Why do people start celebrating Christmas so early? Why do people seem to neglect Thanksgiving and skip immediately from Halloween to Christmas? Christmas isn’t even a national holiday, while Thanksgiving is- which at least explains why so many people celebrate Thanksgiving in America. Thanksgiving is something that can be celebrated by everyone in the United States because of its simplicity. People come together and give thanks to friends, family, and a wonderful year. Christmas is widely celebrated, but not by everyone. Shouldn’t it make sense that we leave some space for Thanksgiving too? 

Traditionally, Christmas trees have been put up at the start of Advent. As a refresher, Advent is a Christian season that starts four Sundays before Christmas to prepare for Jesus’s birth. In 2022, Advent started on November 28th. For those of you who put up your Christmas tree during Thanksgiving break or directly afterward, that seems like a normal time to do so. However, Christmas seems to be starting earlier and earlier. So what’s happening?

People are getting antsy. Undoubtedly, Christmas is a favorite holiday for many people. However, celebrating Christmas too early is making it lose its charm. There’s something exciting about the anticipation behind it and waiting for the festive season. If we celebrated Christmas for half the year, it would feel less special. 

On top of that, stores are profiting off of Christmas and contribute to the early celebration. I’m sure everyone has heard “All I Want for Christmas is You” by Mariah Carey, whether you like it or not. It always seems like on November 1st, stores are already putting up their Christmas decorations and starting to blast Christmas music. This is a tactic that makes it much easier for them to lure people in with 20% off discounts which convince customers to to spend more. 

So what’s the solution? Hold out a bit longer before putting up your tree. Spend some time to truly appreciate Thanksgiving next year (it’s an important holiday, too!). Christmas should be celebrated in December, not in place of Thanksgiving. Having less time to celebrate might actually just make it more cherishable, and Thanksgiving can finally have the appreciation it deserves.