I Know Why the Silver Bells Jingle Early

…at least in the eyes of this die-hard fan o’ Christmas

We’ve all been complaining about how early the holiday season is coming.  Each year, we can barely finish overeating Halloween candy before the stores have wrapped the first pole with garland.  It’s like Thanksgiving is becoming a has-been holiday.  …and I know why!

First, let’s just give in and remember that capitalism rules everything around us.  So, yes, the earlier the stores are able to awaken those holiday feelings in us, the better for their bottom line.  They’re in business to get your business – and you’re money.  So we can’t fault ‘em.  If it looks like a Christmas duck ...

BUT!!!  Why do we allow them to pull us in with the early playing of holiday music?  Why do we watch the Countdown to Christmas on the cable networks that begins a few days after Halloween?  I feel like if we didn’t watch those movies, they wouldn’t air them.  After all, isn’t the consumer, customer, or viewer always right?

The reason we hum along to Christmas music being played in November and watch the really sappy holiday movie is because – and read this part carefully – we want to.  There it is, out in the open.  Secretly, we want the holiday season here early.  We have to pretend we don’t because the masses are opposed to people shopping on Black Friday and businesses dragging us away from our Turkey comas but…we want all of that.  And here’s why.

This really is THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR!!!!!

People are nicer.  TV shows are movies are suddenly about unexpected and unimaginable miracles and lost loves found instead of ax murderers, demonic possessions, and natural disasters.  Kids get their most wanted toys and romance hangs in the air like mistletoe (not because of mistletoe).  It’s cold outside and houses are warmer and getting into a pair of soft fleece jammies is almost as comforting as sipping a mug of hot chocolate.  Is there anything more beautiful than the glow of Christmas lights in a dark room?  Aren’t the best memories made while doing the annual Christmas baking?

And the thing is, we look forward to feeling these feelings all year!  THAT’S why people put their Christmas trees up before Thanksgiving.  They want to enjoy those feelings and smell those smells and see those lights for as long as they can!

So, we have to give those people who start decorating and celebrating earlier than us a bit of a break.  They are literally bursting at the seams to unwrap the traditions they’ve kept in storage all year.  Can you blame them, really?  What better joy is there that savoring a bite of Red Velvet Cake while watching a Christmas movie and catching the twinkle of the lights on the tree out of the corner of your eye?