Once the Hanukkah, Christmas and New Year’s Eve celebrations end, many consumers sigh a breath of relief.  

But not for long – as retail stores transform shelves and decorations to promote yet another commercial holiday – even if that day remains months away.    

“I find it irritating [when stores decorate for holidays way before]. It is way too early to celebrate Valentine Day’s in December,” said senior Mary Elizabeth Scott. 

Freshman Ella Hogan agreed. 

“I see it as nothing but a way to commercialize and capitalize on what were intended to be wholesome family celebrations. It’s a way for corporations to take advantage of the consumer and profit from them dishonestly, during a time where the concentration is not meant to be on material possessions.” 

December holidays, though, still elicit the largest number of pet peeves.

“People overplay good Christmas songs to the point where they become worse, ruining perfectly good music for thousands of people: for example, ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You,’” said freshman Keith Angelescu.

Ninth grade peer, Nicholas Smith, said he gets annoyed with the decorations.

“Christmas tree needles all over the floor are the worst,” Smith. 

No matter the holiday seeing family always makes the list of holiday annoyances.  

“My pet peeve is when that one aunt you haven’t seen in years comes up to you and says ‘Wow look how tall you got! Last time I saw you, you were only this (shows height with hand) tall!’” said freshman Tam Truong.