The second October 31st passed and November 1st sprung, Christmas was in the air. I walked into Target and T.J.Maxx to a serenade of Michael Bublé singing Holly Jolly Christmas and red and green decor surrounding the walkway. I was still enjoying my Halloween candy when the smell of peppermint and gingerbread almost knocked me over. I scrolled through social media to see Mariah Carey defrosted and Starbucks’ new winter menu being ready to hit stores. No matter where I turned that November 1st evening, I couldn’t escape the Christmas spirit.
Thanksgiving turkeys are far from hitting the oven before families have their Christmas trees up and lit. However, this year kids are just returning home for Trick or Treating as Christmas cookies are being placed on shelves. It seems as though every year Christmas is being celebrated earlier and earlier. So why is it that Christmas joy is inching closer into fall?
Like I mentioned before, stores like Target and T.J.Maxx were quick with placing Christmas decorations on the aisles. Clothing stores even began marketing family Christmas pajamas prior to Halloween. Despite the fact stores start Christmas early, people are still buying merchandise from November 1st to December 25th. Even TV Channels start playing Holiday movies from day to night, hoping to catch the attention of viewers. Although stores and other brands start marketing Christmas earlier each year, it wouldn’t mean anything without the underlying Christmas spirit from all over the world.
For many people, the holidays are full of nostalgic memories and joyful times with loved ones. It wouldn’t be rare to want to celebrate such comfort early on in the autumn season. Despite this, many people argue Christmas overshadows other holidays like Thanksgiving. Yet, I believe that Thanksgiving is the opener to the Christmas season. It’s very typical to listen to Christmas music at the dinner table and prepare for Black Friday deals for the next day. It’s almost like celebrating Christmas early is balanced by the celebration of Thanksgiving.
Christmas can take away stress or emotions because essentially a major factor of Christmas is JOY! It can remind people of the cozy feeling of watching movies with your family or brewing hot chocolate. There are so many holiday activities that can be done no matter if it’s November or December. However, there are also many fall activities that families enjoy prior to Thanksgiving. Going to a farm, apple picking, finding the perfect pumpkin, or enjoying an apple cider donut isn’t going to be taken away by the incoming sugar cookies and cocoa. It’s all a matter of perspective towards the holiday season.
For instance, many people, including myself, enjoy fall and the activities that come with it. Fall has the perfect weather, warm clothes, pumpkin-themed items, and the scenery of leaves falling seems magical. It would be nice to appreciate the fall foliage for longer than given, but Christmas is an exciting holiday, so it’s easy to see why people are eager to celebrate it longer than given as well. So what do you think? Does Fall and Thanksgiving deserve more spotlight or is the magic of Christmas coming at the right time?
