If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably been listening to Christmas music since November 1st, 12:00:01 am. I will -lovingly- admit that in my opinion, anytime before then is just ludicrous (my apologies to all of the people who still have their decorations up from last November) and anyway, it gets pretty played out after a while considering that there are only so many Christmas songs at our disposal. As much as I’m all for prolonging and enjoying this season as it is undoubtedly my favorite time of year, how many times can you really sing along to ‘Feliz Navidad’? It becomes a tad kitschy after listening to it for the 3rd time let alone the 973rd time, don’t you think? Yet somehow every year it seems as though the overall holiday season creeps up earlier and earlier on us. It used to be where places like A.C. Moore (when they were still in business) would hastily set out the decor; fake snow scenes made of Poly-fil and plastic figurines, wooden Santa front-yard stakes, the whole nine yards--in August. But for the most part, I never really noticed anyplace getting especially jolly before it was “time,” actually, until this year.
I think we can all agree that the last (almost) two years have been something of a whirlwind...and not necessarily in a good way. Though I myself have received much comfort and spiritual growth from the Lord in the last 18 months or so which I am truly thankful for, overall I think society has experienced more trauma and anxiety now than there has been since World War II (don’t hold me to that statement though. I’m sure people have been anxious and depressed all throughout the 20th century but World War II I assume was probably when societal anxiety reached its climax). I remember when news of a foreign virus first started swirling around New York City in February 2020...Me being the germaphobe that I was would hold my breath as I briskly walked through Penn Station to get to school, and then practically remained that way for the 11-14 hours I’d be at school afterwards. Embarrassingly, I let the paranoia get to my head rather than put my faith in God during this time. But still, it felt as if the entire world were dealing with this new, unfamiliar peril and we couldn’t even wrap our heads around the dark, dreary state that we would soon be finding ourselves in...
Anyway, back to my main point: It wasn’t until I saw a Christmas commercial (probably from JC Penny or Amazon) about a week or two before Halloween that I realized how alarmingly early companies have begun pushing the holiday season this year. Aside from a few outliers each year and the entirety of the fashion industry since they work several months to years in advance, the majority of society typically doesn’t begin celebrating Christmas time until the day after Halloween or later (from what I’ve noticed throughout my lifetime at least). For the first time ever, I stopped to think about the psychology of this phenomenon. Of course companies like to push Christmas for the “commercial" aspect; “make a buck, make a buck” as Alfred the kid janitor says in Miracle on 34th St. But why else did it feel like we had already reached the climax of the season -and why people have been so desperately craving Christmas- before November even came upon us?
No sooner did I question this that the answer appeared in my head.
For starters, people long for goodness and joy when they are in the middle of experiencing the opposite. We can only hope for something better than what we are currently going through at this point in time. And so now, with Christmas right around the corner, doesn’t it just make sense to skip the dreary days before “Christmas time” and just go head-first into the holiday season? Regardless of your religion -whether you’re Christian, Jewish, Muslim, or atheist- people genuinely enjoy celebrating this time of year. It brings a kind of happiness that the other ten and a half months couldn’t possibly offer you. And people in denial may argue that it’s such a jovial time because of the gift giving and spending time with family and blah blah blah. But that’s not it. At least, I don’t believe it is. You can offer me any theory you want as to why we all need the holiday season (and more specifically Christmas) every year but I won’t buy it. This kind of happiness is otherworldly as we are incapable of producing pure heavenly joy ourselves. I truly believe that this euphoria comes directly from God and the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Since Creation, the human race has somehow managed to screw things up. From the first bite into the forbidden fruit to the sneeze that started the [spread of the] Covid pandemic, we have been growing more and more distant from the Lord. That’s why -whether you realize it or not- we needed a Savior to redeem us from eternal, self-inflicted despair and suffering. God knew before He spoke everything into existence that we would need a Mediator, a Redeemer, and a Light that shines through the darkest moments in our fallen world. So, are you still convinced that that 129 dollar eyeshadow palette your mom is going to buy you for Christmas is the thing that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside?...
If you’re still not convinced by my little spiel, look to God’s word: It shows us prime examples of how people were overcome with joy as Jesus entered into this world:
Wow. All I hear is Linus in the background quietly saying: “That’s what Christmas is all about Charlie Brown.” God gave us good tidings of great joy which will be to. All. People.. Past, present, and future. And Jesus, God’s only begotten Son, was born and later crucified just to give us an escape from eternal torture and condemnation. I think that’s something to rejoice over, no?
His ineffable love for us sparks such joy in our hearts (or the hearts of those whom He has changed) that we have no choice but to sing and celebrate every single year.