Ernest Bell

“The toiling majority have long realised the fraud. You do not find that real troubles give way to Christmas feasts; rather, you will notice that it is the feasts which have to give way where real troubles are present. Even in our limited experience we know many, and those not amongst the most oppressed, who sigh with relief when the season is over, and thank God that Christmas does come but once a year.”
― Ernest Bell, Christmas Cruelties

“While pleasure and pecuniary gain are undoubtedly the objects which have wrought the degradation of this holy festival, the justification offered for this degradation and for many other evils is that it is “good for trade.” It seems to be held by most people that if only money is made to pass from one person to another there must necessarily be a gain to the community. This is, obviously, not true. It is a fallacy that all trade is of necessity a gain. The gain or loss depends altogether on the nature of the transactions. Take, for instance, the slave trade. This occasioned the circulation of much money, and gave employment to a large number of workers. But who would now dare to urge that slavery should be encouraged because it is good for trade?”
― Ernest Bell, Christmas Cruelties