All aboard the Christmas bandwagon
/As the song goes, Christmastime is undoubtedly one of the most wonderful times of the year. When I think of the holiday season, my mind immediately drifts off to a magical place filled with red bows, an abundance of snow, and candy canes. In early November, stores start to fill up with Christmas apparel and it seems as if you can’t go anywhere without hearing Michael Buble’s holiday album playing on the radio.
To some people, this is a comforting reminder of the magical season that lies ahead. For others, it can be an annoyance. Many people believe that commencing the Christmas festivities in early November is a sign of insanity and those who partake in these festivities are aboard the “Christmas Bandwagon”. Personally, I cannot seem to get off this bandwagon, nor do I want to.
I live for early November, when the Hallmark Christmas movie list is released and Starbucks comes out with their holiday drinks again. I can appreciate a good Christmas carol and absolutely love picking out gifts for my friends and family.
I’ll admit, I’m definitely a victim of the media’s marketing schemes, especially when it comes to Christmas. I can recognize that the media has created a marketing ploy to make a profit, and within that ploy they have the tendency of making Christmas more of a brand rather than what it truly is, a religious celebration.
It is still seen as a magical time of the year, but not for the traditional reasons. Christmas is no longer about Christ and the enchantment of Santa Claus, but more so about the wonderful atmosphere that is created during this season. Sometimes it’s nice to indulge in this ploy and pretend for a moment that Christmas truly is a time for miracles and magic, as cheesy as it sounds.
I know that life isn’t perfect and after the Christmas season is over, things will go back to normal. But, if something as simple as putting up Christmas lights in my bedroom on November 1st makes my week, or even my day, I’m going to do it.
If this is something that brightens someone’s day, why not let them have the little piece of happiness? I strongly believe in choosing to ignore somebody’s actions if they aren’t genuinely harmful to you or somebody else. I simply don’t see the correlation between putting a Christmas tree in early November and the annoyance that so many people experience.
I may be naïve in my belief that Christmas is a happy time for most people, but if this is the case, then why not let them get a head start on that happiness? I think we can all agree that November is relatively early for putting up decorations, but I still don’t see why such a big fuss is caused over the Christmas phenomenon.
Along with the Christmas Bandwagon criticizers, a group of people exist who state that putting up decorations or even simply being excited about Christmas before Remembrance Day is disrespectful towards veterans. Correct me if I’m wrong, but did army veterans not fight for us to have the freedom to live our lives peaceful and free from harm? This freedom we’ve been granted should include celebrating holidays however and whenever we choose to do so. I’d just
like to clarify that I for one am 100% supportive of our troops. My father is a retired veteran and I have the upmost respect for the Canadian troops, past and present.
Throughout the beginning of November, you can bet you’ll see me sporting a poppy over my heart and attending the Remembrance Day ceremony on November 11th. That being said, I just can’t seem to connect a love for Christmas with disrespect for the veterans. I think it’s possible to celebrate both Christmas and Remembrance Day simultaneously, without being exclusionary.
The bottom line is that the world is a crazy place right now. So many people are filled with hate and sadness. Christmas seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel for many people. Speaking as a university student, Christmas is the one time of the year that I look forward to the most and honestly, it isn’t about the presents for me. I look forward to Early November, when the stores fill up with Christmas decorations and those Michael Buble songs come on the radio, because it’s a reminder of what’s to come.
These cheesy reminders of Christmas are comforting to me, because they provide me with motivation to get through the weeks that follow. They tell me that if I can just get through the stressful weeks of exams and assignments, I’ll soon be home eating real food, sleeping in my nice, cozy bed and getting to be with my loved ones.
At my house, Christmas has always been about spending time with my family and appreciating those around me and to me that’s the most magical thing of all.
