Community: Real Life

Twelve weeks of Christmas


Adam Goodger

Adam, 17, is in his first year of sixth form. He likes politics and philosophy most and hopes to become a politician or journalist in the future.

Adam is annoyed that Christmas seems to take up quarter of the year.

It's that time of year again; a time for peace and goodwill to all men. But from what I've seen it's been Christmas time for almost three months now! Why is it that people start to embrace the festivities from September? By the time we reach December I'm already sick of the sound of jingle bells and the sight of lights and tinsel.

Don't get me wrong, I do love Christmas. There are presents to be opened, songs to be sung and family to visit. That's all very well; it's a special time and should be savoured, but not strung out.

The first signs of Christmas appear at the end of my summer holidays and the start of a new school year. I hear little snippets of conversation: "Just think, it's only about four months 'till Christmas". Then people start talking to me about it and that's when I get annoyed. "Hey, look, it's nearly Christmas!" No it isn't, it's a whole four months away. Christmas doesn't take up a quarter of the year. Talk to me again in December, at the earliest, when you've actually got an advert calendar counting down.  Then they go off in a huff murmuring something about "humbug."

"Everyone who joins in the early charade must be very sad to cling to this holiday as soon as it turns wintery and dark."

In November the TV adverts start. There's a flood of ads for children's toys, the latest gadgets and new deals to help everyone decide what should go on their ever-growing list. What accompanies the adverts, playing merrily in the background to get you in the money-spending mood? That's right, the sickly sweet sound of jingle bells and Slade ballads. Again, these are nice when it is actually Christmas, but not when it's so far away, longer than that school holiday I can barely remember. And sure enough, these tunes get into people's heads as they stroll around humming them. Before you know it, you're listening to White Christmas on the local radio - it's nowhere near Christmas and it's just not right.

You may be able to turn the station over but look out the window and you will inevitably see at least one house in every road with Christmas lights or a decorated tree in the window. How can the people who live there put up with it? They, and everyone else who joins in the early charade, must be very sad to cling to this holiday as soon as it turns wintery and dark.

Fuelled by the greed of advertisers and just looking for something to cling onto, people drag out Christmas preparations so much that the day itself is often a come down. The images people seem to be aiming for; the bustling snowy Victorian market place with carol singers in the background, or families putting up decorations, were around well before this commercial age and the celebration wasn't until at least Christmas Eve itself. So please, join me, and scrap that old Wizzard wish  of Christmas every day, by stopping the twelve weeks of Christmas.

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