Christmas comes earlier every year because we are all so miserable

Everyone seems to complain every year that Christmas comes earlier – and it does!  But do we ever stop to question why?

Recently I was driving down the road and there was commentary and questions on a radio show about Christmas music being played earlier and if people minded.  The callers were pretty split on the topic, but in real life I hear SO many complaints about it.  There is so much blame on the retailers for all of this (and some of it is justified), but we are pretty accepting of it when you think about it.  I’m just amazed that we never seem to ask why it keeps coming earlier every year.

I think Christmas comes earlier every year because we are all so miserable.

I don’t know about you, but I find as time goes on life just gets more and more busy.  We have less time to unwind and more on our plates.  We don’t take real time for ourselves and our families.  We work work work and don’t do as much living as we used to. Life is more about the stress and the stuff and less about meaningful relationships and personal happiness.  We are all looking for it, but how can we find it if we are trying to be like  and impress everyone else?

I think Christmas comes earlier every year because deep down inside we all just want a piece of that joy and magic that the holiday season brought us when we were kids.  We really want the feeling that the season gave us when it was still all about lights, giving, family, magic and yes, presents too.

The thing is, bringing the season on earlier every year doesn’t do that.  It just causes us more stress because now the holiday is about perfection.  Finding the perfect present and outdoing the the friends and neighbors.  Spending money we don’t have so we can create some illusion of what it was like when when were kids or an illusion of a life to present to those around us that doesn’t really exist.   When we were kids, we were happier with less.  Just a few favorite presents we wanted, pretty lights and decorations, some good food and spending time with our loved ones.  That was it.  That was all we needed.  I bet if we looked deep inside we would find that is still all we really need.

Instead of complaining that the holidays come earlier every year maybe we should ask ourselves why and reflect on the reasons it does or doesn’t bother us.

I bet the answer you find would be really insightful.