It is only a couple weeks into November, and stores are already filled with shiny ornaments and reindeer decorations. Red and green fuzzy blankets are bundled on the shelves. The radio is blasting a Mariah Carey classic: “All I Want for Christmas is You.” Every year, it seems, Carey defrosts earlier. Before Thanksgiving has its time to shine, festive lights are strung on houses and shining Christmas trees stand in windows. This early jump into Christmas takes away the novelty and overshadows Thanksgiving traditions. To preserve true Christmas spirit, we must wait until the beginning of December.

Putting up decorations and cranking up the holiday tunes early is fun until it is the second week of December and every Jingle Bells song drives you crazy. As the joy of these Christmas festivities is stretched for seven long weeks, they begin to lose their dazzle. The music, lights and excitement feels special because it only happens once a year. When it starts too early, it feels repetitive and soon loses appeal. The pressure to find the perfect stocking stuffer or room decor hits right after Halloween night. November is meant to be a break and relax in between these two busy holidays.

Thanksgiving is a time for family and gratitude. It is a holiday that deserves its own spotlight, but gets pushed out of the way by Christmas. Instead of focusing on being thankful, people start shopping for decorations and gifts. When did we decide that Thanksgiving should take a back seat to Christmas? Thanksgiving and Christmas both have their own special elements of decor, food and celebration activities. The early rush into Christmas gives way to a “partial” Thanksgiving observance; Christmas turns up to 150% intensity while Thanksgiving drops to 50%. Waiting until after Thanksgiving to lean into Christmas allows each holiday to be celebrated fully. 

Some may argue that putting up decorations and listening to Last Christmas a month early is simply just to bring them extra joy.  But with festivities starting sooner each year, many people are actually sick of Christmas by the time it rolls around. Polls show that over 40% of people think that the holiday season starts too early. Participants were also asked about emotions during this time, and while many felt excited and thankful, they also felt tired and stressed due to the prolonged period. Another survey taken shows that 55% of Americans think it is suitable to wait to play Christmas music until after Thanksgiving. Even though it is fun to immerse yourself in the Christmas spirit early on, it eventually leads to holiday burnout for many. 

If many people dislike prolonged holiday seasons, why does Christmas come earlier every year? Upon deeper inspection, this phenomenon is caused by consumption and marketing strategies. Starbucks came out with their holiday menu early November this year and Target started selling Christmas decorations late September and early October. These stores are only selling earlier to capitalize off holiday sales. Companies use intentional strategies to stretch out the season and push merchandise out early. They convince consumers by adding limited editions and festive decorations, only designed to increase profits. Many people feel pressured into starting the Christmas spirit earlier as companies promote the festivities to get more mileage out of the holiday season. 

Letting Christmas spill into November steals the spotlight from a holiday that deserves its own recognition. Thanksgiving has its own traditions and values, and should not have to compete with the twinkling lights and blasting holiday jingles. When stores push holiday decor before turkey is even bought and people rush into the gift giving mindset too soon, both holidays lose their specialty. Thanksgiving becomes undervalued, and Christmas becomes stretched out for so long that its excitement fades. Waiting until the beginning of December allows each celebration to stand on its own, keeping both holidays significant.