The Saturday Debate: Are we celebrating Christmas too early?
Let's put an end to OCD: Obsessive Christmas Disorder
I woke up on the first day of November and found myself engulfed by a series of snowman-shaped cookie-cutter ads and candy-cane scented candle DIYs all over my Twitter feed.
The word Christmas" itself was trending worldwide as thousands of people were prepared to move on from their pumpkin-spice lattes and start their days with a peppermint hot cocoa.
It was overwhelming. To say the least.
Every year, it feels as if our society becomes more and more eager for the holidays, to the point where I have no shame in calling it an unhealthy obsession and/or borderline fixation.
As a European who moved to North America a few years back, the culture shock overpowered any preconception I had of traditional North American holidays, but what I certainly wasn't ready for was the massive wave of Christmas capitalism that takes over every aspect of one's life every November to January.
I soon realized the holiday cheer cannot be escaped in the Western world.
There is no such thing as watching a TV show, listening to a radio channel or walking by a retail store without being somewhat permeated by Christmas soundtracks and a melange of Michael Buble hits throughout the holiday season.
I come from a small town in the North of Italy that was, at most, characterized by one single Christmas tree that was centred in the main plaza. Although it was not much, it symbolized our community as a whole and we were content with that. We knew our Christmas celebrations were focused around our family blessings and not on how many blow-up Santa Clauses or realistic-looking sleighs we set up on our front lawns. It just wasn't about that.
Why the obsession with Christmas?
Is it because eating more becomes more socially acceptable? Is it because spending more money (even on yourself) is more justifiable than usual? Or is it because deep down we are pervaded by this sense of melancholy that makes us want to romanticize every little aspect of our monotone lives?
I can't help but feel as if Christmas has truly become our society's call to capitalize off of lonely people who don't have much to look forward to and struggle with finding a way to distract themselves from life's countless obstacles.
Why is it so trendy to buy the newest festive home decor, order the latest shiny wrapping paper and buy ugly Christmas sweaters until our wallets are empty?
Throughout the holidays, companies across the globe exploit customers to gain more profit and each year our society gives in and starts decorating the tree at an earlier time than the year before. Does this mean we are becoming more desperate for a distraction? Or that we are simply a country of jolly folk?
The older you get, the easier it is to perceive Christmas as an expensive holiday that is more about buying matching pyjamas and getting more likes on Instagram than it is carrying on a tradition based on family.
It's important to insist that I am not the Grinch; I don't hate Christmas. I too am an avid sugar cookie latte consumer and love driving through my neighbourhood to admire all the Christmas lights but nonetheless, I do acknowledge the consumerist frenzy that holidays have inescapably become.
As cliche as it sounds, some truth does live within those overplayed Christmas Hallmark movies; the holidays should be centred around family, tradition and joy and certainly not on our own wants and desires.
I find no pleasure in shedding light on the dark side of Christmas but regardless it's important to underline that this constant state of euphoria throughout the holidays is not the status-quo and does not need to be normalized; it's OK to not be constantly merry during the festive season.
Where I'm from that inner void within us still exists, although in my family I am taught to fix problems by overindulging in an Italian-style home-cooked meal instead of buying every Christmas-scented candle at Bath and Body Works.
I suggest we regress and focus on the true meaning of Christmas, whether that be taking a more religious or family-oriented approach, and move away from the intricate advent calendars and LED snow globes.
Although, we can still do all that while enjoying a cup of peppermint hot cocoa.
Annamaria Leahey is an M.I.T. student at Western University.
There's no harm in decking the halls and jingle belling once the Halloween ghosts and goblins are put away. This isn't just me saying that, so do researchers at the University of Texas.
And it is important to note, this is not a new trend. As far back as 1912, the Quebec Daily Telegraph printed ads in October reminding consumers to start thinking about their Christmas gift shopping.
Flash forward to this year and a survey conducted by Leger on behalf of the Retail Council of Canada found that 30 per cent of Canadians said they'd like to start their holiday gift shopping before the end of October, while 36 per cent planned to begin in November. Consumerism plays a role but for those early shoppers they also reap benefits that last over time.
When thinking of others, a helper's high" is experienced, which research says helps reduce feelings of stress; something prevalent during the holidays. To wit, 85 per cent of those surveyed by the U.S. research company Greenberg Quinlan Rosner, said lack of time during the season was extremely stressful. There's pressure to shop, decorate, visit family, all in a few short weeks.
To alleviate tension, organizational experts recommend preparing early and spreading out, over a longer period, cherished holiday activities, such as tree trimming, or family parties.
Other studies prove that being around holiday decorations and festivities creates a neurological shift that produces serotonin, dopamine and other endorphins connected to the pleasure centre of the brain. This creates feelings of happiness, boosts energy, lessens feelings of depression and enhances the immune system.
Enjoying those health benefits longer than a few short weeks starting at the end of November can only be positive. In 1989, researchers discovered that homes with holiday light displays appeared more sociable to neighbours.
But beyond the science, I think, the intangible is the reason the holidays seem to start earlier each year. Psychologists say, people want to associate with what's made them happy in the past. All the holiday decorations and traditions often connect back to good times spent with others or when, as a child, what was hoped for, on Christmas, really happened.
The belief that the impossible is possible: a child born in a stable to a virgin mother or a red suited old man who, on Christmas Eve, flies around the world on a sleigh powered by reindeer delivering toys. The longer the celebration, experts say, the longer those happy nostalgic feelings linger.
Last year during the second wave of the pandemic I wrote the holidays were about believing in the impossible. Public health restrictions had cancelled holiday light displays, family get-togethers and parties were limited. There was little to celebrate it seemed. I decorated early, hoping that when the holidays were over life would have resumed some sense of normalcy. During the dark days of a pandemic, celebrating early and extending the season kept me and the neighbours, who enjoyed the outdoor light display, happy, connected as a community and positive.
This month, B.C. experienced record-breaking floods in the Fraser Valley east of Vancouver. I have friends who live in Chilliwack, the eastern edge of the flood zone. During the height of the crisis, some posted social media pictures, showing that despite possible evacuation, they remained hopeful and decorated their homes for the holidays.
And that's why eggnog and tinsel in October makes sense. Academics at the Centre of Humanities and Ethics, University of Texas say life can feel out of control. The rituals associated with the holidays provide a sense of personal empowerment, structure, meaning, perhaps even hope. And in a world experiencing the ravages of climate change, and deep societal divides, hope may be the only salvation. If Christmas reminds us not to give up, that brighter days are possible, then the earlier it starts the better.
In Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol," Ebenezer Scrooge sees no point in Christmas. He can't wait for it to be over. On Christmas Eve he's visited by ghosts of Christmas past, present and future and shown the errors of his ways. He realizes the kindness and hope of what Christmas is and says he will honour Christmas in his heart and try to keep it all year!
How early is too early to stop celebrating the hope of what Christmas represents?
Jennifer Cole is a Vancouver-based freelance writer.