video - 2:17 min.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wjt_4YNaO74

3c) Slate, "Do More People Commit Suicide Around the Holidays?" (video - 1:33 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8DGav6kAvw

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IV. DISCUSSING POLITICS WITH FAMILY OVER THE HOLIDAYS:

  • SHOULD FAMILIES COMPLETELY AVOID DISCUSSING POLITICS OVER THE HOLIDAYS, OR IS THIS EQUIVALENT TO GIVING PEOPLE THE "SILENT TREATMENT"?

  • ARE FAMILIES THE BEST STARTING POINT FOR CIVIL DIALOGUE, SINCE THEY HAVE NATURAL BONDS WITH EACH OTHER? OR DOES THIS HISTORY CREATE PROBLEMS LIKE RESENTMENT OVER PERCEIVED WRONGS IN THE PAST OR A TENDENCY TO TREAT YOUNG ADULTS AS IF THEY'RE STILL CHILDREN?

  • HOW LIKELY IS IT THAT A FAMILY COULD DISCUSS POLITICS IN A CIVIL MANNER BY ESTABLISHING A MIDDLE GROUND WHERE CERTAIN TOPICS OFF-LIMIT & PERSONAL ATTACKS AREN'T USED?

  • HOW CAN WE ASK GOOD QUESTIONS THAT CUT PAST MEMORIZED TALKING POINTS & ALLOW US TO UNDERSTAND WHY PEOPLE HOLD CERTAIN VIEWS?

  • SHOULD WE SOMETIMES FEIGN AGREEMENT OR PRETEND TO RESPECT A VIEW WE DESPISE TO KEEP THE PEACE, OR IS THAT TOO DISHONEST?

  • IS USING LOTS OF "I" STATEMENTS & TELLING PERSONAL ANECDOTES MORE PERSUASIVE THAN USING LOGIC OR CITING STUDIES?

  • WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO DEESCALATE A CONVERSATION IF IT GETS TOO HEATED? CAN OTHER HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES OFFER AN "ESCAPE HATCH"?

4a) PBS w/ Steven Petrow, "Family political fights don’t have to ruin Christmas" (video - 6:48 min, start at 1:45)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zo2D8Ph74us&t=1m45s

4b) Alain Lempereur, "Politics at the holidays: Five tips to manage difficult conversations with family" (video - 3:41 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrncowQCxWw

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