As we reach the mid-way point of November, and the temperature drops, and leaves begin to fall, one holiday comes to the front of everyone’s mind. And no, it’s not Thanksgiving. The holiday I’m thinking of is Black Friday, also known as national parking lot accident day.
Thanksgiving is quickly becoming the doormat for the Christmas holiday, the only thing that keeps us from backing the Christmas season into Halloween. It seems like every year, Christmas commercials come on earlier and earlier in an effort to make just a little bit more money on the Holiday.
The amount of holiday shopping is getting staggering. According to the Industry Market Trends Company, This holiday season, consumers are expected to spend an average of $649 on holiday gifts. This number has been increasing every year over the past four years, and that’s with a recession.
Christmas trees were up in the mall before I even got the chance to open my Halloween candy. Christmas music snuck onto the radio before the temperature could even drop below 70 degrees. Just like the presidential election, by the time the big day rolls around, I’m just glad I no longer have to sit through the endless commercials.
Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas, I love everything about it, from snow, to college football, to the endless food that always seems to be available. Everyone is just happier around Christmas time. And, what would the school year be without Christmas break. I just feel like no holiday should have over a month to call its own. I think the holiday season gets a little stale after thirty plus days of celebration. My thought is that the holiday season should be restrained till after Thanksgiving. Not after Halloween. Everyone will still have plenty of opportunity to spend their $649. Finding the perfect Christmas gifts is the only thing on every ones mind. This leads to another stumbling block of the Holiday season.
I don’t want to sound cliché, but as a community of believers, we do a fantastic job of becoming distracted from the true meaning of the season. The Lord’s birth is the greatest gift there is, even better than an Iphone. Christmas time can become such a stressful time for those trying to stretch the budget to get exactly what everyone wanted that the season can become a terrifying task rather than an enjoyable time to spend with family, and reflect on the blessings we are surrounded by. We have all done it before, we spend all our energy making sure we have the perfect season, and then at the last minute we realize we should maybe slow down and spend some time with the family. While the presents are great, and the holidays are a lot of fun, the true joy of Christmas does not come from finding a steal on Christmas sweaters the Friday after Thanksgiving, but from the time we get to spend relaxing and enjoying the season with your friends and family.