Social Norm

5 Pages 1182 Words

Mark Twain once said, “Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it’s time to pause and reflect.” In this statement I found the inspiration for my Social Norm Violation. When most people think of Christmas, elaborate gifts, Santa Claus, and Christmas Trees come to mind. However, is the real meaning of Christmas not the birth of Jesus Christ? Therefore should we not celebrate a birthday instead of greeting card and shopping mall holiday?
I spent Thanksgiving break doing my Christmas shopping. I bought everyone a present in celebration of Christ’s birthday. However, instead of wrapping the gifts in the poinsettia-covered red and gold paper or the green and red plaid wrapping paper, I went to the local Wal-Mart and bought brightly colored birthday paper. I then proceeded to wrap each of my eleven gifts in this atrociously tacky garb complete with decorative bows and ribbons and placed them under our precisely decorated and perfectly matching silver, gold and purple (pomegranate as my mother called it) Christmas Tree.
The first person to experience my violation was my mother. To begin with, she is very straight and narrow and the epitome of a conventionalist. She already thinks I’m a little too eccentric for my own good and I knew that this project would not coincide with the proper and traditional ways my mother celebrates the holidays.
I was sitting on the couch when she walked in the house and laid eyes on my venture. She had this confused look on her face and stared in bewilderment at the packages. Finally she asked, “Exactly what all did you get Jenn for her birthday?” I couldn’t help but laugh as I explained that those were the Christmas gifts. Her mouth twisted into this grotesque scowl as she exclaimed “Well that’s it! You’ve dropped your last marble!” My attempt to explain that I was celebrating a birthday instead of the traditional Christmas was cut short as she walked out of the roo...