Halloween is in October, Thanksgiving is in November and Christmas is in December.

These are basic facts that nearly everyone understands.This is why it makes no sense that Christmas decorations and Halloween decorations occupy the same aisles in stores halfway through October.

While many retail stores seem to have these time frames confused, it does not mean people need to make the same mistake.

To see children trick-or-treating at houses with Christmas decorations up is a mind-warping reality that serves only to condense the last three months of the year into one conglomeration of holiday vomit.

While many people enjoy the holidays, oftentimes seeing so much holiday merchandise crammed together adds undue stress to people’s lives.

Many people stress about the need to prepare for the holidays.There is often quite a bit of money involved in making certain that holidays, especially Christmas, go smoothly and are enjoyable to everyone involved.This financial burden can be severely exacerbated by the pressure induced by seeing Christmas products as early as September and October.

Not only financially, the holidays are supposed to be a time of joy and excitement, and when they are lumped together into a big clump at the end of the year, the individuality that makes each one special is lost in the whirlwind of holiday spirit. Just as each person is unique, holidays are as well. Halloween is a time for spooky excitement and costumes, and when one sees candy canes and Christmas trees alongside skulls and bats, it can cheapen the spirit of both.

Then there is the fact that very few places offer many, if any, merchandise for Thanksgiving.

While this explains why the merchandise skips directly to Christmas, it does not excuse the fact.

By the time the actual holiday arrives, it seems as though many people have already gotten bored and tired of Christmas cheer.

I have heard some say when Christmas actually arrives, “Oh, it’s been Christmas for two months.”

This is a very accurate description of the effect the overload of merchandise months before the holiday takes place does to one’s mindset. This is why it is frustrating when people start putting up Christmas decorations the moment they come out in stores.

I like Christmas as much as the next person, but I do not want to be bombarded with decorations and products before Halloween has even passed.

Mercury Bowen can be reached at 581-2812 or at mjbowen@eiu.edu.