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Have you noticed Christmas decorations going up even earlier this year? Here's why.

Christmas Creep has been around forever, but this year is different.

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Poor Thanksgiving. The phenomenon known as "Christmas Creep" — where early Christmas decorations infringe further and further into Thanksgiving's usual November jurisdiction — has been around for decades, if not centuries. It's not a new idea, with plenty of people entrenched on both sides of the ensuing debate.

But this year is undeniably different. The creep has hit new levels. In my own neighborhood, I noticed more and more people going straight from Halloween decor right into Christmas without even a single buffer day in between. Turns out, a giant Jack Skellington decoration is the perfect bridge between these two holidays!

A jack skellington christmas ornament Photo by Christin Noelle on Unsplash

Why do people seem to decorate earlier and earlier every year? The simple answer is that it makes us happy. Real, scientific studies have suggested that decorating can make you feel happier, so why delay? Hanging string lights and picking out a Christmas tree can make you nostalgic for a happier time, whether that's your childhood or just holidays past. The traditions, sights, sounds, tastes, and smells can transport you and boost your mood.

Even better, putting up your decorations helps build community and get you more socialization, even as the weather gets colder. An impressive Christmas display is an easy conversation starter with neighbors you may not normally speak to much. Add in the fact that Thanksgiving 2024 was about as late as Thanksgiving can get, and you started to get a picture of why people have been so eager to hang the old mistletoe.

That's all well and good. But it doesn't tell the whole story of Christmas decorating in 2024.

The real reason people are decorating earlier than ever? Two words: "Screw it."

snowman in the sand at the beachMelissa Brawner/Flickr

We know that decorating for the holidays can help us feel joy. Similarly, it can help us cope with stress, anxiety, and hard times.

"This year, in particular, the trend of decorating early seems amplified by a collective desire to combat stress and uncertainty," says Dr. Sham Singh, psychiatrist with WINIT Clinic. "People may be seeking the psychological benefits of holiday cheer as a way to counteract lingering societal challenges, such as economic pressures or post-pandemic adjustments."

"The act of decorating can be a small, controllable source of happiness in a world that often feels unpredictable."

Yes, it's safe to say that 2024 has been a rough one for many people. The election was one of the most stressful and consequential in recent memory. That definitely plays a huge role in people searching for joy wherever they can find it. Millions are not only worried about what will happen in the coming months and years, but as a result, families, friendships, and neighborhoods are more fractured than ever.

We've also had a wild run of devastating hurricanes, war, and threats of new epidemics. Professor McGonagall and Darth Vader died this year. Even the astrologists agree that 2024 has been one of the worst and hardest years on record!

"I think this year feels different because people are craving solace, community, and joy more than ever," says Prerna Menon, psychotherapist at Boundless. "The holidays represent hope, warmth, and collectiveness, and for a lot of us, it feels good to hold onto that for a little longer.

Rachel Kay, a marketer in Chicago, summed it up best when she told Vox: “Fuck it, it’s time for twinkles.”

This is almost exactly what my wife and I said when we decided to hang our lights before Thanksgiving for the first time ever. The sentiment was echoed in a recent Reddit thread from November 2024 in which someone asked: "Are people who are decorating for Christmas way too early?"

"We've had an awful year, usually we wait until the first weekend of December to put up decorations, but we put the tree up last night. I'm dreading this Xmas, but my kids need something positive to end the year on," wrote user unbelievablydull82.

"So yesterday I had the Xmas music on whilst cooking, and my wife set up the tree. I usually dislike Xmas decorations up before December, and as a kid we'd wait until mid December at the earliest, but fuck it, life is hideous, so might as well do something fun."

Some people think decorating too early makes Christmas feel less special, and they might be right.

Some years, early Christmas Creep gets a lot of pushback. But this year, most of us seem to be on the same page. If we're not decorating already ourselves, the general sense seems to be to live and let live. Why not let people find a little happiness in the one thing they can actually control?
The risk is that by the time the actual holiday rolls around, we'll all be burnt out on Mariah Carey and sugar cookies and twinkling icicle lights. But you know what? Screw it.
Sounds like a problem we can deal with in 2025!
And as for whether Thanksgiving might eventually get phased out completely, psychotherapist Prerna Menon says not to worry.
"I suspect that at some point into the future, Thanksgiving and Christmas will find their original space again. But for now, just this year, if putting up your tree in October, and your Halloween decorations in August make you happy, then I say - don’t let anyone hold you back!
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Family

3 ways to navigate the holidays with toxic family members while keeping your sanity in tact

Making a preemptive plan of escape can save you an awkward exit.

Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

3 ways to get through the holiday season with toxic family

Holidays can be hard for some people, especially if they have family members that they don't get along with and while the solution for some people would be to stay away, it's not always that simple. There are many reasons people may choose to endure unpleasant family members, whether it be staying with in-laws until they get on their feet or visiting parents in order to see their younger siblings.

With holidays coming up, people are making plans on who's house they're visiting and for how long. Your mouth may be salivating at the thought of eating aunt Mary's famous green bean casserole that she only cooks twice a year and you can't wait for dinner. But what do you do if you're stuck spending time with family members you don't particularly care to be around?

According to a recent poll by USA Today, nearly 85% of people avoid family get togethers during the holidays. That's certainly one way to avoid drama but that's not possible for everyone. So for those that must be in contact with family members that their not particularly fond of, there are three simple things you can do the maintain your sanity and enjoy your time.

1. Create an easy to execute escape plan in advance

No one likes being stuck somewhere unpleasant, so if you have a partner coming with you, make sure you are both clear on how long you're staying. Given that the holidays are often seen as extended family days, someone will likely ask why you need to leave. Prepare for that scenario by actually having a place to go. If it's your family that makes you a little unstable, schedule that visit first so you can use the other person's scheduled family time to politely exit.

This doesn't have to be elaborate, it just has to feel valid to you. If you don't have a partner, you can always make plans to spend some time at a friend's house after your allotted time with your family. "Sorry, uncle Jimmy, I'm expected at Becky's house by 2:30 but it was so nice to see everyone," as you skedaddle out the door.

toxic family holidays; surviving family holidays; family time; thanksgiving; mental health and holidays

Two women in kitchen cooking

Photo by Isaac Owens on Unsplash
2. Set a physical boundary by utilizing distance

If you find yourself at a family gathering that includes one or two people you're not particularly fond of, you can utilize the space of the location to create physical distance between you and that person. After the initial pleasantries, move away to another room in the house and enjoy the company of other family members. There's no rule that says you need to engage with everyone at all times. You set the boundary around your engagement with this family member.

If it gets to be a little overwhelming, remember that you're in control of yourself. You can exit the space to step outside, go to the bathroom or ask the host to lay down in an empty room for a few minutes. This will help to reset your nervous system a bit so you can continue to be present with the other family you enjoy.

3. Have a code word to indicate an immediate need to exit

Whether you bring your partner, friend or arrive solo, have a code word ready to go so whoever you're with knows it's their time to shine. This is essentially like pulling the escape hatch. If you walk up to your partner and say, "we forgot the banana pudding," and they know banana pudding is the code word, that's when they give a reason to leave immediately. Will it be a lie? Yes. Do we care in that moment? No. In that moment the focus is on your mental health and feelings of safety.

So if you say the code word and your partner says, they just checked the camera app and the dog has had multiple accidents in the house and looks like he's sick, apologize for having to leave and go clean up imaginary dog poop.

Bonus: Avoid unnecessary hot topics unless you're mentally prepared

No matter what TikTok says, you don't have to have heated conversations over hotly debated topics at the dinner table. If you're not prepared to emotionally and mentally handle the hostility that may come, keep it surface level. If someone tries to bait you, redirect by stating you've heard about it but haven't really kept up, then change the subject. There are multiple variations on this that someone could use to steer the conversation away but remember, you can always create space between you two if necessary.

You never have to stay in an unsafe or hostile environment, while you can't control other people, you can control yourself.

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Family

Make a complete (and healthy) Friendsgiving dinner in less than an hour

Appetizer. Entree. Salad. Side. Dessert. 60 mins.

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O Organics make eating organic affordable

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Friendsgiving might have started as a novel alternative to Thanksgiving, but today it’s an American holiday in its own right.

For many, especially millennials and Gen Zers, Friendsgiving offers an opportunity to get creative with their celebrations without being obligated to outdated, even problematic traditions or having to break the bank.

However, some of us might not want to go to the extreme of only having pizza and beer. What if there were a way to balance the decadence of a traditional Thanksgiving meal while still keeping it easy and laid-back? And could we make it healthy too?

As it turns out, we can.

