Christmas in the City

Looking Back

Previously, in Time Square… (Photo from Wikipedia: ‘Time Square Ball’ article)

2012 is only weeks away. Christmas is less than a week away. As 2011 draws to a close, I decided to cover the holidays and the last few days until 2012. Because of the Global Recession, the Arab Spring, the death of terrorists and dictators, the Fukushima Nuclear Accident, and many other events in 2011, this Christmas will be like no other. I decided to cover how Americans will spend their last days of the year, and how events that took place this year will influence their holiday plans. Because I covered important events during 2011, I thought it would be interesting to see how the events I reported on would influence the lives of many Americans.

Shopping & Gifts, 2011

For many Americans, Christmas and New Year shopping is an almost-ritualistic event. I went to Soho, one of the most popular shopping districts in Manhattan, to see how events of 2011 influenced the shopper’s purchases. Soho has traditionally been a shopping district for expensive clothe boutiques, such as Armani and Prada, and had little (if at all) inexpensive clothes stores. However, I was surprised to find several buildings that housed inexpensive clothe stores. UNIQLO, a Japanese clothes firm that sells relatively inexpensive clothes, has recently opened for business in Soho. I was also surprised to see that many of the inexpensive stores were packed with customers, compared to their high-end counterparts.

This rule also seemed to apply to many shoppers I have interviewed. Out of 30 shoppers, 25 have said that they have spent less in shopping this year than the previous year. 20 have said that they have spent less than the previous decade. “I can’t afford gifts that I could have bought before the recession,” explained a New Yorker. “I just plan to buy gifts for my family and my girlfriend,” stated a college student of NYU.

However, the obstacles of the recession did not seem to affect the purchase of smartphones. In fact, the death of Steve Jobs and the release of the iPhone 4S has increased fervor in Apple products. “My kids want the newest smartphones, and you know, it’s Christmas,” said a haggard mother with her children in the Apple store. “The new functions in the 4S are worth the purchase,” said another customer. When I asked him which particular “function” made the purchase worth it, he refused comment. The release of many other products, such as the Samsung Galaxy 2S and the new 4G smartphones, has only increased the demand for smartphones.

Travelling, 2011

Many Americans used to travel to other vacation spots during the holidays to rest and escape the cold weather. However, there is a severe decrease in holiday trips compared to previous years. I asked 15 interviewees across Manhattan (Union Square, Rockefeller Center, and Zucotti Park). Out of 15 New Yorkers who travelled to foreign destinations last year, only 7 were planning to take a trip this year. Many stated that their economic situations did not give them space to travel. “I need to save up money whenever I can,” said an office worker. “I can’t even afford the airplane tickets this year, let alone travel,” said another. “Buying presents is hard enough – no travelling.” Decreased number of air commuters has only made airline tickets more expensive, as airline companies try to cover up losses with increased prices.

However, for some of the travelers, the reasons were somewhat different. One New Yorker, whose family lives in Greece, decided not to go and visit his family during the holidays because of the situation in Greece. “Have you seen the news? Greece has hit the can,” said the Greek immigrant. “There’s just too much violence and instability.” Another family, of Japanese origin, gave up on a family trip to their native Japan. “My parents lived near the Fukushima nuclear plant, and they had to evacuate,” said the father of the family. “We do not wish to burden them,” added his wife, “and the radiation emitted may be harmful for our children.” A college professor outside New York, who came to New York to visit relatives, told me that she had to cancel her trip to Egypt because of the violence and turmoil in Egypt. “I wanted to learn about Egyptian history and see the pyramids up close, but it looks like I will have to see Egyptians making history from my home TV.”

Many of the New Yorkers told me that they were planning to stay in New York instead of travelling to other places. “I’m just going to skate in Rockfeller Center with my girlfriend,” said a New Yorker. “It’s not the place that counts, it’s the mindset.”

Homecoming & Family Time, 2011

(photo from http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/2yFw9-fmx-z/California+National+Guard+Soldiers+Return)

Quality family time, unaffected by the recession or downturns across the world, is better for many Americans this Christmas. A few days ago, the last of US troops have withdrawn from Iraq and will be able to spend Christmas with their families. I was able to meet an Iraqi veteran who was with his family in New Jersey, and I asked him how he felt to be back with his family. The veteran gave me a large smile, and said “there’s no place like home.”

A Farewell and A Greeting

New crystals fitted for the Times Square Ball of 2012 (image from Long Island Press)
 

         Looking back, personal and global events have changed our lives as well as those around us. Dictatorial milestones like Kim Jong Ill and Muammar Gadhafi are no more, while we increasingly rely on social networking sites for our social lives. Arab nations greet democracy as the Arab Spring rages, while we said farewell to Elizabeth Taylor. US troops in Iraq were able to come home, while refugees from Northeast Japan may never see their homes again. On Christmas and New Year’s Eve, we will have much to think about. We have much to reflect on. We will have much to look forward to.