The festive season represents an intense cluster of cultural myths, lived out in real experience. This means it feels magical. Sometimes retailers trigger this deeper magic, and at other times they do not come so close. Let’s look at some meaningful, magical Christmas myths and how retailers understand them. Mythological giving The ritual of gift-giving predates Christianity. It was a ritual of exchange in midwinter in festivals like Saturnalia (Rome) or Yule (Norse), symbolising social bonds during scarcity. Remember, Christmas was originally set in a snowy, cold European winter when food was scarce. Rooted in the myth of giving is the deeper archetype of reciprocity. Giving to others as a moral virtue maintains the moral fabric of society. We need to share and look out for others’ well-being without judgment. The cultural myth of light in the darkness Hope is a large part of Christmas, and it is most often expressed through light in the darkness. Before Christmas, midwinter festivals across cultures centred on the return of light. Remember the winter solstice is around 21–22 December in Europe, the shortest day and longest night of the year. So ancient people needed to remember that the sun was coming and with it, abundance. When Christianity spread, it absorbed this solar mythology into its own narrative. Stars are very meaningful symbols of hope at Christmas. It is no wonder they turn up everywhere. They speak to the heavens because that is where they live. They also speak to purity and imagination. Stars conjure up feelings of positivity and possibilities. They light the way in the darkness, illuminate, shine a light on us and symbolise guidance and enlightenment. The myth of light in the darkness can be seen in the fairy lights that light up whole houses in the suburbs, the way we light up the Christmas tree, and the metallic, gold light-reflecting surfaces in gift wrap and tinsel. Whenever I see an ad that tells a story about Christmas through lighting up the darkness, I know it is triggering a deeper meaning. Take the Woolworths ad in Australia that has appeared for two years now, where the children create a giant lit-up carrot to guide Santa in the dark. Ads like this that point upward to the sky and the stars above, in the way this does, trigger a need for hope and all that is positive. No wonder Woolworths has recognised its longevity. It still triggers that ancient need for renewal, a focus on the bigger picture, and hope. The myth of abundance As Christmas returns to rewriting fears in a cold, deprived European winter, it’s no wonder part of the tradition centres on the myth of abundance. Santa comes with a never-ending bag of presents that can make all the children of the world happy, and we feast. It is a time to feel rich and alive. This myth is easy for supermarkets to capture, and there are usually long shots of delicious food spread across tables. Non-food retailers use an abundance of colour, like red and gold, to capture abundance. Good Christmas marketers are confident with colour, free themselves from being delicate and permit us to indulge in abundant living. Still, part of me wonders whether reality is as powerful as myth from a brand-building perspective. After all, Christmas itself is a big myth we create to place us in a liminal moment where ordinary structures are paused or softened. At Christmas, we want to feel anticipation, generosity, play, freedom, possibility and a sense of magic. For me, meaningful magic wins out. Mary Winter is the Insights Director at branding agency Principals. Further reading: The seven phases of Christmas: Are you ready for the holiday shopping season?