By Aelwen Iredale, Staff Writer
As a former Hallmark employee, I know firsthand that some people have very strong opinions about when the Christmas season should start. Ornaments go up in June for our first release of decorations, and then the rest come in October. It is ridiculous the amount of times people have walked in and wondered why we have Christmas outfits on or holiday music playing in the middle of summer. (And, frankly, it’s exhausting to answer when you’re trying to sell a poop emoji ornament while wearing reindeer horns). Of course, that’s all corporate Hallmark propaganda. Nonetheless, it begs the question—when does Christmas start?
Some families are quite strict and start Christmas precisely four weeks before the actual day, so lights, movies, music, trees, and everything else goes on during those weeks. The Christmas season is only the advent—no other time. For other families, the timing is a bit looser, and the Christmas season begins in mid-November. Many people seem to follow this schedule, often marking post-Thanksgiving as the start of the season. It appears that while most people are flexible, the Christmas season feels like it should remain separate from other holidays.
And for the biggest Christmas lovers, the holiday season begins November 1st. They excitedly put up their decorations the moment Halloween ends, rushing right into the gift-giving season. Some houses even put their inflatable decorations up in advance. Then, they blow them up for the first time on November 1st. It turns their Halloween decorations into a cemetery of Christmas spirits waiting to rise again the minute Mariah Carey defrosts.
I believe in the post-Thanksgiving Christmas season. Seeing Walmart putting up Christmas decorations even before Halloween is just overkill—which should be reserved for the spookier season. Every holiday has its moment, but I believe Christmas is monopolizing time. Yes, the spirit of the season is beautiful, and the time people spend together is invaluable, but Christmas creeps into the time for celebrations of other holidays. There’s no need for an “It’s the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown” moment where stores are selling Christmas items in April. So, Mariah Carey needs to go back on ice. No need to defrost until after Thanksgiving.