On Samford’s campus, the holiday spirit seems to have arrived before students had the chance to carve their Thanksgiving turkeys.
Christmas music echoed through the Caf, Mariah Careys ‘All I Want for Christmas Is You’ played over the PA system at a Wednesday night basketball game. There was even a Christmas tree up in Propst hall scheduled to be decorated before Thanksgiving Break.
All of this sparked debate across campus. Is Samford celebrating Christmas too early?
Students offered a mixture of enthusiasm, amusement, resignation and mild protest.
“You should not be celebrating Christmas until after Thanksgiving” says freshman, Kate Weber.
Weber admitted she ends up listening to Christmas music with her roommates, but emphasizes that it’s only because, as she put it, “my roommates like it, not by choice.”
Freshman Savannah Parker used to agree, until arriving at Samford.
“I used to think Christmas should only be celebrated after Thanksgiving because it ruins the spirit of Christmas if you do it too early,” she said.
But college changed her mind.
“I’ve had a change of heart because at college everyone wants to celebrate earlier because we leave too early to celebrate Christmas together,” said Parker.
Sophomore Cade Harkness said he was startled to hear Christmas music in the Caf weeks before the holiday season traditionally starts.
“I’m a firm believer that the beginning of Christmas coincides with the ending of Thanksgiving – the beginning of Advent,” he said.
Harkness worried that even on a Christian campus, celebrating too soon might cause students to “lose sight of the religious aspect” of the season.
To him, the early celebrations are a sign of how “we’re pushing Christmas” sooner each year.
Not everyone is concerned, though. For freshman Asher Sinclair, the early festivities are exactly the point.
“The Christmas music in the Caf makes you feel in the holiday spirit,” she said. “It makes me feel all warm and cozy.”
She also added: “As a wise elf once said: ‘The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.”
Whether the early cheer is a joyful preview or holiday heresy depends on who you ask. But, with Christmas filling every common space, it seems Samford students will have no choice but to deck the halls, at least a little, before the turkey hits the table.
Staff Reporter
