The Holiday Rush

This problem exists at pretty much every given point of the year. For instance, just this past August, I was at the beach for a week, and on our way to pick up food for a family dinner, front and center in a store were big and bold Halloween signs, decorations, and candy. This made us flash back to the nightmares of the approaching school-year. But the issue can be even worse as the holidays draw near. We feel like we’re finally adapting to fall, and then everything in life becomes exploded with Christmas. The weather is still nice out, and the shelves of stores are filled with snow globes and bittersweet memories. It is a reminder of the tireless upcoming preparations for the holiday season, and cold, snowy weather.

Some in the past referred to putting up holiday decorations before Thanksgiving as “bad luck.” Actually, it was previously tradition for people to put up their Christmas tree on Christmas Eve and take it down on the “Twelfth Night,” or January 5th. In general, holiday decorations are put up according to a family’s traditions, or with whatever free time they have. But what becomes unmethodical is even before the holiday season starts, some families have begun to put up holiday decoration and piss off normal people because they realize that they have to get moving with their tedious holiday shopping. 

Society nowadays almost always seems to be indulged in the future. In the bustling and ever-moving technology induced world, people feel immense pressure to prepare for coming events months in advance. This is the case with corporations, especially ones that are found in the highly populated Tri-State area. People are excited about what comes in the short-term, for instance, they’re counting down the days until Halloween night, yet in the back of people’s minds, they know that the holiday season is on its way. From an economical standpoint, it’s also essential that businesses can be the first ones to sell their products for early Christmas presents, as it’s always better to be first and not last. While the peak of Christmas shopping comes weeks before the anticipated day, having a head-start with sales always makes advertising products significant in November or even late October. But more frustrating with families is seeing holiday decorations up outside during Teachers Convention, or before Thanksgiving. It puts us under pressure, and makes us anticipate Christmas earlier than we should want to. While Christmas brings fun and happiness, these holiday decorations make us rush to buy a tree, set up the blow-up Santa, and get into the Christmas spirit. 

Thus, it seems a bit ridiculous that people should put up holiday decorations before Thanksgiving. If we all want to enjoy the other holidays of the year, it’s better that we do so without upcoming holiday stress in the back of our heads. And the same should apply to local CVS or Home Depot stores, people need to relax and not feel like they have to cram or prepare for major holidays. Let Thanksgiving be the benchmark, and after our big feast, we can put our full-focus into preparing for arguably the best time of the year. 


Andreas Pelekis
Staff Writer

Graphic: Nicole Kye

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