Save celebrating Christmas until December

As Halloween ends and we settle comfortably into the season of gratitude, there is only one thing that threatens to destroy the integrity of our dear Thanksgiving: cheery, upbeat, disgusting, too-early-in-the-year Christmas music. Despite the month already dedicated to this tyrannical holiday, it continually forces its way earlier and earlier into the last few months of the year.

This issue is not just about a few catchy tunes. Thanksgiving, arguably the most important and valued holiday, is constantly overshadowed by the evil demon of Christmas. Black Friday sales start earlier and earlier on Thursday, Christmas decorations are sold in place of Thanksgiving supplies, and the fragile morals of this noble holiday are shattered by the corruption of Christmas. Being grateful is replaced by wanting more and being with family is replaced by shopping desperately.

The insistent push for Christmas could be a symptom of a bigger problem. Society today remains fast-paced, loud, and centered on the idea that “everything has to be perfect for me”. How often do we stop to appreciate those around us? How often do we look at how much we actually have and be thankful?

Christmas is a very corporate, expensive holiday. It represents money and flashy ads, so it’s no wonder that it so often pushes the soft Thanksgiving holiday out of the limelight. Thanksgiving isn’t about gifts or material objects. It isn’t based solely on presents and trees and money money money. So how could it possibly compete?

In addition, clinical psychologist Linda Blair states, “The constant barrage of Christmas tunes too early in the season forces people to remember all the things they have to do before the holiday, [so] too much Christmas music is actually bad for your mental health. The songs are a reminder to buy presents, cater parties, organize travel, and all the more stressful chores during Christmas.”

Christmas is a very busy time of year, so the music can easily remind us of our stress. Blair also mentions that workers at popular stores will have to hear these siren-like tunes so often that they will be unable to focus on their jobs.

Christmas music should be just that – Christmas music. The greedy creep of Christmas further into the domain of Thanksgiving must end. So this year, take some time to focus less on money and selfies and huge holidays and focus instead on the little things. You can start by playing your music responsibly and giving Thanksgiving its dues.