The quick transition:
Halloween to Christmas
Halloween is officially over, but what comes next? Do you anxiously anticipate a week off of school to celebrate a day of thanks filled with food? Or do you immediately dig up the Christmas directions? Well, that answer may depend on who you ask.
Within the past week, Christmas music has been heard outside of Bruno’s and Sirius XM has added its seasonal Holly Station. As soon as November 1st hit, Walmart took Halloween candy off of the shelves and replaced it immediately with candy canes and Christmas cookies. But the question remains, how early is too early?
According to Alison Bastian, junior accounting and finance major who works at a store in the Millcreek Mall, mall employees were already busy setting up the Christmas tree on the afternoon of November 1st. She states, “I’m one of the people who gets excited for Christmas as soon as the calendar turns to November.” Sophomore nursing major, Priya Patel, is also preparing for Christmas early. “I don’t celebrate Thanksgiving so that part doesn’t really affect me. I love Christmas,” she shares. She also adds that a small Christmas tree has been up in her apartment since she and her roommates moved in.
However, not everyone is thrilled with the fact that Christmas has already taken over. Some feel that with Christmas comes the first signs of winter, while others think that more emphasis should be placed on other holidays. Kaydee Lasher, junior psychology major, confesses, “I love Halloween so now I feel like fall is over and now it’s gonna be winter so it’s kind of depressing.” Because of this, she feels that Christmas decorations should wait to be brought out until after Thanksgiving.
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Likewise, Daniel Wiesen, junior mechanical engineering technology major, doesn’t like to see Thanksgiving get skipped over just for stores and business to make some extra money. He shares, “I like the family aspect behind Thanksgiving without the marketability. It is just a pure holiday to be with family and friends and eat some really good food.” He also makes it clear that he likes Christmas, but that he just refuses to begin celebrating until Thanksgiving has passed. Kyler Raines also believes in staying true to the real meaning of holidays. The junior Digit major says that she doesn’t mind that everyone is excited for Christmas, but that there is another holiday right in the middle that is made to give thanks. She adds, “I feel like everybody is being selfish and they’re like Christmas is coming, presents for all. But you need to realize that there is another holiday we can’t necessarily skip over.”
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No matter where you stand on the issue, it cannot be ignored that the Christmas spirit is consuming much of our society as the holiday deems closer. But despite efforts for Christmas cheer to hit the ground running, as with anything, it will always have its critics.
