when did christmas become commercial?
963811
quite a long time ago
783243
need more information about the commercial
706799
In the year 800 ad...\nIn the Holy Roman Empire: the pope baptized Herr Otto on Dec.25... this date became what we know now as Christmas...\n\nThis was the celebration of the renowned Christian Kingdom, which today is called Germany...\n\nTherefore the date has become a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, instead of the birth of a kingdom...\n\nAfter the fact of the earlier kingdom, then the English version appears...\nThough Christmas has been celebrated since the 4th century AD, the first known usage of any Christmastime greeting, "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year" (thus incorporating two greetings) was in an informal letter written by an English admiral in 1699. The same phrase appeared in the first Christmas card, produced in 19th century England.\n\nThe then relatively new term "Merry Christmas" figured prominently in Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol in 1843. The cynical Ebenezer Scrooge rudely deflects the friendly greeting and broods on the foolishness of those who utter it. "If I could work my will," says Scrooge, "every idiot who goes about with 'Merry Christmas' on his lips, should be boiled with his own pudding." After the Spirits of Christmas effect his transformation, he is able to heartily exchange the wish with all he meets. The continued popularity of A Christmas Carol and the Victorian era Christmas traditions it typifies have led some to credit Dickens with popularizing, or even originating, the phrase "Merry Christmas.\n\nThe alternative "Happy Christmas" gained wide usage in the late 19th century, and is still common in the United Kingdom and Ireland. One reason may be the alternative meaning, still current there, of "merry" as "tipsy" or "drunk." Queen Elizabeth II is said to prefer "Happy Christmas" for this reason. In American poet Clement Moore's "A Visit from St. Nicholas" (1823), the final line, originally written as "Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night," has been changed in many editions to "Merry Christmas to all", perhaps indicating the relative popularity of the phrases in the United States.\n\nTo be merry is a biblical term, as in eat, drink, and be merry...
827359
In 1843, the Christmas card was invented by a man named John Calcott Horsley, who lived Italy. He was hired by Sir Henry Cole in an effort to depict the desolate living conditions of the poor. The idea was to raise awareness and encourage people to help those in need\n\nApproximately 50% of greeting cards sent in the United States every year are manufactured by Hallmark.
96951
I absolutely loved the one where the Budweiser horses were playing football (as they do every year), but then the "naked" sheep runs out and streaks across the field while the other animals laugh.  That was amazing :)  Otherwise most of the commercials this year weren't that good.\n\nOh yeah, and I loved the MacGyver one!  That was hilarious!  "Tube Sock" $4.00 :P
24708
doesn't new year's precede christmas like... every year? so 2005
14262
No there used to be a tradition in the middle ages where you would feast from Christmas (december 25th) to the Empithany(january thithy) whicg total of 12 days. This period was called the 12 days of christmas or the twelvetide.\n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/12_Days_Of_Christmas
742637
Yes I think we have.  Instead of celebrating the birth of our Lord, Christmas has become so commercialized & materialistic.  It is all about who can spend the most or get the best gift.  And we put ourselves into so much debt for things we can not afford, just to impress others or for whatever the reasons.  Christimas items have been put into stores in early August.  The bottom line...money.
761722
The current commercial, with the piano, for Christmas 2006, is Vanessa Carlton - A Thousand Miles\nyou can watch the video here\nhttp://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8466789808656629414&q=Vanessa+Carlton+-+A+Thousand+Miles&hl=en
945052
read something about it below, the date as I understand it was 12/7/05
812023
Christmas is the reason for loving, giving and sharing!!!  This should be the focal point for the season.... and you are right in your observations, Christmas nowadays have become too commercialized.  This is the sign of the times, and we will just have to make the most of it.  It has its advantages, though, we have a lot of choices, and for busy people, everything can be bought behind the counter.  Just as long as we take time for families and friends, the tradition lives on.  Advance Merry Christmas !!!!
742290
It actually started in July when Hallmark began selling ornaments
905353
it's only commercialized if you let it be!  if everyone else has lost the true meaning of christmas it doesn't mean you have to too.
1173621
because christmas was a pagan holiday.\n\nChristmas Dec 25th.  No clue who came up with that date but it isn't correct.  Jesus was born in the spring time with flowers blooming and songs singing, so says the bible.  Even in Israel, that still translates to April-ish not December.  It snows in Jerusalem in December.\n\nBefore Christmas was Christmas it was known as Appollo's birthday as well as Mithras.  Both popular religious sects in Rome, before Christianity was founded (yes I did just say founded, read up some)  There was an old belief that the Holly King and the Oak King were born opposite one another on the yearly cycle.  The easiest way to explain this idea is the winter king and the summer king.  winter king was born in December (or snow) so that his rule would be transfered at the height of summer.  summer king was born in the height of summer so his crown would transfer at the height of winter.  Appollo was thought to be the holly/winter king and his birthfeast was afixed to december.  more than likely around the solstice December 20th or 21st.  As Christianity absorbed these sects the traditions came with them.  the apple was the signature fruit of Appolo.\n\nNow the celebration of Christmas had always been a somber and less than joyful celebration.  In the English area, the commoners celebrated Yule, while the nobils or rather highborns celebrated christmas....they were christians.  Once Christianity became the adopted form of religion Yule was prohibted, but again since Christianity was a Roman creation....it followed the roman ways, adopting things and calling it theirs.\n\nThe Christmas celebration had always been much tamer in the Protestant homes as they concentrated on the sacrifices Jesus made, until....\n\nOne English Queen married a German Nobil and the German Tradition (which was really a leftover from the Viking Era) was the Christmas tree.  This now German born English King refused to give up his winter/yule tradition and thusly the Christmas Tree tradition was born as everyone wanted to be like the Queen.  \n\nThen in the early 18th century, Christmas became a little less formal and more of a family affair about brotherly love and so forth.\n\nChristmas has seen a huge change since it's inception.  Anything to party and have fun, right?  Every reason is a reason to get together.
1156913
Monday, December 25th, 2006\n\nI guess its easier to ask than to look at a calendar.
784035
Not sure what commercial you mean, what network did you see it on and how long ago
767252
yess christmas is not what it used to be..it is more of a commercial holiday meant for retail stores across the nation to boost their profits