An Ethnographic Mindset During the Holiday Season

The holiday season provides an opportunity for families, individuals, and corporations to reflect, reconnect, exchange gifts, and celebrate the passing year. It is a time marked by joy, gratitude, and symbolic gestures of love and appreciation. Yet, beyond the festivities, the holiday period is also a time of heightened consumption and expenditure. Parents reward their children with Christmas gifts; friends and colleagues exchange tokens of affection; businesses increase their marketing efforts, creating a collective atmosphere of celebration and spending.

In Angola, particularly in Luanda, the holiday season holds deep cultural and social significance. It is not merely a religious observance for many people or a time for rest; it has evolved into a social ritual that reinforces family ties, fosters a sense of community belonging, and shapes personal identity. The act of giving is perceived as a form of social validation and emotional expression. Even individuals with limited financial means feel compelled to participate in this exchange culture, reflecting the strong collectivist and communal values embedded in Angolan society.

However, this increased consumption also reveals layers of economic behavior and social pressure. Many people spend more than they can afford, driven by a desire to meet expectations, maintain status, or express care through material gifts. This phenomenon can be examined through an ethnographic lens that extends beyond statistics to explore lived experiences, cultural narratives, and the symbolic meanings associated with spending during the festive period.

As a qualitative researcher, I intend to immerse myself in the everyday practices of consumers in Luanda—through observation, informal interviews, and participation—to understand how emotions, traditions, advertisements, and social norms shape Christmas spending habits. The focus is not only on what people buy, but also on why they buy: what emotions drive their decisions, what social roles they fulfill through gift-giving, and how they navigate the tension between joy and financial limitations.

Ultimately, adopting an ethnographic mindset during the holiday season enables us to view Christmas not just as a religious or economic event, but as a reflection of human values, aspirations, and contradictions. It invites reflection on how consumer behavior reflects deeper social meanings—and how, even in moments of abundance, people continue to seek connection, belonging, and recognition.

Edivaldo Abel, PhD

Chair, QLRC Marketing & Communication