It’s officially November which means the radio stations have switched over to Christmas music. Halloween candy is starting to fill the clearance racks and it’s being replaced with all things holiday- from festive mugs to ornaments, to stocking stuffers, November first always seems to mark the beginning of the Christmas season.
When I was younger I remember being so excited when my Dad would drive me to school and the Christmas station was FINALLY on. I was fortunate enough to receive gifts on Christmas day, so of course my mind went straight to thinking of the toys I might get that year that the minute “Christmas Time Is Here” came on.
As I’ve gotten older I’ve realized that Christmas is much less about getting presents, but rather about spending time with loved ones. I have also learned to appreciate the holiday season as a whole-starting with Thanksgiving. This could be a hot take but I think the Christmas spirit starting the second Halloween ends can overshadow the Thanksgiving holiday.
Of course, I love getting in the spirit as much as the next person, but I think we need to wait just a bit longer to do so. Starting Christmas festivities too early could hinder the meaning of Thanksgiving and could devalue the Christmas spirit.
In some cases early Christmas celebrations could lead to a certain special pressure for people to join in, even if they are not mentally or financially ready to do so; along with this, it could lead to excessive consumption of things like decorations, foods, and especially gifts.
And when it comes to food Thanksgiving is certainly winning. We have to at least celebrate that; along with giving thanks to all that we are grateful for of course. I’d say it’s acceptable to start listening to Christmas music just a bit before Thanksgiving and when it’s over, bring it on for sure!
That all being said, it’s not universally “bad” to get in the spirit early —for some people, starting early is just the way they like to celebrate. In my opinion, the key is balance: for many, keeping the holiday season special means keeping it contained to a more reasonable time period. But, if starting early helps some people get in the holiday spirit and doesn’t interfere with their emotional well-being, that’s their personal choice through and through!