My most controversial opinion is that Christmas starts on November 1, sometimes even before. With Halloween falling on a Tuesday, and Halloweekend far behind us, I turned my apartment into the cutest little Christmas wonderland on Halloween this year.
This might seem extreme, but there are so many reasons Christmas deserves such a long celebration.
- It’s the happiest time of year
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Growing up, Christmastime was the most magical time of the year.
I loved watching TV by the rainbow lights of the Christmas tree. I loved coming home from school to a house that smelled like sugar cookies.
As we grow up, that happiness and joy fades. We lose childlike innocence and life becomes much more difficult.
Christmastime is a great time to defrost that childlike wonder, no matter how far away it is tucked.
- It’s so much easier to romanticize life
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I’m a huge advocate of romanticizing life. I feel like life is easier when we are thankful for the little things like warm, fuzzy blankets and good food.
But let’s be honest, the 30 degree and below weather is so hard to romanticize and find the positive in.
It’s easier when you frame it as Christmas is coming. When you come home to a living room with rainbow Christmas lights, it makes the ache in your bones hurt a little less.
Original photo by Madeline Haller - Christmas cookies are the best
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I said what I said.
Christmas cookies have always been my favorite, to the point my mom occasionally makes them in the summer.
Italian Christmas Cookies are so simple and so delicious. Snowball cookies are so messy but so fun. Sugar cookies are my favorite to snack on, and Christmas is just their season.
I will be making sugar cookie truffles for the first time this year and I’m beyond excited. Lemon cookies are fun in the summer, but honestly just hit different when it’s cold outside. Peanut butter blossoms are amazing cookies, even though they’re a pain to stack and store (it’s just more motivation to eat some raw dough).
In addition to making cookies, there is no greater joy than giving your friends delicious homemade cookies. I’m lucky enough to have a schedule where I can afford to make cookies for two hours, but I know all of my friends front have that luxury.
There is nothing better than when a friend loves what you’ve made.
If it wasn’t clear, I grew up in an Italian household where food is love.
- Christmas in college is just different
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If we think about it logically, Christmas in college makes no sense. If we follow the traditional calendar and don’t decorate until after Thanksgiving, you have two weeks to enjoy those decorations before it’s time to pack up and head out of State College for winter break.
In addition, as soon as I come back from Thanksgiving break, I know finals season always ramps up. There are final projects to begin and finals to study for and it feels like the last few weeks of the semester go by so quickly.
There’s no time to sit by the TV and admire the Christmas village. There’s no time to lounge in front of the yule log video on YouTube. There’s no time to try all of the Christmas cookie recipes you’re dying to.
I would rather over-celebrate the most special time of year than under-celebrate.
- Businesses agree with me
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The Dunkin’ Christmas menu came out November 1. Starbucks released their Christmas drinks November 2. You can’t tell me it doesn’t sound amazing to grab a nice, warm drink and go home to your decorated place.
Target has had Christmas decorations out since mid-October. Homegoods and TJ Maxx have had decorations out since mid-October.
I’m more than happy to follow the commercialization calendar.
Original photo by Madeline Haller
For me, Christmas isn’t just putting up decorations. Christmas is a feeling.
Christmas is the childlike wonder I feel looking at my tree, the same tree I’ve had for three years now, and marveling at how far it has come and how far I have come since then.
Christmas is a feeling of comfort, nothing beats the feeling of relaxing in the glow of rainbow Christmas lights, the same way you remember doing over 10 years ago.
Some things never change, and the wonderful feelings Christmas provides me is one of them.