Christmas is coming too early each year. Businesses competing for customers are creating holiday-themed deals trying to get people to buy Christmas products and gifts earlier in the year. This phenomenon is called “The Christmas Creep.”
Target started offering Black Friday deals as early as October 29th and Walmart started their first round of Black Friday deals on November 8th. No longer is Black Friday a 24-hour event, instead it becomes a drawn-out series of sales that begin weeks before the actual day. In addition to the drawn-out deals, the ability to online shop has almost eradicated any significance Black Friday once held. This is just one example of how the Christmas Creep is ruining the holiday season.
For most, Christmas is a season associated with love, joy, and family; for others, however, Christmas brings anxiety, stress, and seasonal depression. The article “What is ‘Christmas Creep’ and why can it stress you out” by Healthline.com discussed why Christmas Creep can have negative effects on your mental health.
“The holiday season is supposed to be happy, but some people feel pressure, particularly around money,” the article stated, “People may not have the same budgets for gift-buying and decor as they did in previous years, as that money is going towards groceries, gas, and other necessities”.
Aimee Uresti, the school social worker, had some advice for how to navigate this time of year with anxiety. “Be kind to yourself. Despite not having gifts ready, if you have to go shopping, take it a day at a time. Maybe shop for one thing one weekend and another thing another weekend. If you don’t have money to purchase gifts, get creative. DIY. It’s the thought that counts. But you should also be doing self-care activities for yourself to help manage that anxiety,” Ms. Uresti said, “Self-care depends on the person, so do whatever helps you fill your cup with joy, then use that resource.”
When polled on The Millikan Corydon Instagram, 86.4% of students said that they have experienced the Christmas Creep phenomenon this year. Of those students, 31.8% said that the idea of Christmas Creep caused them stress.
Allison Pelletier, a sophomore in PEACE, said “Christmas is supposed to be joyful and stress-free but when big companies pressure the holidays on people, it makes it less joyful and more stressful.”
The majority of students, 45.5% said that they started to notice Christmas merchandise in October, but some, 9.1%, started seeing it as early as June!
Sophia Flores, a senior in PEACE, said that she associates Christmas with feelings of joy and excitement.
Although she does not celebrate Christmas until Dec. 1st, she said when to celebrate is “ up to the person, if they enjoy Christmas, then they should celebrate early.”
No matter your stance on Christmas Creep, the corporations have pulled it off! Christmas is officially upon us.
Andrew • Feb 1, 2024 at 10:45 am
The photo of the house that was taken by (Makayla Brown) has to be up early. This is because of his light show. There are many controllers and if one fails, it takes lots of time to reconfigure and find out what the problem is. This can delay the light show by a week or more. He has to set up early to be prepared for something like this to happen. also, tons of components and other mechanics have a risk of breaking, and the amount of objects he has takes lots of time to set up.
Nora Brust • Jan 23, 2024 at 12:26 pm
This was so interesting! I wonder how much earlier you can see Christmas decorations than stuff for other holidays. It’s obvious the effect capitalism has had on our holidays, but I think it would be cool to see how heavily the white, christian American is prioritized in this aspect.
Kennedy Smith • Jan 10, 2024 at 10:34 am
This article explains how the spirit of the holiday season is ruined by businesses such as Target and Walmart as they have made Christmas all about shopping. Black Friday, the infamous day after Thanksgiving where everything is on sale for 24 hours, or at least it used to be. This article makes it apparent that businesses now use this idea of “Black Friday” to promote their stores and start their sales as early as October 29th. This extension of Black Friday has put a lot of stress on customers as they are pressured to buy gifts. Miller explains that Christmas time should be all about joy and being surrounded by the people you love, not about buying gifts. She quotes an article that explains how this “Christmas Creep” is extremely stressful because people are constantly having to think about money. Everyone has responsibilities of their own, as there are other necessary things in life that may be more important than buying gifts. Miller also quotes the school social worker who explains that you don’t always have to buy gifts as you can DIY them. I believe that this is a good option because it seems to be more heartfelt during a season where you want to show others how much you appreciate them. The Christmas Creep occurrence seems to be affecting lots of people as the author explains that even students at Millikan have experienced this phenomenon. I personally can say I feel the stressful situation of the Christmas Creep as well as I was rushing to buy gifts and forgot about the real purpose of Christmas. I think that the author does a really good job of expanding on this idea and how it is up to us to change how we interpret Christmas.
isabella • Jan 10, 2024 at 10:34 am
December 21, 2023
Dear Corydon Editor,
On December 15, 2023, Payton Miller wrote an article titled “Christmas Creep”. As I
began to read the article, I made so many connections to Christmas creep and didn’t know it even
was a thing until I read the article. I learned so much from this article then I had before reading
it. I related to worrying about Christmas earlier than usual and that as online shopping becomes
more popular every year, there’s a different feel to christmas. Miller did an excellent job
explaining to her audience how the christmas creep is able to get to people without even realizing
it. My favorite part of the article was when Miller had included statistics and percentages of how
other people at Millikan felt about the Christmas creep, and that we aren’t alone.