Here’s a super simple breakdown of what your next Friendsgiving prep could look like. An appetizer, salad, side, entree, and dessert. All done in an hour—even quicker if you assign certain dishes to different partygoers. #spreadsheetsrule

But wait, it gets better—all of these meals can be made organic at an affordable price, using O Organics® at Albertsons. O Organics helps shoppers find quality ingredients at reasonable prices every day of the year. Friendsgiving is no different.

Without further ado, let’s get cooking!

Appetizer: Charcuterie Board


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Nothing quite hits like the fancy, grown-up version of Lunchables. Crackers, meats, cheeses, and various fancy toppings that can be combined in endless ways. The easiest form of culinary creativity there is.

You already know how to make one of these bad boys, but here’s a basic template if you’re needing a dose of inspo:

Meats: Some tasty choices here are salami, prosciutto, sausage, etc. I made a smaller-scale board and decided to go with salami. If you or your friends aren’t a fan of pork, sliced turkey or smoked salmon are some yummy alternatives.

Cheese: The possibilities are endless here. You can even opt for a dairy-free cheese option!

Bread or Crackers: Artfully arranged. Speedily snacked upon. Some O Organics options here and here.

Fillers: this is where the charcuterie really shines. Fill in the spaces with splashes of color and flavor. Be sure to go for both savory and sweet. That means olives, sliced cucumbers, bell peppers, nuts, and a vibrant array of fresh or dried fruit. A yummy fruit spread doesn’t hurt either.

Time: 5 min

Salad: Squash And Feta Salad

Ingredients:

(3-4 servings)

1 small red onion (O Organics sells them in a bag)

1 bag O Organics frozen Butternut Squash

6 cups fresh O Organics spinach, arugula, kale, or whatever salad green you like

1/4 cup O Organics pecans

1/4 cup O Organics Extra Virgin Olive Oil

O Organics Lemon and Olive Oil Salad Dressing

CrumbledO Organics Goat Cheese

Salt and pepper

Chop some onions. Sautee them in olive oil. Add a bag of frozen squash. Dress some salad greens with dressing. Add the onions and squash. Top with pecans, cheese, salt and pepper. Badda bing badda boom.

Time: 10 minutes

Side: Autumn Seasoned Air Fryer “Roasted” Potatoes

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As any millennial will tell you, we love our air fryers. Nothing quite ticks all the quick, easy and healthy boxes quite like one. And if you haven’t yet had a perfectly crispy on the outside, buttery soft on the inside air fryer potato, then what are you waiting for?

Ingredients:

One 3 pound bag of O Organics red or russet potatoes—honestly any potato will do

2 Tablespoons O Organics olive oil

1 tsp Italian Seasoning

That’s it. No really.

Cut potatoes into one-inch pieces. Coat with olive oil. Sprinkle seasoning. Cook in an air fryer at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Toss the potatoes in the basket and continue to cook for 8-10 minutes or until tender and crisp.

Time: 20 minutes. TOPS.

Entree: Coconut Chicken Curry

cravingsomethinghealthy.com

Because who needs turkey? This one pot piéce de rèsistance is the very essence of Friendsgiving—unique, versatile and not without a little spice.

Being the entree, this dish calls for a few more ingredients, but is honestly not much more demanding. You’re basically looking at 15 minutes for prep, and about 30 minutes to simmer.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon O Organics olive oil

1 medium onion diced

2 teaspoons ginger minced

2 teaspoons green curry paste

2 teaspoons curry powder

2 cups O Organics Thai Style Curry Chicken Broth

1 large sweet potato peeled and cut into 1-inch dice

1 15-ounce can O Organics full-fat coconut milk

2 ½ cups O Organics cooked chicken breast

1 8.8 ounce package O Organics 7 Grains & Lentils Blend

1 16 ounce bag of O Organics frozen peas

½ teaspoon salt or to taste

Lime juice

Cilantro

Chopped O Organics cashews to garnish

Using a Dutch oven (or large pot with a lid), saute the onion and ginger in olive oil over medium heat, for about 4 minutes. Add the curry paste and curry powder and saute for one more minute.

Add the Thai Style Curry Chicken Broth and the diced sweet potato. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then cover with a lid, reduce the heat to medium-low and catch up with friends for 20 minutes while the dish simmers.

When the sweet potato is tender, shake the can of coconut milk well and pour it into the pot. Add the chicken, 7 Grains & Lentils Blend, and peas. Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat and let the curry simmer for another 10 minutes.

