NOVEMBER
Yes, go ahead and remind me of my growing strangeness as a human being, or my morphing into a simplistic earth occupant.
However, let me ask, “Is anyone else over the relentless push of Christmas before Halloween is even over? Because this writer is. It was barely November, yet Christmas decorations and memes about Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” were up.
Please tell me, who decided that we need eight weeks of Christmas cheer shoved down our throats? By the time Christmas comes around, I am already over it. The truth be told it seems like a marathon I did not sign up for. Instead of letting us enjoy the build-up to Christmas, retailers and fanatics jump the gun. I mean, Walmart it is a little early to put out Christmas things in November. And to my neighbor, “WHY ARE YOU PUTTING UP YOUR CHRISTMAS YARD DECORATIONS IN NOVEMBER?!”
Please believe it is killing the magic that is Christmas. Instead, you are turning us into Scrooge. The Christmas creep is less about holiday cheer and more about merchants commercializing Christmas and squeezing every last dollar out of our pockets before the new fiscal year.
There are no longer Xmas traditions, it is all about how aesthetic Christmas is and sharing our Christmas hauls on Instagram or Facebook.
Putting Christmas into early November does not make it more magical; it just drags out the tinsel torture.
By mid-December, I am exhausted, burned out, turned off and tired of nonstop carols, decorations and every content creator trying to spread Christmas joy.
The push for an early Christmas obliterates Halloween and turns Christmas into a month-long ad campaign instead of focusing on the reason for the season.
By the time Christmas approaches, I am ready to skip it and go to New Year’s. The Christmas songs trigger a countdown clock in our minds and can cause stress and anxiety about the number of items we need to complete before December 25th. It is exhausting.
What used to be fun now feels like I am on this arbitrary time clock because the Christmas gift guides are already being put out, and if I fail to shop early enough, I would not be able to get what I need. God, forbid I miss out on some decorations. Let us be real here: when it is barely the first week of November and we are already seeing Christmas decorations, hearing Christmas music and having retailers put up their Christmas stuff, it does not make me feel festive. It makes me feel rushed, like; it is time to put up the Christmas tree and bam, it’s all carols and Hallmark specials.
I miss the days when I could just relax and let the anticipation of the American throw-back- Black Friday shopping kick off the holiday season. I truly miss the days when Christmas started in December. It brought back the magic that seemed to have gone away with how early it is being shoved down our throats now. I want to enjoy November and savor the last bit of fall before everything is red, green and carols.
Christmas has started to lose its magic the earlier it comes, like a drawn-out ritual into consumerism and how much money we can spend before the actual holiday comes around. Perhaps, I am overly nostalgic for the Christmas I experienced when I was younger, normal and perhaps saner.
Why did Christmas have to become a two-month marathon of endless carols, too-early decorations and expectations of buying more stuff?
Instead, Christmas should be a time for us to spend time with our family, , watch Christmas specials and enjoy the most magical time of year.
Merry Xmas to All.
Aleuta continua— The struggle continues.
