It’s the week before Thanksgiving, you’re in the supermarket doing your last-minute shopping for the holiday, crossing items off your list when a familiar tune reaches your ears.
The time has come, a moment of dread for some, you’re listening to Christmas music.
Psychologists say that the playing of holiday music too early into the year can lead individuals to experience a spike in stress and influence feelings of general unhappiness.
It’s not necessarily that we’re the Grinch, but the sound of Christmas jingles and the sight for many a sore eye of Christmas decorations before its associated month of December just causes individuals to stress over the next holiday before they’ve even managed to not over-cook the turkey.
A poll conducted by consumerreports.org in 2011 states that nearly 25% of Americans become stressed over the constant playing of Christmas music during the holidays.
There are of course some that welcome the chime of Christmas music as early as they can get it, but it is certainly a topic up for debate as to when should the seasonal music truly begin.
Is holding off until December 1st too much to ask? Or perhaps even just Black Friday when a majority of holiday shopping takes place.
Either way, the overlapping of holiday marketing is enough to make anyone’s morning coffee shop decisions far more difficult than they ought to be, pumpkin spice latte or mint flavored chocolate milk?
Author: Preston Kines