Is it too early for Christmas?

Once Halloween is over, the next holiday to come for many Americans is Thanksgiving. However, many stores and music artists seem to begin their celebration of Christmas starting November 1st.

Christmas is the biggest holiday for a majority of Americans and as such needs proper time to plan and celebrate. With presents, food, and copious amounts of decorations, Christmas is a holiday that warrants more than a month of prep time. Not to mention the large family gatherings that occur on and around the holiday that require lots of planning and mental preparation.

Over the years, Christmas has become a universal holiday, no longer exclusive to Christians. It’s meaning and festivities have elasticized to fit into many American’s lives. In making Christmas more accessible, corporate companies see an opportunity to increase profits by putting out festive merchandise; be it food, toys, or house decorations. It is very likely that this cycle of consumerism has permanently altered America’s calendar when it comes to Christmas. Time magazine predicts that holiday promotions will begin prior to even Black Friday ones. The magazine also blames the culture that consumers buy into with vigor. Holiday shopping will increase by an estimated amount of 4%, proving that companies are not in the wrong for stocking the shelves with red and green early into the season.

Madison Dodger Online interviewed 2 MHS students on their opinions of Christmas starting on November 1st. One student professed their love for Christmas and agreed with the notion that November is like a “Baby Christmas”. They kick off the season with holiday music to get extra festive but the season really starts when they put up decorations and buy a Christmas tree with their family. Another MHS senior claimed that Thanksgiving is not a large cultural phenomenon like Halloween and Christmas. The student also added that Thanksgiving is “a boring holiday”. As such, the holiday does not warrant the celebration that Christmas does. The same senior said that they enjoy holiday shopping for presents for their family and friends. Many seem to enjoy the idea of Christmas extending beyond the traditional 25 days of December and even get festive in early November. Though it seems like many are against the idea of an early Christmas, many celebrate the beloved holiday way early and enjoy the music and festivities that the popular holiday brings.

Christmas is not the only holiday that brings stores festive things weeks in advance. As a matter of fact, Halloween merchandise begins to make its appearance in mid-summer annually. Though some may argue that there is not holiday separating mid-summer and Halloween, Thanksgiving is incomparable to its surrounding holidays in the way that it is a much more private holiday. Thanksgiving is about family and close friends while Christmas and Halloween are much more communal.

More to come this holiday season as stores begin to shine red and green.

Sources:

White, Martha C. “Why It’s Your Fault There’s Already Christmas Stuff in Stores.” Time, Time, 15 Oct. 2014, time.com/3478067/christmas-creep/.