As I was walking around campus today, I had to do a double-take when I walked past Starbucks decked in red and green. Excitement sparked within me seeing students holding red cups filled with the return of holiday-themed beverages. That was until I realized that we are only a few days into November.
By no means am I the Grinch when it comes to Christmas, but it just feels way too early. I was still putting away my Halloween decorations when my emails flooded with stores promoting their Christmas merchandise. As someone who loves the holiday season, I want to savor it when it comes and feels appropriate to celebrate. I will always start to get in the Christmas spirit the second Thanksgiving is over (after I eat my turkey). I feel bad that Thanksgiving has turned into a stepping stone that is associated with the Black Friday sales of the holidays. People seem to jump right over it and neglect the meaning of the fall season it is accompanied with. Halloween hardly had its time before stores were hinting at their holiday collection and gift guide.
It does not take an economist to know that the holiday season is the stores’ biggest success of the year. But doesn’t it feel wrong knowing we’re being used to capitalize these stores? Thinking about it from a marketing standpoint, stores start advertising their holiday collection to make their clients feel the effects of Christmas so we’re more likely to buy their items. And sure, there’s no harm to start feeling festive, but it takes away the fresh spirit that resurfaces every December. By the time December comes, it neglects to feel special.
Once these brands begin their holiday campaign, it capitalizes on our emotions, squeezing out our festiveness surrounding this time of year. Starbucks, for example, has had a successful holiday campaign each year that gifts the beginning of the holiday season with the first sip of a peppermint mocha. Due to Starbucks and other brands propelling their holiday marketing, its evolving more people into the Christmas spirit. And it’s working. We have officially hit the point where “All I Want for Christmas is You,” has peaked in popularity to the point that it has re-entered the iTunes Top 200 chart. From resurrecting from its hibernation, there’s no surprise it’s correlated with all the stores re-branding for the holidays this past week.
No, I am not pulling a “Christmas with the Kranks,” but I am just annoyed with all my favorite brands pushing me into feeling like I should be in the festive mood. If you want to start decorating and celebrating now, I don’t blame you. For those like me who want to wait, don’t let brands make you feel like Scrooge.