Too early for Christmas?

Christmas+lights+hang+in+Hampden+in+early++November%2C+while+commercial+businesses+started+the+trend+much+sooner.

Photo provided by Maggie Parks

Christmas lights hang in Hampden in early November, while commercial businesses started the trend much sooner.

Maggie Parks, Reporter

Halloween 2017 has finally passed. All of the planning of parties and costumes is over and now we’re on to the next holiday: Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is commonly overlooked by anxious teens who wish to jump straight from Oct. 31 to Dec. 25. Our parents tell us we have to celebrate gratitude before receiving all the gifts of Christmas but where’s the line?

My dad is a firm believer that you shouldn’t even say the word “Christmas” before Thanksgiving is over. Every November I go through the same struggle of sneaking Christmas gifts in and out of the house and privately searching for what I want on “Wanelo.”

It’s not that I am eager for the day to come, I just want to be prepared when it does. December provides more family parties and holiday events than a single person can handle and that combined with present-searching is impossible.

That being said, many stores hop on the opportunity to promote their Christmas décor and gifts the second that Halloween is over, some even before.

Greeting and Readings has had their holiday display up since mid-October, overwhelming customers with festive products. This is a disgrace.

It’s not a sin to want to plan for an event, but anticipating every second for over two months is obsessive. Although their signs may say “Get into the holiday spirit!” the real message is “Start spending money at our store!”

Not only are these stores attempting to squeeze every last penny out of shoppers, but they’re also promoting materialistic attitudes.

A part of me will always agree with my dad, to a degree. It’s not right to skip right over Thanksgiving. If everyone actually stopped to appreciate the holiday, they’d probably realize how beautiful it truly is.

Many of us spit out fake thank yous every day, without even realizing it. We’ve become so accustomed to the words that we’ve forgotten the true meaning.

Everyone is blessed in a different way and Thanksgiving is the perfect holiday to step back and realize what it is that you’re blessed with. It’s a time to say a genuine “thank you” to the people in your life who’ve helped you grow.

It’s easy to get swept up in the holly jolly spirit, but before you do, don’t forget to take a look around. Planning for Christmas doesn’t have to mean forgetting Thanksgiving. So take these last few weeks to be appreciative of what you have. You may be even more thankful when Dec. 25 rolls around.