Following Halloween, there are many holidays, yet stores mainly focus on Christian holidays, like Christmas. Thanksgiving, though not a religious holiday, is often most overlooked.

Kohl’s, Bath and Body Works, and Kroger are just a few chains that have begun selling Christmas goods.

Many people wonder if holidays even matter, or if they are simply another excuse to spend money and ignore the historical and/or religious meaning behind the holidays.

Thanksgiving has been considered a celebration of peace and harmony, dating back to the first, alliance-forming, Thanksgiving between the English settlers and the Wampanoag tribe, according to History.com. (This alliance is one of the sole examples of harmony between the English and the native people). The basis for this holiday is positive, and focuses on being thankful for what is available. Despite the encouraging history, Thanksgiving is often overlooked by the materialistic holiday Christmas, and the sales that occur before the holiday, like Black Friday, which occasionally begins Thursday night.

“This holiday was granted for everyone to be thankful for the non-materialistic things in life. Push your money problems aside just for the day and leave Christmas for another day,” said Rachel Arlin, a writer for The Massachusetts Daily Collegian. Arlin feels the push to buy is distracting people from Thanksgiving, which is, in turn, adding to the overlook of the holiday itself.

Preventing the overwhelming amount of commercialism from clouding holidays is a difficult task. Children are raised from young ages with the skewed perspective that holidays are highly materialistic. Commercials on numerous forms of media use persuasive techniques to convince people to buy goods. While commercials are occasionally useful tools, they are negatively influencing the youth of America. The average American child watches between 25,000 to 40,000 commercials per year, making youth a captive audience, according to Anup Shah, a writer for Global Issues. These children will grow up into adults, reproduce, and the endless cycle of materialism will continue.

Ultimately, in a business-influenced society, it is unlikely that any change will occur. However, it is important to call attention to the issue. Year after year, millions of Americans are drawn into the persuasive, eloquently-worded, beautifully-designed advertisements and layouts that accompany holidays. Holiday meanings become muddled under heavy consumerism. Reducing the visitation of stores and other businesses during the winter season will prevent impulse purchases and decrease seasonal consumerism.