Halloween has come and gone, leaving only stomachaches, embarrassing costume photos and lackluster attendance for next day classes in its wake.
Veterans Day is also behind us, and soldiers and students both have the pleasure and relief of knowing that UTM’s ROTC program is no longer scheduled for a 2015 closure.
You know what that means, readers: Christma- sorry, Thanksgiving is on the mind.
You wouldn’t guess Thanksgiving were the next major American holiday if you’ve turned on the radio recently though. As early as Nov. 1, local and regional stations alike have been cranking out the holiday tunes in preparation for a single day in late December.
For years, we as a culture have just come to accept that major retailers can’t get a big enough head start on the holiday season. Seeing a Christmas-themed ad for Coca-Cola or Wal-Mart is no surprise by now, but the fact that radio and television are right there with the retailers says more about us than it does about them.
Think of it this way: Christmas season entertainment being pushed out so early means that someone is actually going to enjoy it. There are enough listeners and viewers that apparently love Christmas so much that they can’t and won’t wait for it.
And you better believe your local retailers are more than willing to meet demand, especially when faced with deciding between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
The Pacer understands that Christmas is much easier to market than Thanksgiving. After all, there isn’t much a retailer can do about Thanksgiving outside of selling fall-colored decorations and encouraging buyers to give chicken nuggets a break in favor of actual bird-shaped poultry products.
But that doesn’t mean we should forego Thanksgiving and prepare for Christmas almost two months before the actual day. Thanksgiving is celebrated with the one thing no market can provide: family.
Sure Christmas is the same way, but the fact that we traditionally buy each other gifts on Christmas is what has the media up in arms. Christmas causes a convenient sales boom for this time of year. That being said, why wouldn’t the market rush into this holiday as quickly as possible?
But remember, holidays are a celebration, not an obligation. And any reason to get the family together is a good enough reason to do it.
So before you deck the halls and hang the mistletoe, The Pacer would like to ask that readers at least let Thanksgiving have its moment. The Pacer wishes its readers a happy Thanksgiving and an enjoyable break from classes.