As I continued to read the article my reaction while reading it was so relatable to
everyone else’s, I have felt the Christmas creep this year too. I was worried about shopping all
the way back in October from ads on social media saying their “one time deals” had started
early. I felt obligated to buy presents earlier than I usually have. Which isn’t what Christmas
should be about.
As the article continued and began its conclusion to the essay, I agreed with Miller’s main
argument. That yes; the Christmas creep does suck but it’s up to us to not let it get to us students
and break our holiday spirit. Christmas is supposed to be fun, joyful, and loving; we can’t let big
companies try and take it away from us. Now that I know about the Christmas creep I’ll make
sure to think about next year. Thank you Payton Miller for informing me on this new standpoint!
Sincerely,
Isabella Alcala
Caroline Klein • Jan 10, 2024 at 10:32 am
On December 15, 2023, Payton Miller wrote an article titled “Christmas Creep”. While the article was very well written and provided me with new information, it seemed a little repetitive in the third paragraph where it says, “The article “What is ‘Christmas Creep’ and why can it stress you out” by the Healthline website discussed why Christmas Creep can have negative effects on your mental health” (Miller 2023). By repeating the phrase “Christmas Creep” after already stating the name two times prior in the same paragraph, the author is repetitive. Miller should consider replacing the phrase “Christmas Creep” in the last sentence of paragraph 3, to “…this phenomenon…” in order to transform their article into a more cohesive writing. Besides that one edit, the article was very well written and informative of the Christmas season, and was able to contrast today’s traditions with those of the past.
Sincerely,
Caroline Klein
Justin Marchese • Jan 10, 2024 at 10:04 am
In this article, Miller details what the “Christmas Creep” is, which I think is a very fitting title for this issue. Miller also entails that Christmas is coming closer and closer each year, giving many anxiety on when to buy gifts and when said gifts are running out. I appreciate that Miller is taking the time to address the concerns of the people during this stressful, gift-giving season. I do feel as if there should be more direct information on the exact reasons why this is stressful as I am rather interested. Two things that I noticed that were very considerate was Miller referring to the social worker and including self-care. I find it commendable that they would include these details because it informs people that they have a place within the school and community where they can focus on things that aren’t specifically Christmas related and can alleviate their stress. Although the corporations may be lowering their prices and putting their items on sale consistently, many feel stress as these prices make them believe the deadline for getting their loved ones gifts is coming up too fast. I’m honestly perplexed at how early some people and corporations are preparing for Christmas and I feel as if this article needs to be shown to them. Overall, Miller’s article accentuates how anxiety is created by this supposedly “jolly” season and I think it was well done.
Natalia W Bonilla • Jan 10, 2024 at 9:18 am
This year, I also experienced the phenomenon described in the article. Before Thanksgiving was even over, I saw plenty of commercials about Christmas sales and products. And while I have no vendetta against Mariah Carey, I am quite alarmed when I hear her Christmas songs featured in commercials before the end of October. The stress of holiday shopping, having great decorations, and the same four Christmas songs on repeat are well covered by the article.
On the other hand, I think that the article could have elaborated more on how this “Christmas Creep” phenomenon takes away from the actual meaning of Christmas. Whether or not one is religious, Christmas was intended to be a holiday that celebrated concepts such as family and the act of giving, not necessarily buying. However consumerism and “Christmas Creep” have turned a time to enjoy the company of family and celebrate a year’s end into a commercial holiday. The celebration of Christmas becomes meaningless if we just focus on the gifts we receive and what we need to buy. Rather than giving us a cut of Kriss Cringle’s jolly attitude we get stressed and insecure. I think if we focus on the morals behind Christmas, instead of the material goods revolving around, Christmas would be a much more fulfilling holiday.
