By Charles Sosnik
The major retailers have turned the holiday shopping season into a long, continuous march of promotions. What once was a single day—Black Friday—now stretches into a week, or even longer, as stores and online marketplaces roll out staggered deals. In recent years, both Walmart and Amazon began advertising Black Friday-style discounts well before Thanksgiving, sending hourly emails and texts promising limited-time savings. Those constant alerts left many of us exhausted by the time the actual Black Friday arrived.
By the true Black Friday, the excitement often felt muted. Many shoppers who once lined up at midnight or braved the early-morning crowds stayed home, worn out from a week of online bargain-hunting. Ten days later came Cyber Monday, which for many felt anticlimactic after an extended period of sales. Industry observers now predict that online discounting may continue through the holiday season, effectively blurring the line between single-event promotions and continuous online sales.
I don’t want to sound like a curmudgeon—especially after nearly three years living through COVID, a teacher shortage that affects classrooms across the country, growing student attrition, rising concern about mental health, and the conflicts and crises filling our news feeds. With so much happening at once, it can be hard to feel the simpler, quieter joys that make the season special.
At the same time, the visual signs of the season arrive every year: store shelves stocked with toys, festive displays in shop windows, and decorations brightening front doors and neighborhoods. For many, the sight of holly on a front door, a yard trimmed with lights, or a tree in a living room still brings warmth and a sense of tradition.
We should also remember that the holidays are experienced differently by people of different faiths and backgrounds. The United States was founded to welcome many beliefs, and while Christmas is a particularly joyful time for Christians, it’s important that celebrations are held with respect for neighbors who practice Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Scientology, or no faith at all. Most communities try to celebrate in good faith and with genuine warmth toward one another.
If this season doesn’t yet feel joyful to you, that’s understandable. When the world seems full of hardship, it can be difficult to get into the holiday spirit. But perhaps that is precisely the moment to lean into celebration—because joy can be a source of resilience for ourselves and for those around us.
For the length of this season, try focusing on what is good. Take time to recognize the blessings in your life and the progress that has been made. The pandemic disrupted so much, but it also accelerated many important conversations and innovations in education and mental health support. The teacher shortage and student attrition are long-standing problems, not new ones created solely by COVID, and solutions are slowly emerging as districts, communities, and policymakers respond. Likewise, attention to mental health has never been greater, and that increased focus promises a healthier future for students and adults alike.
Do what you can to help with the world’s troubles, and then allow yourself to be grateful for your own circumstances. If prayer or spiritual practice is part of your life, lean on it. If not, find comfort in whatever gives you meaning—family, friends, music, or a quiet walk alongside seasonal lights.
Give yourself permission to enjoy the season. Take a deep breath and let yourself smile. Put on that odd or beloved holiday sweater you keep for fun and wear it until it becomes a conversation starter. Add extra lights to your yard, bake cookies, play familiar music, and plan small gatherings. Support local merchants who have decorated their shops and streets—shopping locally helps neighborhoods thrive and keeps decoration efforts meaningful. If you can, find carolers or a neighborhood sing-along and join in; communal music can be uplifting and grounding.
Drive through your town in the evening to look at lights and displays, visit small stores that have gone the extra mile with decorations, and let these simple activities remind you of the season’s warmth. When you engage with your community, those small moments of connection can turn a sense of weariness into genuine cheer.
Before long, you may realize that the holiday spirit has arrived: lights glowing in storefronts, homes bright with color, and familiar songs in the air. Those signs—shops sparkling with candy canes, streets lit for the season, neighbors greeting one another—help to restore a sense of wonder and connection.
About the author
Charles Sosnik is an education journalist and editor who serves as Editor in Chief at the Learning Counsel. An EP3 Education Fellow, he draws on deep roots in the education community to bring context to the conversation about schools and learning. Charles is a frequent writer and columnist for influential education publications, including the Learning Counsel, EdNews Daily, EdTech Digest and (ET) Magazine. Proudly Southern, he often jokes that he is an editor by trade and Southern by the grace of God.