It doesn’t take a genius to know that every year Christmas strays further from its religious meaning and takes a step closer toward commercialism. What was once a time for charity has turned into social media posts, brand campaigns and materialism. Christmas has become the easiest form of free merchandising, because you haven’t lived until you’ve tried every single drink from the super-secret Starbucks menu.
Long gone are the days of waiting until November 30th for the John Lewis adverts, and even the Coca-Cola truck has lost its edge. Halloween passes (which shops capitalize on less and less every year), and the next morning you’re bombarded with Christmas deals in the Lidl aisles, Christmas trees erected in the window of every shop on Princes Street, and Christmas lights strung along the Royal Mile.
But wishing someone ‘Merry Christmas’ in November feels wrong, so why does the Christmas season continue to creep up on us earlier each year?
Capitalism, is the obvious answer; a longer Christmas season equates to more sales, theoretically. But by the time December 25th rolls around, I’m exhausted. Far too much money has been spent, the list of truly good Christmas music remains short, and there’s only so much Christmas cheer you can spread before it begins to feel redundant.
So, how do we combat the growing attempts to celebrate Christmas earlier?
Pick a date and stick to it! Personally, I like my Christmas season to start with the opening of the Edinburgh Christmas Market on November 17th (the atmosphere is worth the visit!), followed swiftly by St Andrew’s Square Winter Gardens (which opens the following day). Until then, the furthest I will go to celebrate Christmas is a mulled-wine-drinking session every other evening with my flat mates (which is more for the warmth than anything else) and an occasional Christmas movie.
As university students, it makes sense to celebrate a little earlier to accommodate for a Christmas without the standard family drama, so plan a flat-mate potluck for mid-December and save the Sainsbury’s mince pies until then! And in an attempt to rebel against stores’ constant insistence of putting up Christmas decorations earlier, make your own! White paper and string are all it takes to drape snowflakes from the ceiling, and paper chains are a decoration staple that can never go wrong.
Just because it seems like the rest of the world is celebrating Christmas, doesn’t mean they are. Good things are worth the wait, but if you’re really feeling like starting a little earlier this year, contribute to a charity or offer some volunteering. Let’s stop wishing our lives away and celebrate Christmas when it should be celebrated, or wait until December, at least.
“Edinburgh on the hill 2 – christmas corner” by Today is a good day is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.