Arianna Garcia • Dec 22, 2023 at 12:15 pm
On December 15, 2023, Payton Miller wrote an article titled, “Christmas Creep.” This article gave a detailed explanation as to how Christmas is seeming to come earlier and earlier each year with advertisements being put out even before Black Friday. She also mentioned how Black Friday which used to be a 24-hour event, has now turned into a whole month’s occurrence. Payton gave wonderful insight, provided evidence, and multiple perspectives by including student opinions in quotes and surveys. Ms. Miller chose a very time relevant topic and put her own unique twist on it with her own investigative skills. Something that I would have added to make her claim stronger would be some kind of showing or date that demonstrates how exactly it has changed throughout the years. Overall, this was a very informative and interesting story and I would love an update on this next year.
Olivia Hanniff • Dec 22, 2023 at 12:05 pm
On December 15, 2023 Payton Miller published and wrote an article titled, “Christmas Creep” Miller’s article informs the reader about the ‘Christmas Creep’, in which businesses begin to sell and stress about buyers early in the year, well before Black Friday. Miller does an efficient job adding in statistics to validate their points, such as “Target started offering Black Friday deals on November 8th” (Miller). Additionally, Miller adds in quotations from a school social worker about how the ‘Christmas Creep’ can negatively affect stress levels. This adds a professional point of view, further supporting her claim. I also applaud Miller for adding in statistics from the Millikan Corydon poll from Instagram. This shows how Miller strives to include her audience in the text and more specifically connect to Millikan students. Miller also added two specific and contrasting quotes from Millikan students, allowing the reader to relate to one of the differing opinions. On the other hand, I wish Miller added information on why certain stores use the ‘Christmas Creep’ and evidence showing either an increase in sales compared to previous years.
Jenny Martin • Dec 22, 2023 at 12:04 pm
On December 15, 2023, Payton Miller wrote an article titled “Christmas Creep”. I thought it was a super interesting article! I’ve noticed this for ages and it’s always gotten on my nerves- it makes it very hard to stay present and not rush into the next season. I agree wholeheartedly that it really devalues the actual holidays to draw them out the way these companies have. I’d say that I also really feel that the drawn out nature bleeds into the enjoyment of holidays like Halloween, and it totally kills the fun of everywhere being dark and creepy to turn the corner and see bunches of Christmas decorations. I think that would have been a good thing to mention! In addition, I would have loved to see what her opinion on the whole Christmas in July situation is! I find it to be really weird and mostly just a cash grab from companies- it’s completely disconnected from everything that makes Christmas so special. But overall, I’m really glad that this phenomenon got some attention on such a well written article! The use of actual statistics was very interesting and I’m glad I’m not alone in the way I feel around the holidays.
Aila Kubota • Dec 22, 2023 at 11:00 am
This is a very well written article that informs readers about a new phenomenon called the “Christmas Creep” which causes people to feel very stressed throughout the holiday season. Miller introduced this phenomenon by providing examples of how these holiday spirits were once festive and joyful, but have now turned into anxiety and stress. In addition to providing examples, Miller excellently provides credible sources to the readers further explaining the reasons as to why the Christmas Creep negatively affects not only people’s moods, but also their mental health. One concept that really stood out to me was that Miller connected the ideas of Black Friday to this Christmas Creep. With this, it provides the reader a better understanding of what the Christmas Creep really is and why businesses have ruined the holidays for many people around the world. Furthermore, Miller included not only evidence from articles, but also interviews and statistics that were made from Millikan students providing their insight on the negativity emerging from this holiday phenomenon. Through providing interviews and statistics, Miller was able to provide the reader a better understanding of how online businesses and stores have drawn out all of the joy and excitement people used to feel throughout the holiday season and turned it into negative feelings such as depression and stress. In conclusion, this is an excellent article that perfectly describes the phenomenon of the Christmas Creep created by businesses wanting to sell their merchandise.
Isla Haffner • Dec 22, 2023 at 10:54 am
As Miller said, the Christmas Creep is the phenomenon of big companies pressuring people into the holiday spirit, but, it can cause the holidays to be stressful. Miller identifies the situation well, using websites, statistics and polls, as well as interviews to support her claim that Christmas shouldn’t be stressful, and that the holidays are for relaxing and spending time with family, not buying tangible things. She supports her claim by stating, “For most, Christmas is a season associated with love, joy, and family; for others, however, Christmas brings anxiety, stress, and seasonal depression.” She also used surveys to appeal to logic, supplying statistic of Millikan students to determine how many experience the “Christmas Creep”. She also added visuals of the phenomenon, such as the image by Makayla Brown of “A house eccentrically decked out for Christmas, before December had even begun.” Overall, the article is well written and very educational.
