The entire holiday industry overexposes us to some of the best times of the year
For many people Thanksgiving is now a distant memory and most have now set their sights on the next big time of the year: Christmas.
Stores have stocked their shelves for the upcoming month and are preparing themselves for probably the busiest time of the year.
Holiday sales pop up on Black Friday and people are already out with loaded shopping carts picking out great deals on everything from expensive TVs to socks.
Families have hung their Christmas lights and some have already picked out their tree. Ceramic turkeys, gourds, and pumpkins have been replaced with nativity scenes, stuffed Santas, and bright colored lights.
Although this is supposed to be one of the most festive times of the year, it seems to get rushed and everyone wants to start the festivities sooner and sooner every year.
Stores start putting out Christmas decorations before Halloween and radio stations begin playing Christmas music 24 hours a day, even before Thanksgiving.
For many people this doesn’t bother them at all. It gives them a chance to prolong the festivities a little longer and allows them to start planning months ahead.
On the other hand, for people like me, it overloads my holiday season and sometimes even ruins the holiday that hasn’t even occurred yet.
I like “Jingle Bells,” “Here Comes Santa Claus,” “The First Noel,” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” as much as the next guy, but hearing them over and over for nearly two months can be overwhelming.
Seeing Christmas decorations before Halloween stresses me out because I haven’t started gift shopping yet. That is until I realize that it is only October and I have almost two months to shop still.
Now, don’t get the impression that I’m a Scrooge or that I don’t like Christmas time, because I do. It is one of my favorite holidays.
It’s one of the few times of the year that my entire family can get together in one place and when I can eat great homemade food until my stomach aches.
For once, I can actually appreciate the cold weather, snow covered treetops, and icy conditions because without all of it, it wouldn’t be a white Christmas.
But Christmas is supposed to be a special, once a year event and by starting it around Halloween, it doesn’t make the season as unique as it should be.
You’re supposed to be able to look forward to and anxiously anticipate Christmas. My advice to the holiday industry: don’t rush one of the most extraordinary times of the season and overexpose people to Christmas.