To mark the beginning of the festive season, UCL STS students talk about their Christmas wishes – the issues they’d like to solve (using science and technology). What is your Christmas wish?

Christmas, a beloved tradition for many families around the world, which has held a special place in the hearts of Christian families since the 9^th Century, has now become a universal tradition, allowing different cultures to adopt the holiday and shape it as per their wishes. However, with the advent of the industrial revolution and its associated technologies, it has evolved into an increasingly non-denominational event with a decidedly commercial nature, thanks to advances in manufacturing, shipping logistics, and marketing, all brought by technological change.

The mass production of consumer goods has forever changed the tradition of gift-giving on Christmas (and other holidays or festive occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries, Bat Mitzvahs, etc.).

Gone are the hand-crafted trinkets and ornaments of the past – the modern Christmas relies on a steady flow of commodities from manufacturer to consumer, making products that were once expensive and rare cheaper and more widely available than ever before. For instance, in the past, there was a practice among the wealthy to give citrus fruits on the holidays. It was a symbol of status – citrus fruits are out of season in the winter, and must be imported to a rainy, cool place like Britain. It was a sign that the giver of such a gift had the means to afford such a luxury. However, when considered in our modern context, this practice seems quaint. In fact, it is quite easy to picture a child’s face, full of disappointment while receiving a citrus fruit when all they really wanted was a PlayStation.

Furthermore, the wide availability of these commodities is facilitated by the vast, somewhat reliable network of modern shipping and logistics. Planes, trains, trucks, and powered boats have made access to merchandise much quicker and less expensive. These advances in manufacturing and distribution enabled by technology have led to cheaper, more plentiful consumer goods, and modern Christmas is changed because of it. In some sense, it is a positive change – revolutions in these sectors have made it easier and cheaper to bring joy to a loved one, awarding it with inclusivity. However, the other side of the coin is the negative effects these technologies bring – the rapid increase of pollution and global warming due to the methods in which mass production of goods is executed, amongst other undesirable effects.

The current state of Christmas is inextricable from the technology it is built upon – it would look foreign to us without the mass production of consumer goods, the vehicles and manpower used to distribute them, and the platforms on which they are sold to us. Even the inability to track Santa Claus’ journey across the globe seems rather antiquated. This demonstrates the inevitable social shaping of technology and how technology has reshaped Christmas (along with perhaps every other tradition known to the human being).

Written by: Andréa Lekare, UCL Science & Technology Studies

Are you stuck trying to find a gift for the mathematicians in your life? As much as we love t-shirts with cheesy mathematical puns, it’s great to get something more intellectually satisfying for any mathematician you know this holiday season. Whether you’re passionate about numbers or know someone who loves solving problems, here are some of my favourite gifts that will make any prospective mathematician happy!

1) Maths Books

The Indisputable Existence of Santa Claus: The Mathematics of Christmas

These are great presents for anyone who wants to build their mathematical knowledge and venture into new areas of mathematics. Ever wanted to know how to use game theory to figure out who you should buy Christmas gifts for? Well, ‘The Indisputable Existence of Santa Claus’ written by UCL’s very own Dr Hannah Fry and Dr Thomas Oleron-Evans solves that exact question as well as all other mathematical Christmas conundrums (including the metabolic rate of Santa Claus!).

If these popular science topics pique your interest, definitely check out the rest of Dr Hannah Fry’s novels such as ‘The Mathematics of Love’ which finds patterns in romance and ‘Hello World: How to be Human in the Age of the Machine’ which tackles the good, bad and ugly of algorithms. If novels are too long for your liking, why not gift issues of Chalkdust magazine, a bi-annual magazine tackling all things mathematical? Founded by UCL Alumni Rafael Prieto Curie and published in UCL, each issue uses different areas of maths to solve real life problems so there’ll be something interesting for anyone who’s mathematically curious. Click here to check out some of their articles and order a copy!

2) Puzzles

Mathematicians are driven by a love of solving problems so gifting any sort of puzzle will definitely be fun. From chess sets and sudoku books, to mathematical board games like Decrypto and mechanical puzzles, the possibilities are endless. I’d particularly recommend puzzle books by Raymond Smullyman as they blend recreational maths problems with different fields of logic and set theory, the perfect brain teaser for on-the-go or a relaxed afternoon.

3) Klein Bottles

Klein bottles are key shapes in topology since the neck of the bottle twists into itself such that there’s no outside or inside to the shape. This topological surface isn’t actually possible to make in three dimensions, but 3D approximations are fun gifts as bottle openers, water bottles, lamps and decorative places!

4) Maths Pun utensils

No mathematician can deny the fun of mathematical puns, especially when they are in a practical application. Think ‘proof is in the pudding’ pudding bowls where mathematical proofs are written at the bottom, or a π pie plate. This will definitely put a smile on their face.

I hope this short list gave you some inspiration for the types of presents you can get to develop someone’s passion for maths. Regardless of what you give, what we value most is time with loved ones and a well-deserved break so I have no doubt that anything mathematical will be appreciated.

Happy Holidays!

Written by: Teren Lee, UCL Mathematics