Hot chocolate, presents, and a feast to remember for months. Sound familiar? Probably because Christmas is only the most popular holiday in the United States, with over 90% of the population celebrating the traditional day. Even for those that are not particularly religious, Christmas is still the perfect excuse to spend time with family and friends, enjoy delicious food, and ask for some of the items on the extensive wish list everyone secretly has.

But now, Christmas decorations are decorating stores before even Halloween. While some may be shaking their heads at the way Christmas seems to invade the stores earlier and earlier every year, it may actually be a good thing.

Fall is filled with the stress of a new school year. Everyone is thrown into a new level of assignments, tests, and quizzes that certainly make their mark, Halloween can’t exactly fix all these anxieties like a good, long winter break can. By having Christmas decorations sold so early, it’s almost like a quiet promise to all students. Just a few more months, and finally there will be a break.

Next, take Christmas itself – a season filled with vacations, gatherings, and tons of presents not only to receive but also to buy. As Warren Lee (9) admits,

“Christmas is fun, but it can really be a lot of work.”

Vacations usually involve a hotel room, but trying to get a reservation at any hotel during Christmas is nearly impossible, or just way overpriced. By thinking about Christmas vacation earlier, it can be much easier to get a decent hotel. The only thing worse than staying alone at home during Christmas can be the promise of a beautiful vacation that is ruined by an inability to book a room.

And of course, plane tickets, train tickets, the cost of getting the whole family together for Christmas can be a huge hassle. Most students probably aren’t the ones getting the tickets, but for parents the earlier decorations can be a nice reminder to get that plane ticket before holiday season kicks in.

Trying to figure out what to buy for each and every one of the friends and family in one’s life can be endlessly stressful sometimes, with decorations out earlier, hopefully it will be able to motivate some to start searching soon. After all, some presents have to be bought online, and paying way too much for overnight shipping is not exactly the ideal way to obtain a gift.

Overall, stores putting out Christmas decorations can not only be motivation to make it through the school year until winter break, it can help to remember to put in the work for Christmas ahead of time. That way, enjoying Christmas itself can be much easier. All things aside, Christmas is never as far as it seems. So as Halloween, Thanksgiving, Black Friday draw closer, just make the best of every holiday until the most relaxing one of all finally shows up.