After Halloween or after Thanksgiving? – Now that’s the question.
There’s a lot to love about the holiday season. Snickerdoodle cookies, elaborate decor, and warming music help to make this season bright. Winter fashion also kicks into full gear as cozy sweaters are brought out. Despite the magic of the season, there are arguments and a lot of disagreements about when these celebrations should begin. Many people get offended at starting Christmas too early because they think Thanksgiving should have its own moment.
Their logic is this – why should we rush from one holiday to the next?
My logic is – I’ve been waiting for the holidays all year, and now I can finally begin my celebrations.
So, here are the main reasons why I believe Christmas celebrations should start on November 1st:
Time to Plan Gifts
Nothing is worse than spending time and money to get the best gifts for people, and then not actually having them on Christmas. I hate when I have to wrap a piece of paper as someone’s gift instead of the actual thing. I also usually celebrate Christmas earlier with my friends, so I need those gifts to come even earlier than Christmas day. Some websites take longer than others so planning early is vital! You also want to have ample time to be able to wrap the gifts.
The Season Brings Joy
On November 1st, it’s go time. It’s time for the tree to come out and I’ve already defrosted Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You” on my Spotify. I walk into stores and get to hear Christmas music. It’s simply a happy time, and it’s nice to enjoy being in the holiday spirit before you are running around buying gifts and booked every weekend with family holiday events.
Additionally, the heat of the semester starts after Halloween time. Professors finish cramming in work before the breaks, and it can be overwhelming. This is why I think people enjoy a little bit of fun while they are struggling with schoolwork and assignments.
Thanksgiving Really Only Needs One Day (here me out)
Despite what you may think, I do love Thanksgiving. I love turkey, mashed potatoes, and the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. However, Thanksgiving doesn’t have its own music and elaborate decorations. No one goes “Thanksgiving decor shopping” or buys “Thanksgiving gifts”. There aren’t as many ways to celebrate the holiday of Thanksgiving like there is Christmas. Christmas decor and ‘lore’ outshines it by afar. So, I still let Thanksgiving have its moment, but that holiday really only needs a day. Being thankful is something you should do all throughout the holiday season and year.
So before you ‘late celebraters’ getting mad at us, just know we are probably escaping from the stress of end-of-semester assignments. We just want to get as much joy as we can from the holidays. Once January starts, it’s just cold and muggy – the nearest holiday in sight will be Valentine’s Day.