The holiday season and its early arrival!
Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.
The holiday season
The holiday season seems to arrive earlier and earlier over the years. When I was a younger, we were able to celebrate Halloween, and Thanksgiving without seeing Christmas advertising and decorations! Now adays, the day after Halloween, we are inundated with Christmas, Christmas, and Christmas!
The day after Halloween the stores are decorated to the nines with Christmas decorations, and advertising on television begins! When you walk into a store there are wrapped gift boxes everywhere or decorations that trigger the time to buy is now!!!!
Whatever happened to Thanksgiving? Sometimes, I feel like it is the forgotten holiday? There is really nothing to say “thanks” throughout the media, and stores. Whatever happened to the true meaning of Christmas? We get so overwhelmed by the rush and hurry and bustle of the season, that we do not tend to enjoy it!
How many of you out there, are thinking to yourselves, I wish there was less commercialism? I wish the media, the stores, the commercials would tone down the commercialism aspect of Christmas!
I truly believe both Thanksgiving and Christmas is the time to really appreciate what is important in our lives, and to be grateful. So why do we allow the ugliness of the media penetrate our lives? It is difficult to enjoy the season when you are inundated with buy, buy, and buy! Thanksgiving has now turned into the new Black Friday! Stores that were originally closed on Thanksgiving are now open at 5 pm. Hurry and catch all the deals! Hurry, hurry, and hurry!
Well I say slow down, take deep breaths, and enjoy the holiday season! Pick up that name tag from church and buy a gift for the needy! Listen and enjoy the Christmas music! Decorate your house, but do not overdo, lessen the amount of decorations! Make your life easier, less stressful in this season!
Visit family members, or call friends that you have not seen. Take time and write those Christmas cards with personalized messages! I have noticed throughout the years, I am receiving less and less Christmas cards! People are too caught up in the stressful part of the season, and do not take the time to connect with friends. I think a Christmas card is a way of saying you matter!
So reevaluate how you react to this season and slow down! Take more time to do things that matter! Buy less presents for your family, and discuss what is really important in this season! Buy gifts for the needy! Anyway it is time for me to get off my rant and say enjoy the holiday season! Remember the true reason of its celebration! In a Charlie Brown’s Christmas, Linus reminds Linus about the true meaning of Christmas! So remember!
THIS HOLIDAY SEASON CHANGE YOUR LIFE!