How Social Media Has Changed the Way We Do Holidays
January 10, 2015
Recently, the WordWrite team published a blog on celebrating family traditions during the holidays, but have you noticed there are certain things about the holidays that have evolved over the years? Not even just during this time of year, but all year round, social media has changed they way we interact with our own family and friends.
Not everyone uses Facebook, and not everyone has an aunt who updates her status three times a day, but it’s safe to say that a majority of your family members are on Facebook. Gone are the days when families pass around photo albums at get-togethers. Now, it’s all about referring back to a Facebook photo album, and if you haven’t already seen that album, the tablet will get passed around until you’re up to speed. Holiday photo opportunities are riddled with, “Don’t tag me in that,” “Put a filter on that before you post it,” “Can you send that to me in a text?” and “I think that needs some work in Photoshop.” Your family celebrations aren’t just for the family anymore; they’re for your entire social network to see, and we all know that we love to put our best foot forward on social media. No more printed 8 mm photos with Grandpa’s thumb placed firmly in the top corner.
While the documentation of unedited, intimate moments may be a thing of the past, social media has made the holidays simpler in many ways. For one, communication is infinitely easier. What do I need to bring to Thanksgiving? What does Uncle Steve want for Christmas this year? Who’s hosting Christmas Eve, and what time should I be there? In my family, these are all questions addressed in our group Facebook messages or group text messages. While out Christmas shopping, it was so easy to pull up my Facebook app and see everyone’s Christmas lists in one place. In fact, I was able to refer back to Pinterest boards for gift ideas. If you’re not using Pinterest for holiday ideas, you’re truly missing out on a Christmas miracle.
Even better yet, Facebook group events are a lifesaver, especially during this time of year. I shudder to think how unorganized New Year’s Eve parties and nights out with old friends would be without them.
Besides communicating with each other, think of how much we are unknowingly influenced online. This is especially true during the holidays when shopping for our loved ones. Every time we check Facebook, read a news article or even search for something on Google, we’re receiving suggestions for what to buy based on paid advertisements. Even in a more organic sense, we’re influenced by product reviews online. According to an infographic by Crowdtap, 63 percent of consumers are influenced by Amazon reviews. Naturally, we don’t want to give a gift that the receiver won’t like, so we need to make sure we choose wisely. What better outlet to use as a reference than a website that houses over 1.2 million reviews for electronics alone?
Maybe you haven’t given much thought to the way social media has changed your behavior during the holiday season, but I encourage you to reflect on seasons past and notice how they differ from today. What do you miss about the good old days? What do you appreciate about the new ways we function with digital media during the holidays? Share with us your own experience in the comments.
(Photo credit: Mashable.com)
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