The month of October has come to close, and Halloween is behind us. Meaning Thanksgiving is right around the corner. But chain stores like Walmart, Target, Home Depot, seem to have different plans for the season. Across Great Falls, many chain stores have taken down most of their Halloween and Fall decorations. In their place? Jingle bells, mistletoe, and festive cheer for all to hear.
However, not everyone is thrilled about the early arrival of Christmas. Sophomore students Lily Uhrich, Maeghan Hester, Anya Rockwell and Pixie Alcantara-Marsden, aren’t big fans of the idea. They say that the Christmas takeover is coming too soon.
Sophomore Lily Uhrich was one of the first to speak up about how quickly stores are changing seasons. The early Christmas set up is frustrating for those who still want to enjoy the fall season, she said.
“Stores are putting up Christmas decorations way too early. I saw Christmas things up in stores before any holiday and all the Halloween decorations were on sale even before the actual holiday itself—-So, when it’s finally getting closer to Christmas, and when we want to buy all those decorations, it’s all going to be gone,” Uhrich said.
While discounts might be nice, she said, the timing still doesn’t feel right. Especially with the presence of Santa Clause blowups alongside MIchael Myers masks, Uhrich was not amused.
“It’s kind of OK, because all the decorations will probably be on sale, but putting decorations out before Halloween is just insane,” she said.
Uhrich believes that local stores are mistiming their displays, causing Halloween to lose attention before it even happens. Supporting Uhrich’s claim, Sophomore Maeghan Hester also shared her thoughts on the issue. She said she finds it strange to see two opposite holidays colliding on store shelves.
“I think it’s silly when there’s Christmas and Fall decorations hanging out in a store at the same time,” Hester said, “Though I do understand getting products early and wanting to get them on shelves, but in my opinion, I don’t think anyone is buying Christmas things yet.”
The two seasons should not be intertwined with each other at the same stores, she said, and that they should have their own time to shine in the spotlight.
Third sophomore, Anya Rockwell, also nodded her approval to these claims.
“I do believe that stores do sell Christmas decorations earlier than needed. They should start selling them in the middle/late November then it doesn’t take away from the other holidays,” she said.
Rockwell emphasized that waiting until later in November would make the transition between holidays feel more natural and respectful. Her fellow classmate, Sophomore Alcantara-Marsden, didn’t express her disapproval so lightly.
“Halloween is violent, disgusting, and disrespected. Christmas should be displayed and prioritised in the month it takes place in, not the previous two,” Said Alcantara-Marsden.
Christmas and its decorations should stay in their designated month, she said, and not to hoard and steal the spotlight from Halloween and Thanksgiving.
So while some may already be humming Christmas carols, others just want to enjoy their candy corn in peace. For these students, the most festive thing stores could do right now is simply wait their turn.