Anna Truong • Dec 22, 2023 at 10:53 am
On December 15, 2023, Payton Miller wrote an article titled “Christmas Creep”. Payton Miller writes an article about how Christmas brings symptoms of anxiety, stress, and seasonal depression; when it is supposed to bring happiness and togetherness. Miller wonderfully describes what the phenomenon of Christmas Creep is, which is the stores pressuring people to buy Christmas gifts early on in the year. Stores start selling Christmas related items way earlier than before, such as during Black Friday and late October. Another part of this article that Miller did well as having a school social worker put her opinion on this matter. Miller also had the school social worker give some advice on how to handle this. One piece of advice given by the interviewee Aimee Uresti was, “Be kind to yourself. Despite not having gifts ready, if you have to go shopping, take it a day at a time. Maybe shop for one thing one weekend and another thing another weekend. If you don’t have money to purchase gifts, get creative. DIY. It’s the thought that counts” (Miller). By giving the audience the solution to this phenomenon, it makes the situation not as bad as it was described. Overall, I like how Payton Miller wrote this article, and how she displayed the phenomenon and depicted the solution to it.
Zoe Huynh • Dec 22, 2023 at 10:40 am
This article explains the phenomenon known as Christmas Creep. Everyone knows that Christmas time is a joyful time of the year, but this article elaborates on how the merry season isn’t so great. According to this article, Christmas is so stressful due to having to buy or make gifts. I think that this article is very interesting because I never knew that the Christmas Creep was a thing. I also find “Christmas Creep” relatable since I’ve panicked over getting gifts in time and budgeting correctly. The article states, “When polled on The Millikan Corydon Instagram, 86.4% of students said that they have experienced the Christmas Creep phenomenon this year. Of those students, 31.8% said that the idea of Christmas Creep caused them stress.” I like how this article included statistics on a poll given to Millikan students and had statements from students as well. Overall, this article was well written, informative, and interesting.
Vickie Lam • Dec 22, 2023 at 9:47 am
The title was extremely interesting at first glance. You would think it would be about the dangers of safety during sightseeing on break but the topic of the text itself is also relatable and interesting. I also agree that stores bring out holiday items way too early. It would be summer and you would still see Costco or Target bring out Christmas decorations. It is pretty and eye-catching for shoppers, but it is also unnecessary to buy during that season. Additionally, when it is about a week before the holiday, all the decorations and items of that season would be taken down. Last-minute shoppers aren’t able to browse or relax, which causes more stress and panic. I never knew what to call this frustration and panic, so seeing an article describing this unknown feeling is just great and relief to see that others agree with me. This article speaks about what the majority of people feel during holiday shopping and it got rid of the itch. Thank you!
Kailyn Khamkhensouvann • Dec 22, 2023 at 9:47 am
I enjoyed reading this article in regards to the festive season and seeing the Millikan Corydon cover topics suitable for the time of year. Throughout the entirety of this article, the writing was captivating and informative which satisfies both knowledge and curiosity pertaining to the “Christmas Creep.” The title as well was an interesting spin on the typical lighthearted and joyous tone of this particular holiday.
I like the use of statistics and individual accounts to support your topic, especially the quotes from varying individuals. Despite the adequate nature of your writing, I would suggest that you spread out your use of statistics and numerical evidence throughout the article rather than having them focused in one area. This can be through a little bit of explanation or through additional details that highlight the purpose of using those statistics. The “Christmas Creep” was a well written article nonetheless and should gain the recognition it deserves. I am glad to have had the opportunity to read this article.
Raquel Escamilla • Dec 22, 2023 at 9:47 am
On December 15, 2023, Payton Miller wrote an article titled “Christmas Creep”. This article seemed to be very informative but also very interesting. While reading this article I realized how much Christmas didn’t seem as joyful as it was in previous years. Although when I first read the title of this article I thought it would be about something different. I like how throughout the article she writes about how The holiday season as a whole has changed. It has become a time in the year where people feel more and more stressed throughout the years. Not only have I noticed that it has become more stressful but as I was reading I started to realize how many Ads I have seen or heard throughout these past months about the holiday season. Like Miller said it’s basically like they were forcing the Christmas season approach this year faster. What I would have liked to see more of was different statements from different pathways. Overall Miller’s article was very intriguing to read.
