OP, I do not know the country you are from as I cannot relate to this your post. If I understand you clearly, during Christmas season, people share gifts and exchange pleasantries as a show of love. If same happens during an election people, then it is obviously not an act of love, but a way the politicians try to bribe the people with gifts and fake smiles just to get pity votes.

Politicians who are only going there for their own selfish interests will always see elections as a do or die game and they will do everything within their powers to ensure they win, even if it means brainwashing the electorates to do their biddings and then abandon them immediately after the elections.

Politics was supposed to make lives better, but the few selected have decided to make things difficult for the people. In spite of all this, no one should lose faith in politics, with time, we will get it right.