Halloween costumes next to back-to-school supplies. Christmas trees peeking out in the backdrop of Thanksgiving family photos. Maybe even heart-shaped boxes of chocolate before New Year’s Eve.
The overlapping of holiday symbolism and practices is a yearly issue, and everyone seems to have the strongest of opinions. Admittedly, I used to engage in the extremely vocal disdain for Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas” at all junctures, but especially when it could be heard outside of my arbitrary window during which I deemed the expression of holiday spirit socially acceptable.
Recently, I have changed my way of thinking to adopt a much less cynical attitude: Let people enjoy things. It may be the holiday spirit that comes with the approaching start to Thanksgiving festivities, or perhaps newfound wisdom with my older age as I get ready to bid my college years farewell, but I have been making a conscious effort to see immense positivity in every situation and give those around me a little more grace. When other people seem happy, I should be happy, too, even if I do not fully understand their source of happiness. This mindset, of course, only applies to harmless actions and practices, but if putting up multi-colored lights in October makes someone happy, who am I to judge?
Sure, I may get a little annoyed hearing the same songs every time I do my grocery shopping, or personally choose to light a sugar cookie candle a little later in the year, but constantly criticizing others for trying to add a little joy into their lives makes us all worse off. When we mind our own business and refrain from complaining about harmless things that bring others happiness, we are gifting those around us a radically more positive and accepting atmosphere.
Even for the ones who get into the holiday spirit a little earlier than the rest of us, I hope we can all take this theme into the new year. Even when those around us are doing something a little different than we are used to seeing, I hope we can all be happy that someone else is happy. In doing so, our own personal reasons for being happy and grateful just keep multiplying.
Despite the risk of doing so too far in advance, I am setting my New Year’s resolution for 2023: mind your business and let people enjoy things.