Christmas is a symbol of post-exam relief
Halloween has just ended and, while some families still have deflated ghost decorations and rotting pumpkins on their porch, shops like the Rideau Rexall already have candy canes on their shelves. But are they getting ahead of themselves? Is it too early to be preparing for Christmas?
Americans would probably turn their nose up at the current state of our stores — they still have Thanksgiving to worry about — but we Canadians are in a unique position. There’s nothing exciting about November. It’s just the awkward long month that sits between spooky season and candy cane season. It’s especially miserable for students who are running the final sprint, scrambling through their ever-increasing burnout to put together final assignments and prepare for exams. Christmas, while a little far away, is a symbol of post-exam relief.
Holidays come with all kinds of rules and regulations: you’re too old to dress up for Halloween, you can’t wear white after labour day, the first week of November is too early to play Mariah Carey — the list goes on and on. But why can’t people just let others be happy? If I want to pull my Christmas playlist out of the dusty depths of my Spotify account or start putting peppermint oil in my diffuser on the day of the first snowfall of winter, I should be able to without people whining about how it’s only November. There shouldn’t be a designated time to do the things that make you happy, especially when your actions aren’t hurting anyone but a handful of grinches.
Sure, the holiday itself is extremely commercialized. The reason most stores have decorations up is to avoid the November lull and to remind customers that they should get their Christmas spirits high and their shopping done early. As long as shoppers are responsible about this, there shouldn’t be an issue.
Christmas brings with it many issues that are completely unrelated to the time of celebration. People who buy environmentally harmful decorations will do it regardless of if they’re buying in November or December (but maybe opt for glass ornaments if you’re going to buy some this year). Instead of judging those who choose to bring on the Christmas