Congrats! You are finished. You can add salt, lime juice, cilantro, extra curry powder/paste, or garnish with roasted cashews. Each bowl is customizable.

Time: 40 min

Dessert: Holiday Kettle Corn Bark

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Of course, you can always opt for pie, but sometimes people might want to opt for something a bit more bite-sized when it comes to desserts—especially after a hefty meal. This sweet and salty finger food does the trick quite nicely.

Ingredients:

1 bag (6 oz) O Organics Kettle Corn Organic Popcorn (about 9 cups)

1 bag (10 oz) O Organics Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

8 oz white chocolate, broken into small pieces

1 cup pistachios, roasted and salted

2/3 cup O Organics Dried Cranberries

2 tbsp O Organics Organic Coconut Oil

1 tsp salt

Line a 12x17-inch baking sheet with wax or parchment paper. Spread kettle corn on the lined baking sheet in one thin single layer. Put the semi-sweet chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Drizzle the melted chocolate evenly over kettle corn, reserving about a 1/3 cup for finishing touches. Sprinkle the pistachios and cranberries over the kettle corn evenly.

Follow the same melting instructions for the white chocolate, then drizzle evenly over the kettle corn. You can follow with any remaining semi-sweet chocolate for a layered effect. Let the kettle corn stand for 5 minutes.

Place the kettle corn bark in the freezer for 10 minutes to harden. Once the bark has hardened, break into pieces.

Time: 20 minutes.

OR…if you want to make life even easier…just grab some pints of ice cream and call it a day. No judgment here.

Time: literally a few seconds to open the freezer and grab some bowls.

And there you have—a no muss, no fuss, healthy and affordable Friendsgiving spread. Spend less time in the kitchen and more time with your chosen family.

Get to your nearest Albertsons today and find everything you need to make these yummy dishes! No Albertsons in your area? You can also find O Organics products exclusively at Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, ACME, Shaw’s, Star Market, Tom Thumb, Randalls, and Pavilions.

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Joy

His aunt died on Thanksgiving and his 'rap' about how the family handled it is hilarious

The 95-year-old's 'bold, creative decision' to die on Thanksgiving when the whole family was at her house led to this chaotic masterpiece.

@dairy.n/TikTok

A viral video tells a wild, oddly hilarious tale of a guy's aunt dying on Thanksgiving.

A loved one dying on a holiday isn't normally something to laugh about, but there are exceptions to every rule. This video is one of them.

TikTok user Darien (@dairy.n) shared a story about his family's Thanksgiving Day that is so gloriously bizarre and delightfully real, it's hard not to laugh, despite the fact that it's about his aunt dying. The fact that he tells the tale in the style of a "One thing about me" rap is extra hilarious, and judging by the comments of some of the 6.7 million people who've watched it, it's struck people's funny bones.

Dark humor? A little bit. But his aunt was 95 and she died of natural causes, which helps the hilarity feel not quite so inappropriate. She also apparently had a fabulous sense of humor that she used to cope with her own difficulties throughout her life, so the video is more like a fitting tribute than a what-the-heck storytelling.

There is plenty of what-the-heck here, though. I tell you, I was not prepared.

It's one of those videos you simply have to see—and process—for yourself. Off we go:

@dairy.n

This is a healthy way to process things right?

OK, but that rigor mortis dance? Epic.

One thing that's so relatable about this video is that so many things are happening at once, and you can picture exactly what it must have been like to be there. The grieving, of course, but also the logistics of "What do we do with her body?" and the "Well, we already have all of this food and we need to eat anyway," is just totally real. People don't talk about the practical parts of someone dying like this very often, but it's part of the death process. And when it's a very old person whose time has naturally come, it's not really a tragic death, so a little humor—especially if the person would have appreciated it—can be a totally appropriate way to handle it.

Darien posted a follow-up video to explain a little bit about who his aunt was, which makes the viral video all the better.

@dairy.n

You better apprecciate how earnest im being because from here on out it’s silly hours.

If you're not familiar, the Holodomor was a deliberate famine in which Stalin's regime starved nearly 4 million Ukrainians in 1932 and 1933. After being largely ignored for decades, in recent years it has been officially recognized as a genocide against the Ukrainian people.

Here's a YouTube video of her playing piano at age 92. Impressive.

Auntie Taissa clearly lived a good long life, and what better way for a performer to go out than with a viral video about you that brings people joy?

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