Every year, it seems that Christmas decorations start appearing a little bit earlier, and stores began playing Christmas music even before Thanksgiving (and a few even before Halloween!). Many people even decorate their Christmas tree the weekend after Thanksgiving.
There was a time when Catholics did not put up their Christmas trees until after noon on Christmas Eve. The same was true of all Christmas decorations. The purpose of the tree and the decorations is to celebrate the feast of Christmas; by putting them up early, we anticipate the feast, and Christmas loses some of its sense of joyfulness when it finally does arrive.
However, when we shortchange or bypass the Advent Season, we shortchange ourselves. These 4 weeks of Advent are meant to help us prepare interiorly and spiritually for the celebration of the Birth of Jesus Christ. When properly observed we are less likely to be consumed by materialism. Advent, which once was referred to as a "mini-Lent", is now generally understood to be a time of preparation. Already, preparations have begun for the Pope's visit to the US next September. Brides spend months preparing their weddings. Families start preparing for the birth of a new child almost the day after they "find out". How could we even begin to think that faithfully celebrating the Birth of Christ Jesus does not require some special prep?
Here are a few suggestions to help "preserve" the Season of Advent in your lives. Try any or all of them, and feel free to come up with your own ideas: a bit of fasting, going to Confession, special services at Church each Wednesday, and daily Mass. Try creating your own family traditions such as lighting an Advent wreath before meals, praying together or using one of those Advent calendars. Some people decorate their houses inside and out around Thanksgiving time. I have nothing against that, but may you might consider not lighting the tree (other than testing the lights to make sure they work) until Christmas Eve.
Anyway, I do hope you have a very beautiful and spiritual Advent this year. Don't allow the way of the world to make you tired of Christmas before it even gets here.
God Bless,
Father Mike