Whatever Happened to Waiting Until After Thanksgiving to Celebrate Christmas?

Wednesday, November 24, 2010
I realize I already wrote about this topic this time last year, but it bears repeating: Christmas has definitely arrived early this year. A little too early. A week before Halloween, a nearby mall started setting up its annual Santa display. Last weekend, Boston lit up its tree in Faneuil Hall. A few days before that, one of the local oldies radio stations announced that beginning now, it would be playing holiday songs non-stop through December 25. Driving home from work the past few nights, I saw several houses that were already decorated and lit up with Christmas nights.


Now take a look at the famous Norman Rockwell painting on the left. I don't see any tinsel or Christmas trees in that picture, do you?

As Charlie Brown would say, "Good grief!" (and as Snoopy would say, "BLLLLLAAAHHH!") I love a good rendition of Jingle Bell Rock as much as anyone, but only after the turkey has passed through my digestive system. It's bad enough that advertisers are shoving holiday-related promotions down our throats right after Halloween, but the radio station turned me off - and therefore, I turned them off. Maybe I'm just weird, but I can't get into Christmas until at least a day or two after Thanksgiving - it's really that simple. And how frigging bizarre to me that people are actually getting into it and lighting up their houses already. I guess if they want to jack up their electrical bills, it's their business. 


To me it's just another ploy to get the public to shop. It seems people were observing that Christmas was becoming too commercial in the 60s and 70s, but now it's reached ridiculous proportions. Pretty soon, we'll be pulling out the decorations right after Halloween. 

9 comments:

  1. THANK YOU. So glad somebody agrees with me on this! Honestly, this is why I've gotten to a point where I don't even like Christmas anymore. It's one thing to celebrate it a few weeks prior, but two months? By the time the actual holiday rolls around, I always feel so burnt out on Christmas cheer that it's the last thing I want to celebrate. I'm only half joking when I call it the longest holiday of the year!

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  2. Thank you, Natasha! I like how you call it the longest holiday of the year...

    Plus I forgot to mention this, although I did in the past from last year, but pulling out Christmas stuff before Thanksgiving is kind of disrespectful to the turkey holiday itself. Let's spread some love for Thanksgiving first before putting up a tree.

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  3. Hahaha I absolutely agree! I switched to one of my radio stations and they were playing christmas music as early as a week or 2 ago! What?! I agree- it is getting completely ridiculous! I feel like we're being pushed to just breeze right over thanksgiving and forget it.. I have to say I havent seen any christmas decorations outside yet thankfully haha!

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  4. Oh I TOTALLY agree!!!! I do NOT bring in the Christmas decorations until AFTER Thanksgiving! Regardless, I think we could take a clue from my home country (Canada) - where hardly anyone starts decorating for Christmas until AFTER Remembrance Day (Veterans Day here) in honor and memory of those who served in the wars.

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  5. "Pretty soon, we'll be pulling out the decorations right after Halloween."
    I live in Mexico and here we don't celebrate Thanksgiving so many shops DO start their Christmas promotions right after Halloween! It drives me crazy! As I write this many houses in my city are already lit with lights and Christmas trees since a couple of weeks ago at least. Our local Wal-Mart (yes, there are Wal-Marts in Mexico) has had Christmas decorations on sale since September!
    Also, after Christmas has passed the "holiday spirit" goes on until January 6 when we celebrate The Day of Holy Kings (or the the Day of the Three Wise Men as Americans would say).

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  6. I am constantly complaining about this one....I remember when I was a kid, and we would go shopping, and I was soooo excited to see Christmas had arrived, unlike now, when I actually moan out loud when I see Christmas decorations in August...Boo!

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  7. Stores in my neck of the woods had the Christmas decorations up before Halloween! Its ONE DAY A YEAR! I never understood why its dragged out for to up 2 months now! Too much emphasis is put on what to buy people, rather than focusing on the fact that it is nice to spend time with people you love.

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  8. I feel exactly the same way. I hate to say that I'm already sick of Christmas and it used to be my favourite holiday. Home Depot was selling decorations at the end of September. What is the rush - it's like they are saying Thanksgiving is insignificant. We waited until around Dec. 7th to decorate for Christmas.

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  9. You don't have to buy Christmas stuff just because it is up in August.

    The problem is not when stores put it up, it is that by December 15th they are taking it down for the Valentine's Day items.

    THAT is what really disturbs me.

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