Carnival of crassness
Stephen Bayley on why he despises December’s tawdry and sentimental retail landscape
Christmas balls. This is a season to be forced into jollity. And one of mixed messages, dark ambiguities. Ghosts of Christmas past make me shudder. There is an old story about a Tokyo department store which, anxious to demonstrate its easy familiarity with sophisticated Western tastes, arranged for a vitrine to have an illuminated tableau of Santa Claus busy being crucified. Perhaps some similar installations on high streets and malls would have an admonitory effect on the sewers of avarice, cupidity and unreflective sentimental tosh that comprise Britain’s retail landscape in December. Then again, maybe not. There is perhaps something in the British personality that finds itself inevitably drawn, as maggots with rotting cheese, to the carnival of crassness that is Christmas.
More articles from: Stephen Bayley | this section
Post this entry to: del.icio.us | Digg | Newsvine | NowPublic | Reddit
Advertisement
A world elsewhere
Henrietta BredinHenrietta Bredin visits Oslo's new opera house and finds it impressive, both inside and out
Distinctly lacklustre
Andrew LambirthRadical light: Italy's Divisionist Painters 1891-1910
National Gallery, until 7 September, Sponsoered by Credit Suisse
What about the Iraqis?
Lloyd EvansBlack Watch
Barbican
Whatever Happened to Cotton Dress Girl?
New End
Divas
Apollo
Inspired and thrilling
Michael TannerLe nozze di Figaro
Royal Opera House
Here be monsters
Peter HoskinThe Mist
15, Nationwide
Too close for comfort
Mary KennyMary Kenny on the new book from Eunan O'Halpin
Selective breeding
Victoria GlendinningVictoria Glendinning on Anthony Fletcher's account of growing up in England
Slow Life
Alex JamesUp for it
Breathless approach
Simon HoggartBritain's Lost World (BBC1); How the West Was Lost (BBC4); Last of the Dambusters (Five); Dickens's Secret Lover (Channel 4)
Campaign trail
Kate ChisholmClassic Serial (BBC Radio 4)
Latest blog posts
sponsored links
Britannia - Weekend Breaks Across the UK
Choose from a full range of fantastic weekend getaways across the UK with Britannia Hotels. Book online for deals on seasonal entertainment, leisure breaks and much more.
IOW break with Red Funnel
Short break fares from only £34 check availability now.
Sky - Official Site
Build your own Sky package online. Sky TV, Broadband & Talk only £16.
Britannia - Weekend Breaks Across the UK
Choose from a full range of fantastic weekend getaways across the UK with Britannia Hotels. Book online for deals on...
IOW break with Red Funnel
Short break fares from only £34 check availability now.
ROME CENTRE
PORTA METRONIA, ROME Standing high on the top of one of the seven hills of Rome- the Coelian- this unique
City Breaks. ROME and PARIS
ROME and PARIS: over 350 holiday rentals apartments listed: visit www.romanreference.com and www.parisreference.com or call +39 0648 903612.
Jewellery. RUFFS (Estd. 1904).
Goldsmiths by Design Welcome to Ruffs! You have found a company of Goldsmiths that specialises in the manufacture, amongst other
Spectator Business | Apollo Magazine
Corporate | Advertising | Privacy | Terms
Spectator, 22 Old Queen Street, London, SW1H 9HP
All Articles and Content Copyright ©2008 by The Spectator | All Rights Reserved
Laurie Macdonell-Sanchez
December 27th, 2007 10:01pmStephen Bayley's crucified Santa in Tokyo brought to mind the cultural inconsistencies and anachronisms in the Japanese kiddy cartoons my daughters used to watch some years ago on TV stations in Latin America. Most were forgivable, once I had explained the inaccuracies to my little girls. NOT so was the inclusion in children's fare of such western cultural taboos as blatant bloodiness, snot bubbles and flatulence emanating from the human heroes, heroines and even the animal sidekicks. As a result, afternoon TV was off-limits & we stocked up on the pirated videocassettes of the Disney classics so readily available on the local markets.
TRH
January 8th, 2008 9:21pmYour terminology is confusing. Most of your complaints are about Advent which the retail industry has renamed 'Christmas'. There's no reason for us to follow suit. Stores throw out their Christmas trees on Boxing Day but that's when true Christmas begins. Advent is about drunken young men staggering about the streets wearing Santa hats and singing Jingle Bells out of tune. Christmas is about time off work and spent with the family - walks, football matches etc.