America's Road to Christmas Present

Celine Curtis

While the Whos from Whoville might be the most fanatic for Christmas, I think putting up your Christmas tree on Nov. 1 should count for something too. 

In modern America, Christmas has a chokehold on people and companies alike. By the first few days of November, you can’t walk into a mall without Mariah Carey proving herself yet again as the “Queen of Christmas.” We have huge ice skating rinks, massive Christmas trees and lights adorning everything. It’s incredible. Every year we do bigger and better celebrations and displays. Holiday excitement is part of our culture, but why is that? Well, the answer in one word is nostalgia.

We live in a world fueled by nostalgia. I am sure that’s no shock to anyone. The biggest companies, films, musicals and sports events use childhood classics and cultural phenomena to bring in an audience. Christmas serves the same purpose, not only because it is incredibly nostalgic, but because the holiday is uniquely linked to American nostalgia.

Many Christmas traditions that are celebrated today were created due to a special combination of Civil War era fear, industrialization and immigration. This unique clash of American times and European influence led to a Christmas filled with Christmas trees from Germany and the invention of holiday cards that were quickly mass produced. During the Victorian era, kids were getting a special amount of attention during this new Christmas, with parents showing greater willingness to buy them toys, particularly manufactured ones. Gift-giving evolved into an expected tradition.

Now you can probably see where that puts America today. We are a nation tied to Christmas traditions, for our country was redefining itself alongside the holiday. Not to mention, the special childhood magic that flurries through the winter season creates an opportunity even for adults to revisit that nostalgic feeling and feel like a kid again. 

So for all who celebrate during the winter season, light your lights, eat good food, wear your sweaters and indulge in nostalgia. ‘Tis the season!