It is finally early November, the third most glorious time of the year (#1 is Christmas and #2 is Easter). Fall has fully settled in. Leaves lazily drift to grass that no longer needs to be mowed, and the air is cold and crisp but without winter’s coming bitter oppression. Best of all, Christmas decorations are starting to appear and the beautiful melodies of “O, Holy Night” and “Joy to the World” are beginning to be heard. However, there is a subtle war on Christmas being waged that threatens our early enjoyment of Christmas. Grinches who pretend to like Christmas during December serve as obnoxious killjoys for those of us who believe that it’s never too early to celebrate Christmas.
Many believe that the most egregious attack on Christmas involves things like Starbucks having the wrong color for their “holiday” coffee cups, Target wishing us “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas,” and schools having winter breaks instead of Christmas breaks. While those things may speak to a larger secularization infecting our society, it’s hard for me to get worked up because Target no longer uses the name of my Lord and Savior as a marketing tool. It’s those who cry “foul” because I listen to Christmas carols “too soon” that scare me the most.
Those who enjoy the year’s most festive holiday earlier than most know what I’m talking about. And we’re tired of the pretentious smirks that accompany the strained credulity wrapped up in the sigh of, “Ugh. It’s too early to listen to Christmas music. Wait until after Thanksgiving, at least.” (Reading that quote out-loud in a dour, teenage-esque, self-conscious whine will provide the full effect. And then add a “harrumph” on the end.)
When asked about the reason for their Grinchiness, one of the more common complaints given about Christmas being celebrated too early is that it undermines the enjoyment of other holidays, namely Thanksgiving.
To that, I say, “Balderdash! That’s complete nonsense.”
https://youtu.be/2_4SyYqacZI
I’m not going to talk about how, apart from cranberry sauce and green beans, Thanksgiving is a mostly drab holiday with a smelly, flightless, and, worst of all, tasteless bird as its mascot. I will say this, though, even if Thanksgiving is your favorite holiday: Christmas decorations and music should enhance your enjoyment of the made-up holiday (yes, Thanksgiving is a made-up holiday, as opposed to Christmas, which is a real holiday).
Christmas is a season of joy and laughter, of family and good memories; Christmas reminds us that we’re loved and cherished. If anything, having Christmas decorations around should remind us of how much we truly have to be thankful for. I mean, unless a person argues that having more to be thankful for means that they have to wait longer to carve the dry, tasteless turkey, I fail to see the problem. And, to be perfectly honest, even in the case of that eventuality I fail to see the problem.
Whenever anyone complains that things like joyfully decorated fir trees and heartwarming songs about the best time of year keep them from fully enjoying Thanksgiving, I give them an inner eye roll and stop listening because at that moment I don’t believe any of the words leaving their mouth. It literally makes zero sense for Christmas to lessen anyone’s enjoyment of Thanksgiving. People who claim that it does are most likely just wanting attention; in fact, they probably should’ve made this list.
Frankly, I don’t believe them for their sake. Speaking only somewhat tongue-in-cheek, the level of sociopathic tendencies needed to have your day ruined because of colorful, cheery Christmas lights, the sound of sleigh bells, and Willie Nelson singing “Silent Night” is deeply concerning. Now, for the record, I’m not a doctor, so I can’t say with 100 percent confidence that the hatred of early Christmas celebrations and decorations signals sociopathic tendencies in a person. However, the symptoms do speak for themselves.
People should ignore the killjoys and celebrate Christmas year-round if they’re so inclined. And by “celebrate” I mean full-on decorated tree, lights on the house, and plastic reindeer on the roof. Blare “Jingle Bells” on your car stereo while stuck in rush-hour traffic. No holds barred. Christmas to the max. Surrendering to the Grinches will do more harm to the spirit of Christmas than those who openly despise the holiday.
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