Sincerely,
Raquel Escamilla
Simone Jackson • Dec 22, 2023 at 9:46 am
On December 15, 2023, Payton Miller wrote an article titled “Christmas Creep”. This was a beautifully well-written article highlighting how the holiday season is putting an increasing amount of stress and anxiety upon people. The article has an explanation of how businesses are now creating holiday-themed sales much earlier, in a largely successful attempt to lure people into buying Christmas presents and holiday-themed products. The article gives concrete examples of how top tier grossing corporations like Target and Walmart have now started giving Black Friday deals starting October 29th and November 8th. This evidence helps to show how Black Friday is no longer the one day of in-person shopping that it traditionally was. Instead, it is a drawn out series of promotions spanning across nearly two months and multiple in person and online platforms. The author goes into how the holidays for some people are not centered around the positive feeling of joy and love, but rather Christmas is a time of increased stress, anxiety, and even seasonal depression. The concept of “Christmas Creep” originated from a Healthline article explaining how the mass commercialization of Christmas traditions leaves many in a blunder due to financial stress and inability to afford the unnecessary. The article provides some helpful insight given from a quote by Millikan’s social worker, urging people to look after themselves, space out holiday planning, and consider homemade gifts. A poll from students was given that shared some statistics of 86.4% feeling the Christmas Creep phenomenon and 31.8% sharing that this holiday expectation causes them great stress. The article finishes with some quotes from students about their experiences regarding the Christmas Creep and the development of increased holiday commercialization. The article concludes effectively with a statement of declaration how Christmas is now upon us.
Vincent Madden • Dec 22, 2023 at 9:43 am
I share the sentiment that Christmas seems to sneak up on us closer with every passing year, given the early display of decorations and holiday deals in stores. This trend isn’t exclusive to Christmas however; I personally feel that all holidays seem to be getting this early push for advertisement. For example, I remember seeing decorations and products designed for Valentine’s Day in early January. This mentality of pushing holiday promotions early can induce a lot of stress, as it puts the idea and anxiety of Christmas shopping into people’s minds well before the holiday. I’m glad this topic is being spotlighted, as it’s something that many people notice, but few actually take the time to think about it once Christmas is over. Additionally, I enjoyed the mention of early Black Friday sales. While early shopping makes things a lot easier, the idea of launching Black Friday sales well before the actual day, as seen with Target starting a month ahead, elongates the event/deals but sort of takes away the original point of Black Friday. This article overall does a great job at highlighting the potential impact of Christmas Creep on mental health during the holiday season.
Brandon Janney • Dec 22, 2023 at 9:32 am
On December 15, 2023, writer Payton Miller delivered his piece titled, “Christmas Creep”. Me personally, as I’ve gotten older the feeling of time seems to be getting shorter and shorter. As we become busier and busier as our lives progress, the less time we have to think about things like Christmas being too far away. Along with that, the way our society is tailored towards capitalism and profits, holiday sales happen far before its advertised time. As Miller stated, Target started offering Black Friday sales far before the week of Thanksgiving, presenting people with the idea that time is moving faster than it normally is. This in turn can cause people to rush before there is any urgency that is needed to be acted upon. However the idea of selling holiday products before their time can provide a good outcome of keeping stores from over crowding and low numbers of remaining products.
Chloe Neprud • Dec 21, 2023 at 10:30 pm
On December 15 2023, Payton Miller wrote an article titled “Christmas Creep”. I agree that Christmas does kind of creep up on us now, especially with how some stores will start putting out Christmas decorations and other holiday related deals super early. I’ve noticed that this also happens with Halloween decorations. It can feel like stores are trying to push people into Christmas before Halloween is even over, which can stress people out about getting gifts. I also agree with the statement that stores are offering their Black Friday sales before Black Friday actually starts, making it a longer event than the original 24 hours. It can be good to get holiday shopping done before it gets too close to Christmas and items begin to go out of stock. But I think that by starting to offer Black Friday deals a month before the actual day like Target did, it defeats the purpose of Black Friday. Overall, I like how this article mentions the effect that Christmas Creep can have on your mental health during the holiday season.
Chukwuoma Uchegbulam • Dec 21, 2023 at 2:01 pm
On December 15, 2023, Payton Miller wrote an article titled “Christmas Creep”. This article is one I found not to be informative but also wildly entertaining. The article opens up something that I was somewhat aware of when it comes to businesses advertising Christmas early and also introduced me to the phrase “Christmas creep”. I like how within the article it showed how this merchandising phenomenon has evolved. Peyton mentioned the transition for how Christmas is perceived by some which shows Payton really her research when writing on this topic. I also liked how you included the fact that this is common amongst many holidays such as Black Friday. I enjoyed the use of quotes in the article because of how the “Christmas Creep” phenomenon affects many people mentally.
