Does Society Push Christmas?

The Christmas season is quickly arriving with barely a month away, and the Christmas spirit is beginning to flood society. Throughout the month of October, temperatures begin to cool, leaves change color and pumpkin spice is finally released for the year. Fall is celebrated immensely till November 1. 

The Fall season that was glorified throughout October was instantly forgotten in the realization that the Christmas season would be a month away. When the clock strikes midnight, on November 1, the ghosts and goblins are put away and the candy canes and stockings are hung for the celebration of Christmas. While it has become human nature to anticipate Christmas, has society been pushing the season? 

When November and December come around, Christmas is on everyone’s minds. From children, teenagers and even the elderly, the Christmas spirit starts to shine. The lights, music and traditions are introduced with joy and beauty, allowing Christmas to be one of the most beautiful holidays of the year. 

The month of November is almost nearly neglected when December is on everyone’s mind. Thanksgiving is one of the national holidays that becomes neglected due to the Christmas craze. Department stores are swimming with Christmas decorations in the beginning of November.

The constant negligence raises the question: Does society push Christmas?

With the holiday season comes shopping and for the retail industry, the holidays are their busiest days of the year. Black Friday sales are being prepared and retail employees are mentally preparing for the whirlwind of chaos that comes with the season. 

Due to the retail market preparing so far ahead of the holiday season, shoppers are being accustomed to the early celebrations and coincidentally skip over the Thanksgiving season. 

“I went to HomeGoods the day after Halloween to check out some sales and see what they had for the fall season.  I could hardly move once I walked in due to all the Christmas inventory,” shared Ann Twigg, one of our English teachers.

After conducting a recent survey of 40 students in grades 9-12, 65 percent claim they are ready for Christmas as soon as Halloween is finished. That leaves only 35 percent of students wanting to acknowledge Thanksgiving before the Christmas season begins. 

Senior Branden Bell expressed his feelings towards the holiday season, “I love Christmas. It’s funny that everyone forgets about Thanksgiving, though. I mean, I already put Christmas lights up, but that doesn’t mean I want to skip [Thanksgiving].” 

Due to constant excitement and anticipation for Christmas, society does tend to rush the Christmas season. Whether it is due to retail gain or pure enjoyment, the Christmas season does surround society in joy and laughter, which is something that many of us a grasping for after these long months of Covid restrictions and stress.