Attack of the Holidays
Shoppers, not walkers.
Over the past week the Internet has been riddled with videos and memes that highlight the disturbing things people are willing to do to save a buck on Black Friday. Instead of seeing happy, holiday-themed shoppers rummaging through a local Walmart, the world got images of what the zombie apocalypse might look like. One meme juxtaposed a frame of the film Dawn of the Dead with a photo of shoppers cramming into a department store. It was dead on.
Another meme with a photo of a man snatching an item from a child in a store was captioned “If this is how we shop, what will it look like when the food runs out?” This concept alone might be enough to inspire folks to grow a garden and install some solar panels. It brings to mind dystopian thoughts and settings. While the author may have had a tongue-in-cheek approach to his post, history says the idea is not so far off.
During the Great Depression in the 1930s, riots caused by the need for food were not uncommon in the United States. Trucks coming into a city that needed food wouldn’t make it to their destination and were raided in riots that had thousands of people versus available law enforcement.
R.B. Bennet was elected as prime minister of Canada in August of 1930. He would spend his five years in office leading the people through the Great Depression. Canada did not have the frequent large scale that occurred in the States; one caveat being the Regina riot in 1935. Bennet acted swiftly to introduce new welfare programs backed by the newly elected Liberal party, and spent much of his personal wealth sending five dollar bills to families in need.
The most heinous acts that took place on Black Friday did not take place in Canada. There seems to be a slight air of indifference amongst consumers and retailers when it comes to Black Friday. One might say that the brutal anarchy that ensues south of the border on this shopping day is not reflective of Canadian virtues. That may also be a very a pompous statement that could be disproven if the prices ever fall far enough to match the Black Friday experience in the States.
Krampus is coming
Naughty adults might get more than coal this year. A dark mythological creature is creeping it’s way out of Europe and into the minds of people in Canada. Krampus, also known as the Christmas Devil, the Christmas Monster, or the Shadow of Santa Claus, is finding its niche in Canadian culture.
The first introduction of Krampus for many Canadians may have been in an episode of American Dad that aired on Dec.13 2013, titled “Minstrel Krampus,” and was viewed by five million people. In Philadelphia some families have been participating in Krampuslauf (English translation is Krampus running) since before 2010.
The first Krampuslauf, simply titled the Krampus Run, is being held in Kitchener, ON, on Dec. 5 2015. The event is being hosted by The Adventurers Guild—a board game café and tavern which is also based in Kitchener. This is being advertised as a traditional Krampus march where folks are invited to make their own Krampus costume and walk through downtown from 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. Kitchener (formerly Berlin) is a predominantly and historical German-based city in Canada. Krampus has old roots in German culture and this aspect is now surfacing in Kitchener.
If dressing like an evil goat-devil isn’t for you, perhaps go see Krampus, which is coming to theatres Dec. 4 2015. Starring Adam Scott, Toni Colette and David Koechner this fantasy horror film is another step to solidifying the folklore of Krampus in Canadian culture.