A cultural distraction is due to cultural activities that are practiced by one culture but has also become an activity for other cultures although it doesn't really pertain to their own culture or doesn't really matter, really.
"Do we really have to participate in this cultural distraction of Chinese New Year's again? Really? Why are we celebrating their New Year again? Are we going to end up buying trinkets for things we don't really believe in? I think this is all a marketing ploy to sell trinkets every year.