Trigger Warning: It’s Not Too Early For Christmas Displays!

I LOVE seeing all the Holiday merchandise set up in October and here’s why: I’m not tired and stressed by the season yet. I can just focus on the beauty of the Christmas merchandise.

I was recently in a large variety store, and I came upon their Christmas section all set up and ready for the season, and my first reaction was … JOY. Pure, unadulterated joy. I immediately slowed my pace and smiled widely as I looked at each little ornament and decoration.

PC: Ann Kirsten

And, then I heard it behind me; two women making disgusted sounds and saying, “Christmas already? We haven’t even gotten through Halloween yet!”

I immediately felt embarrassed, like the smile on my face and my slow pace of enjoyment were somehow wrong. I started questioning my feelings. Was this early set-up of Christmas a bad thing? Should I be angry too?

I personally love any reminder of Jesus’ birth (no matter how early).

When I was young, I worked at a Hallmark shop. Corporate had us set up the collectible ornaments in July. If you know any ornament collectors, you know that they love to see the new items early.

But it was a 50/50 split on how customers reacted. Fifty percent of the people loved seeing the ornaments and fifty percent of the customers were disgusted by the summer preview. Those who were mad were quick to tell me how awful it was. I wanted to wear a pin that said, “It wasn’t my decision!” (Note: It is never the store clerk’s decision on when to do a set-up, and yelling at them is never helpful).

PC: Ann Kirsten

I always wondered, even back then, what the big deal was. So we set up beautiful little ornaments for people to enjoy in the summertime. Did this ruin Christmas? Was this a sin somehow? Did it make God angry that we started celebrating a bit early?

Sure, one could argue that the Holidays have become commercialized and that stores contribute to this by setting up their displays too early, but here’s what I realized: October and November are the best times for me as a mom (and Nana) to pause and take in all the holiday beauty.

Come December, my purse is filled with to-do lists and my mind is crammed full of menu plans, gift lists and card lists. In December, I tend to be running around like a crazy person, and I don’t have the energy to truly enjoy the stores’ decorations.

The argument of, “Let us get through Harvest parties and Thanksgiving first,” have never made sense to me either. Just because I enjoyed looking at some Christmas things in a store does not mean that I’m going to ignore my pumpkin parties or stop celebrating Thanksgiving.

So, I’m sorry crabby ladies behind me, I’m going to slow my pace and enjoy looking around while my Harvest décor is still up. I’m going to peruse ornaments before I’ve cooked my turkey for Thanksgiving. I may even hum a Christmas carol or two, because this is my time to truly focus on the beauty of Jesus’s birth before life gets crazy.

“While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.” Luke 2:6-7 NIV

And I’m happy to celebrate His birth at any time of year.