Has Christmas come too soon?

BELLEVILLE – One float at Belleville’s Santa Claus parade reminds people of the meaning of Christmas. Photo by Katy Burley

By Riley Maracle

BELLEVILLE – It’s that time of year again. Christmas music is being heard in the stores. Santa Claus is at the mall. Christmas trees and decorations are lighting up homes. But look at the calendar and you’ll see it’s still November – and that’s got some people wondering: Has Christmas come too early?

Rob Popovski is a second-year Television New Media student at Loyalist College and part of a family of five, says Christmas is a big deal for his family and friends.

“I am happy to be home and to see my family and my friends who have gone off to school,” said Popovski. ”To me it’s more about seeing them, and enjoying my time with them over what I get for Christmas.”

But Popovski also said he feels that Christmas is becoming a marketing ploy, and that because of this is losing its true meaning.

“It’s not about family anymore. It’s about presents – ‘What did you get for Christmas?’ or, ‘That’s cool, I got this or I got that.’ It’s no longer, ‘How was Christmas with your family over the break?’ It’s become too much marketing and not enough family time or coming together with the people you love,” said Popovski.

He and his family wait until December to put up decorations, he said.

Cameron Langille, a third-year Television New Media student, said he thinks it is annoying to see Christmas decorations and to hear Christmas music this early.

“I find it extremely irritating because everything seems to rush through each holiday, like I’ve noticed even before Halloween people have started to push forward,” said Langille. “We can’t even settle on a holiday and enjoy it.”

He agrees with Popovski that Christmas has become about marketing.

“It’s a massive marketing scheme. It’s quite sad,” said Langille. “It used to be a holiday we used to enjoy.”

But not everyone dislikes the early start to the season. Third-year Television New Media student Matt Parks said he thinks it is all right for people to put up decorations and play holiday jingles in the middle of November.

“I don’t think it is a really big problem. Christmas has become obviously more than just the day – it’s become a whole season,” said Parks.

He also feels that the Christmas season has become more about receiving gifts than enjoying time with family and loved ones, he said. Although he is fine with hearing Christmas music and seeing promotions in mid-November, he and his family wait until later to start the festivities, he added.

MacKenzie Lockyer’s family begins Christmas festivities the day after Halloween.

“I’ve always put (Christmas decorations) up on Nov. 1, so it’s pretty normal for me. I like it,” said the first year journalism student.

Lockyer said she is usually sick of the holiday season by the time it actually rolls around, but she doesn’t think it has anything to do with when she begins the celebrations.

“I think it has to do with how often everything is played, like the videos and movies and songs and everything. It gets annoying.”