It’s November, which means it’s time for the great debate: when is it socially acceptable to start celebrating the holidays? Some people think you must wait until after Thanksgiving to get festive, but others believe once Halloween has passed, the holiday season begins.
I fall in the latter of the two groups – what can I say, I love Christmas! There’s absolutely no reason to bottle up the holiday festivities until after Halloween. Here are five reasons you should be celebrating the holidays early.
1. You can extend the wear time on your Christmas apparel
If you’re anything like me, you have at least one ugly (or not-so-ugly) Christmas sweater. They’re funny, comfortable and the perfect way to spread a bit of holiday cheer. The only problem is there aren’t enough days in December to show off these hilarious ensembles!
2. Holiday decorations are beautiful
Who doesn’t love seeing streets decked out with twinkling lights reflecting off fresh snow? The seasonal decorations are absolutely mesmerizing – you need as much time as possible to take in all of the beauty of the holidays.
3. You have time to watch all your favorite holiday movies
I watch Love Actually, Family Stone, The Holiday, and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation at least once every holiday season. With all the holiday shopping and other activities going on, it can be hard to find a few hours to sit still and relax. The earlier you start celebrating, though, the more of your holiday favorites you can watch.
4. December goes by so quickly
For most students, December is plagued with exams. There isn’t a lot of time to appreciate the magic of the holidays in between cramming for physics and writing papers for government. Why not get some celebrating in before the studying starts?
5. The “Thanksgiving rule” is a strictly American concept
The United States is one of very few countries that have their Thanksgiving celebration at the end of November, so it’s the only country in which the “rule” that the holiday season must wait exists. If we were in any other country, there would be no restrictions on when celebrations can begin!
The real question is: why wait? It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Don’t let the haters dull your holiday cheer–enjoy the magic of the holiday season for as long as you wish.