Christmas and Thanksgiving have become mixed holidays throughout the years. Many people are beginning to skip the concept of Thanksgiving and jump right into the Christmas season.
“Christmas is way more recognized and over shadows Thanksgiving,” Sabrina Hackendorn, sophomore biology major said. “Thanksgiving only lasts a few hours, Christmas is an entire month. It maybe my favorite time of the year but it can be a little ridiculous how people go crazy over shopping for gifts.”
Thanksgiving and Christmas are very similar but very different holidays. Thanksgiving does not require people to buy gifts and Christmas is a religious and jolly holiday that includes exchanges in presents. Santa Clause has become much more popular than the pilgrims and the idea of giving thanks.
“Christmas is a longer and much more drawn out holiday,” Hackendorn said. “Thanksgiving is one day and it doesn’t even last that long because the next day is Black Friday. It’s actually kind of sad because both holidays are important.”
Christmas includes many activities and traditions that Thanksgiving does not such as going to take a picture with Santa Clause, caroling, wrapping presents, decorating a Christmas tree, and of course listening to the Christmas tunes on the radio. This will always over shadow Thanksgiving because this holiday is simply a dinner at the table for most people or this holiday may not even be celebrated.
“I think Thanksgiving is a great holiday to get together with the important people in your life to celebrate that you have them in your life,” Monica Parsons, freshman physicians assistant major said. “Being thankful for everything you have in your life is much more important than going out the following day to go buy things that people can probably live without. I can not live without my family, so I be sure to remember this holiday year round.”
With Christmas being a huge holiday to generate money for businesses, it is much more recognized, publicized and celebrated. Stores in malls decorate as early as right after Halloween and Santa Clause graces the mall with his presence in mid November. Music on the radio begins to play right before Thanksgiving and kicks off right after, this can cause a lot of controversy for the Christmas lovers and Thanksgiving supporters.
“I love listening to Christmas music,” Mary Kate Sapata, freshman education major, said. “It is my favorite holiday and I purchased my ugly Christmas sweater at Cabrini right away. I celebrate Thanksgiving but I prefer Christmas. I love spending time with my family on this holiday and doing our traditions every year. People get so angry that Christmas starts earlier and earlier every year, I just think people want the holiday to last longer and are too excited to wait.”
Others feel that it is ridiculous to even have decorations up as early as Halloween.
“I went out to a party on Halloween and I remember waking up the next morning and saw people putting up Christmas decorations,” Quentin Anderson sophomore business major said. “I really do not understand why people jump to the gun so early with this holiday. It is important, but not that important.”
Christmas and Thanksgiving in some people’s eyes can go hand in hand. Many believe that Thanksgiving is the preview to Christmas or the holiday that gets people excited for Christmas. Thanksgiving is a day to give thanks and Christmas is celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ and the coming of jolly old saint Nick.
“Growing up a catholic my entire life, Christmas is a huge holiday for my family,” Paige Wagner, graphic design major said. “Thanksgiving is just as important though. Thanksgiving may not have the publicity that Christmas has, but my family celebrates it every year. Christmas just has more ways of celebrating it. People celebrate it religiously and keep their faith in mind and others celebrate Christmas with their families, especially children and remember to leave cookies and carrots out for Santa and the reindeer.”
