Everyone who knows me knows how annoyed I get about Christmas essentially being shoved down our throats so early. It’s fine that you enjoy the feeling of the holidays and that Christmas music makes you happy. I like Christmas decorations as much as the next person, but I don’t need to be bombarded with everything Christmas before Halloween has even come; or even for weeks after, for that matter. There is nothing wrong with being excited about a holiday, but let me be honest here, many of us don’t really like the actual day of Christmas. So many people seem to care more about the days, and in some cases months, leading up to Christmas, but once the day has actually come they seem to lose the spirit. Imagine how fantastic the holiday could be if we saved our overzealous cheer for the day we’re so excited about! We’re acting excited for a holiday where you are going to sit around your grandmother’s house irritated and ignoring your family. People are excited about Christmas until it actually comes. Yes, we love our families, but holidays always seem to be tense and/or awkward holidays for so many of us.

Then there’s the commercial side of things. Holiday sales take up so much of our attention that we’re willing to basically skip Thanksgiving in order to get as many gifts and things we don’t need for the smallest amount of money possible. It’s great to find ways to save money on things we would buy either way, and it’s great when those things are for our loved ones. But things like early Black Friday shopping take away from the time we could be spending with those loved ones. Perhaps instead of worrying so much about being able to buy them things you think will show them how much you care for them, you could simply spend your shopping time actually spending time and interacting with them. My family can give me a gift on Christmas, but if they can’t take the time to actually be around and show me their love in more meaningful ways, the gift really doesn’t mean as much. I would definitely appreciate it, be grateful, and truly enjoy my gift, but I’d give up my present if I could genuinely say I had an amazing Christmas.

Christmas these last few years has seemed so material and commercial. Stores put their holiday items out way ahead of time because they know people will buy them, even though the snacks and treats will be eaten or expired by the time the holiday actually comes. TV networks start shoving holiday movies down our throats seemingly at the stroke of midnight when Halloween has ended; because they know we’ll watch them. That same movie will be played ten more times before Christmas, but we better take our chance now to make sure we don’t miss it!

We need to bring the family, love, giving, and happiness back to Christmas. For those of you who celebrate Christmas as Christians, besides going to church, I ask you where is Christ in your holiday? I personally see Christmas as a holiday for family, and while I spend that time with them every year there always seems to be a huge disconnect. From many of my peers, it seems like the situation is the same for them. I want us to bring family and real love back to Christmas.

The last thing I want is for you to lose your cheer, but I ask you to think what all that cheer is really for, and why you only have it during this time of year.