L. Edmondson sent in a commercial for Littlewoods, a catalog-based company in the U.K. Like much advertising around this time of year, it reminds us that holidays are women’s work. It is your mother who is responsible for buying gifts, but also for making holidays magical. So you know who to blame if you’re left unsatisfied.
Comments 47
Jugger — December 21, 2011
If I get my child an XBOX, will she refer to me as "lovely, lovely"?
Kinelfire — December 21, 2011
See also the Mission: Impossible style ads from Boots. Not only is it women's work, they shouldn't expect anyone to notice their efforts, never mind thank them.
Extra infuriating is the husband's-signature-stamp they show one of the 'girls' using.
I really LOATHE that ad. Does it show?
Aeon Blue — December 21, 2011
I'm digging the little girl's fairy costume + viking helmet combo.
Erik W Davis — December 21, 2011
Good stuff. Reminds me of Lewis Hyde's excellent chapter in his book The Gift, where he points out that not only (anthropologically speaking) have women *been* gifts to arrange and maintain relationships between families, but women so given have often (and obviously continue to be) saddled with the responsibility for continuing the gifting cycles that maintain these relationships. Holidays are women's work, indeed. :(
Kim — December 21, 2011
Mom's responsible for buying the gifts, but Dad's responsible for putting up the lights and getting the tree. Socially, anyways.
In my house, we take down the lights, give them one good look, go "NOPE" and put 'em back.
Sarah — December 21, 2011
Not only is gifting and "creating magic" women's work, it immediately becomes her work to arrange all of the familial-togetherness for her husband's family, as well - even outside of the holidays. The woman (in the hetero relationship) traditionally is responsible for remembering all the nieces' and nephews' birthdays, even those that are not hers. She also is in charge of sending holiday cards to the man's family members, making travel arrangements and being a gracious hostess for his family while he .
Linet_shore — December 21, 2011
At least mom is getting the credit instead of the freaking Fat Man. I think they are playing to the frustration that many moms feel (myself included - perhaps I'm even president of the club) - that Christmas IS a tremendous amount of work, made more so by the fact that, if you have young children, you are suppose to keep everything super secret for Santa's sake - in which case there is even less chance than normal that you will get any credit for your effort. I've seen the theme in Best Buy ads too.
MJS — December 21, 2011
What I find really interesting is that this ad is trying to make the act of Christmas shopping sound like "work" of any kind. I mean, driving to a store buying something and driving home isn't exactly strenuous but these ads make it sound like some kind of amazing accomplishment that takes some kind of extraordinary skill that people should be proud of themselves for doing.
Ericalas — December 21, 2011
Perhaps, because I happen to be female and often do feel as if a huge weight of responsiblity and expectation falls on my shoulders during the holidays, that is the reason I dislike the holidays so much.
wendycarole — December 22, 2011
well it was when I was a little girl because my dad was a postman and did 12 hour shifts for weeks. My mum often complained that she had to do everything.
Blix — December 22, 2011
Or we could skip the materialism and commercialism altogether...and focus on what actually matters!
Rhiannon Lockley — December 24, 2011
For me, xmas (like other family occasions) is a time where I do pretty much everything for my husbands family in terms of buying, wrapping and arranging the delivery of presents. We are in the doghouse with the my mother in law already for lateness (4 days) with father in law's birthday earlier this month (he didn't care and rang to apologise for her ringing up to shout once she had gone out). It is so unfair that women have so much expected of them at these times but part of me wonders if this is partly to do with the overblown circus that christmas etc seem to become, and that women play a big role in reproducing this, including the disapproval.
AS — January 2, 2012
This advert was quite criticised here in the UK because of its commercialisation, equating love with how much you've bought for someone and so on.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/nov/20/christmas-adverts-john-lewis
""Mum" appears to have purchased an entire nervous breakdown's worth of cold branded goods in a pathetic bid to win the affections of her own family."
Danie Kat — April 18, 2012
Its just like cleaning ads being targeted towards women...I cant think off the top of my head seeing any commercials with a man cleaning or cooking while the wife it out of the house or working...
Willow — February 3, 2013
And the mother wants jewelry for herself. . . sigh.
Willow — February 3, 2013
As a woman, I tend to do a lot more Christmas shopping than my boyfriend, both for his family and for mine. I like Christmas shopping, though, and he doesn't. He is willing to help pay for the things I purchase, so it doesn't strike me as an unbalanced arrangement.