Editorial

Time of the Year

As the semester is coming to a close and the holidays begin to get closer, there has been a change in the air. The “Holiday Madness” season has begun, as houses are being decorated, stores are having their sales, and food is everywhere. It’s that wonderful time of the year where we can spread joy, and make our friends and family happy.

Since it only happens once a year, The Outlook editors believe people look forward to it, and become very excited when it arrives. This motivates people to go all out and truly enjoy themselves. However, it does become very intense.

Since it is the season of giving and receiving, people generally become more generous and donate to a lot of charities and like to help others. Some stores even partner up with a local charity to help with donations. However, one editor believes that “it’s hard to get donations because so many stores are asking nowadays.”

But there are those people who are just on the verge of making the naughty list during this time, and ruin the joy of others, especially when it comes to retail. Beginning with Black Friday, people seem to be very selfish with trying to get their hands on the next hot item and we forget about others. Then there are others that are naughty with the intention of being nice. They try to give gifts to their friends and loved once but will stop at nothing until they get what they want.

Working in retail is where you get to experience this first hand. Many of the editors have had the luck to work first hand through holiday season. First off, the hours of many stores are extended requiring everyone working to adjust their schedules to accommodate stores. The lines are long, the stores are crowded, and people are impatient. Needless to say it is not fun.

One editor shared her experience with working in a grocery store during the holiday season. “People are a different kind of crazy than they would be in a clothing or department store. People generally aren’t too problematic but there are a few who have some ridiculous requests.”

There might be a sense of obligation to spend a lot of money during this time of year. Some of editors believe that the holidays have become very material-driven, and the more money you spend, the better the gift. The way people have begun to view different types of friendships are starting to rely heavily on material items and the pressure increases. However, some believe that there is not an obligation on spending money, but rather trying to buy something nice and meaningful might just end up being expensive.

One prominent statement of the holiday season is Christmas decorations, and the biggest argument is when they should go up and come down. The Outlook editors agreed that after Thanksgiving would be a reasonable time to begin to decorate. The decorations should be left up until New Year’s because no one wants to see the holiday season leave so quickly.

So since this is a lot to take in, what is some advice the editors can give you? One editor suggests, “Be nice. Even if others are rude and stores are crowded, if you’re nice and polite, odds are people are going to reciprocate.”

The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear. If you can, shop online. It saves you time, and stress, and you don’t have to deal with parking in mall lots, traffic, and people. Spend time with loved ones, but also save plenty of time for yourself. Do your own thing, shop at your own pace, and enjoy the season! Happy holidays from the Outlook Editors and see you next semester.