There was one thing that I found to be weird in the article. The thing I found weird was the use of statistics to support your article. I found it odd that you got a large number of students but only used statements from PEACE students. Despite that I truly did enjoy your article.
Sincerely,
Chukwuoma Uchegbulam
Hana Word • Dec 21, 2023 at 1:58 pm
On December 7, 2023, Payton Miller wrote an article titled “Christmas Creep”. This informative read describes how Christmas is not only a time of joy but also stress. Miller describes how stores like Walmart and Target create deals during the holidays to get people to buy more. Not only are the deals during Christmas but also many weeks before. This process of advertising works on many and in this article the editor explains how anxiety and stress arise around it. Although Christmas has a reputation for being filled with happiness and no stress, it’s almost the opposite. Miller interviewed a sophomore PEACE student who said, “Christmas is supposed to be joyful and stress-free but when big companies pressure the holidays on people, it makes it less joyful and more stressful.” This is just one example of how students believe Christmas can be tense and stressful. In total this article encapsulated how stores can take advantage of the holidays and make more money from it.
Ethan Barnhart-Ross • Dec 21, 2023 at 1:46 pm
December 21, 2023
Dear Corydon Editor,
On December 15, 2023, Payton Miller wrote an article titled “Christmas Creep”. This was a very well written article that informed the reader about the phenomenon called Christmas creep. The article says that Christmas creep is when Christmas becomes celebrated earlier and earlier each year, which is happening now. I also appreciated how the article included an Instagram poll asking Millikain students how early they started seeing Christmas decorations, with 45% saying they started seeing them in October. One thing I think the article could have benefited from mentioning is how Christmas tends to overshadow other holidays like Thanksgiving, which often goes neglected in our country despite actually being an American holiday. I also think that the article could have mentioned how Christmas has become increasingly commercialized to the point where it has almost ship of theseused itself away from being a religious holiday and is just a way for companies to sell more products. This commercialization plays a strong role in why Christmas Creep happens and why many non Christans celebrate Christmas. I like how this article also mentioned how black friday creep has occurred as well. It’s crazy comparing videos of the mobs on black friday 10 years ago to the barren stores of today due to the sales being stretched out over the month and the rise of online shopping. I also liked how the article mentioned that the Christmas season can cause stress and seasonal depression for many despite how it’s supposed to be a season of joy. One thing that I think could be expanded upon is how the Chrustmas season can feel a bit alienating for those who don’t celebrate. Overall this was a very well written article that I feel could be improved a bit by mentioning the effect of commercialism.
Sincerely,
Ethan Barnhart-Ross
Lauren Cantwell • Dec 21, 2023 at 1:34 pm
December 21, 2023
Dear Corydon Editor,
On December 15, 2023, Payton Miller wrote an article titled “Christmas Creep”. The author does a very good job explaining to the audience what Christmas creep means. In the introduction it is explained and it also reel the audience into the topic the article is about. The evidence put into the article was good but it could be shortened a bit. Towards the end of the article, it was a nice touch adding the statistics portion. It gives a sense of comfort to those reading that they aren’t alone in experiencing the “christmas creep”.
Using examples of common stores like Walmart and Target appeals to the audience at Millikan. Many millikan students use Target and Walmart as their shopping stores. The addition of people’s perspective on Christmas creep highlights the importances of this issue. Miller does a good job at tying the article together. It means a sense of awareness to the issue while wrapping it up in an interesting way.
Sincerely,
Lauren Cantwell
Kylie Montiel • Dec 21, 2023 at 1:32 pm
Miller’s title of the article is such a creative pull as it captures the readers’ attention with only two words. The article’s different use of sources, such as thoughts from teachers and students, allow for a more personal connection between the reader and the writer. As stated in the article, this is a season that is supposed to be filled with joy, but the worries of gift shopping can cause unwanted stress. The acknowledgement of this neglected, yet very real, perspective allows readers to see that it is okay to not feel the holiday spirit in these worrisome times. The addition of resources to help students feeling stress is also a very thoughtful way to allow students to be able to enjoy the holidays and their break.
Although the pictures in the article bring about the idea of Christmas and holiday spirit, I would suggest adding a picture that more appropriately displays the stress of Christmas shopping. This image might include a store with Christmas decor set up in the front. Overall, this was a very well done article both acknowledging the issue and providing extra support.