We rush into the holidays a little too early. I have no issue with decorating in November, but the stress of running out to buy stuff now is the only thing on my mind. The commodification of December holidays is overwhelming. I should have time, but I don’t feel like I do.
Take Black Friday for example. Why is it still a thing? The last time I actually went out to a store to get a deal on something had to be at least five years ago. Adding “Cyber Monday” as if we needed a separate time for online shopping is totally obsolete now since that’s where 99% of deal shopping happens anyway.
I am glad that Black Friday comes at such a good time in the year, but it’s not like there will never be sales again. Giant countdown timers just give me FOMO (fear of missing out) and I feel guilty if I don’t get something I want immediately.
On that note, we should just phase out of that tradition. Deals come and go all the time, and this “major” one is not much different nowadays. The other debate I’m bringing attention to is how soon holiday prep should happen. I began by saying that it is more than okay to get into a holiday spirit in November (believe me, it’s way more acceptable than October). Get some decorations out early on if you want, play some holiday music, just don’t go crazy JUST yet.
For those who celebrate Thanksgiving, let that take precedence. I just had a big “Friendsgiving” get-together during our short break, and put up my Christmas tree shortly after. Whether you were with friends or family this past week, I do hope you had some good food out of it, because it’s a lot of work to do it all over again until the following year.
December is a whole month, you have plenty of time to enjoy the holidays. For such a fast-moving year you should try and let this last month take its time. I have to finish this semester before I think about buying gifts. By then, there’s still a lot of the month left.
Even after New Years, I doubt that all the decorations are going away. January has literally nothing going on. Everyone’s still at home with leftovers, and there’s still snow on the ground. Maybe the feeling is gone, but why not try to preserve it a little bit? Before you know it, it’s February and the year is off to being stressful again. It will be Valentine’s Day, which means a whole new reason for excess consumerism! Just remember that it is always okay to dial it back a little, rather than compete with all the other people in this yearly mad rush.
