As I write this entry, it is the beginning of November. Halloween has just happened, and the next major holiday for most of us is Thanksgiving. However, the Hallmark Channel started playing non-stop Christmas movies on October 27th (October 27th!) and radio stations are also playing Christmas music. I had a friend tell me that grocery stores were putting out Christmas candy on Halloween, probably because the main Trick or Treat night in the area was on October 30th. To me, every year it seems that people want to start celebrating Christmas earlier and earlier, and honestly, it drives me nuts.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I love the fact that we celebrate Christmas and Jesus’s birth. That is a really big deal for us as Christians. However, Christmas is a day. And, a Christmas season is ok, but how long does that really need to be? I tend to not get in the spirit until after Thanksgiving, and honestly even that may be too long. I suppose it is an individual choice as too how long and how often you celebrate certain things, but the question must be asked: if you celebrate Christmas for over 2 months, how special can it be?
And, another important question if you live in the United States – what about Thanksgiving? I am certainly biased here, as Thanksgiving may be my favorite holiday. But this frenzy for Christmas overshadows what to me is a beautiful holiday. Taking the time to actually reflect on life and think about what you are thankful for? Yes, please! We should probably have multiple Thanksgivings every year! Of course, this is where a gratitude practice can come in, but hopefully at least once a year people are thinking about what might be going well for them.
So, I challenge everyone to slow down and not rush into Christmas. Whenever you want to jump into it, it will be there. Don’t forget to enjoy things that are happening now and not in a few months.