Christmas Coming Early: Good or Bad?

by Grace Acklam

Scrooge and the Ghost of
Christmas Present

As an avid fan of Christmas and everything that it brings with it, from food to time off school to the cold weather, it’s fair to say that for me it could never come too early and that, as long as Christmas arrives after Halloween, the music and the decorations are allowed from the get-go of November.

However, whilst I have been sat on train listening to some of Michael Buble’s finest Christmas tunes, others have been accusing me and other like-minded people of deducting the true festive feel from December. If I had a pound for every time I’ve been told in the last few weeks that it’s not Christmas, I’m getting excited too soon and that I need to calm down, I'd definitely have enough funds to buy all of my Christmas gifts and more.  So the question is, has Christmas really come too early? Or are the majority of the British population being too much like Scrooge? 

I would argue that Christmas is nearing closer every day and that the build up to Christmas is the best part and it’s impossible for it to arrive too soon. If you put it into perspective, months fly by as it is, and before you know it you’re celebrating the New Year, so what does it matter how long certain people big something up as opposed to others? Surely it makes sense that we prolong the build-up and the excitement because it gives us something to get us through the long, cold winter months. Not only that but in the grand scheme of things, what does an extra four weeks matter when the shops are putting their adverts out anyway? In theory it makes more sense that we prepare ourselves in advance and allow the spirits of Christmas to make an appearance when they feel like it. 

Of course, there are some people for whom Christmas represents a sad time of reflection, but others, on the other hand, would simply argue that Christmas shouldn’t be celebrated until two weeks before the 25th and that any form of decoration, present, advert or music is “quite frankly absurd” (as some of my beloved family would put it). They would say that Christmas isn’t a season and is one day and the build up is prolonged and unnecessary; especially some of the really miserable ones who contest that there is no longer a meaning to Christmas as the religious side is very seldom thought of in the current day, and that Christmas no longer has much value. 

Whilst it could be agreed with on that basis, and it could very much be said that the true meaning of Christmas has become buried in tinsel and roast turkey, this can be opposed too. Christmas is a period of spending time with family you barely see in the chaotic year gone past, eating well, and giving presents filled with thought and love. The notion of Christmas is one that should be looked forwards to, and one that should be cherished. And if to do that, Christmas music and decorations have to make themselves present in November, which for the fanatics (i.e. me) they do, then why is that not allowed and why is it such a negative and bad thing?