Every December, millions of Americans grab the remote, ready to give up an hour and 37 minutes to watch Will Ferrell trek through New York City wearing a jacket, bright green tights and not much else. What is it about this one movie, “Elf,” that compels us to tune in, year after year, to watch the same comedic story over and over?
Perhaps we are drawn to Buddy the Elf’s delightfully innocent nature (or, for that matter, his tights), but most likely, this tradition has become so strongly linked to Christmas time that we cannot shake the association between winter holidays and Buddy.
This isn’t far-fetched as humans have passed down traditions since the beginning of their existence. From telling stories to face-painting rituals, traditions have played an integral role in our society. A 2010 Northwestern University study notes that our actions are so steeped in tradition that 93 percent of them can be predicted ahead of time. In fact, according to Science magazine, even some species of animals, such as monkeys and whales, demonstrate unique culture and traditions.
But why is it that these rituals become even more prevalent during various holiday seasons?
A possible explanation is that they serve to strengthen bonds between family members, providing entertainment and creating memories.
Seventh grader Drew Alvarez agrees that his family’s unique holiday traditions bring them closer together.
“During Thanksgiving, we have a tradition called ‘thank you strips.’ We get a box and write down what we’re thankful for and place [the strips] in the box,” Alvarez said.
This helps to spark conversation at the table during Thanksgiving dinner, and Alvarez attributes many fond memories to this tradition.
Likewise, sophomore Robert Witten credits communication with family members to their ritual Skype call the first night of every Hanukkah.
“ I don’t see my sisters very often because they live all around the country,” Witten said. “I look forward to being able to talk to them, even if it is on the computer.”
These holiday traditions span over a wide range, but most have a few characteristics in common: they occur at a set time and place, they have some characteristics that stay the same and some that differ every year, and they incorporate symbols. Based off of these traits, it’s easy to see how the Elf on the Shelf stays popular year after year and the dreaded fruitcake has fallen flat.
While holiday rituals help create ties between family and friends, some have magnetic qualities that draw interest and excitement from the hearts of children who are new to the holiday. Sophomore Aiza Saeed recognizes this quality in the tradition of giving money to children who fast during Ramadan.
“When people are fasting during Ramadan, the significance of money is exciting for younger kids,” Saeed said. “My siblings get really excited and have contests to see who can fast the longest, which means more money from family.”
Gifts such as these can be easily misinterpreted by young children, and Saeed and Witten agree that they at times distract from holidays’ true purposes.
While giving out money encourages younger kids to engage in the more religious parts of the holiday, it somewhat defeats the purpose of Ramadan, which Saeed says is to “put yourself in a poor person’s shoes and see how they go through life.”
Concurringly, after observing the absurdity of some Christmas traditions (i.e. marketing Christmas merch in October), many choose to strike back, entreating us to ditch some traditions and instead put the “Christ” back in Christmas.
Senior Lindsey Greenwood does not see this happening anytime soon because everyone loves to receive. To her, presents do not detract from Christmas’ true purpose “as long as you don’t just get 5,000 presents.”
Regardless of where you fall on this issue, we will undoubtedly retain holiday traditions for years to come. Who wants to celebrate a holiday devoid of the many traditions that make it enjoyable? Holiday traditions are so deeply ingrained in our culture, and it’s safe to assume that Buddy the Elf will remain in our hearts for years to come.
