I love Christmas. The glitter, the smells, the joy, the love- its my favorite time of the year. When I was younger I used to beg my parents to put up our Christmas decorations as soon as November rolled around. Everyone I knew always waited until at least Thanksgiving to even think about decking out their homes, but I never wanted to do that. To me, Christmas decorations mean a whole lot more than just sparkly ornaments and Santa hats. Christmas decorations make me feel at home, like I am living in my little fantasy world that is full of pastel pink and peppermint.
When I moved out of my parent’s house and into my apartment, there was one thing I knew for sure- Christmas at my house starts November 1st. I have friends and family who scoff at this and playfully joke about me “ruining” the magic and “skipping” Thanksgiving by doing so, but I don’t see it that way. I love Christmas and I want to celebrate it for as long as I can. I don’t rush to take my tree down the day after the 25th or even well into January. I get so much pure joy from those silly decorations and blaring my Christmas music before Halloween has even faded, and that is surprisingly very bothersome to some people. But here’s how I see it- if there is something as simple as putting up a tree that makes you light up inside (pun fully intended) you should absolutely do it.
Who cares if other people think it’s too early? Is it affecting them in any way? If not, you should do whatever your little heart desires! I know people who love Halloween and once it’s over they are so sad. You know what I think? You should dress up every single day if you want to! I think you should make pumpkin treats and watch Hocus Pocus in March if that’s what makes you happy! There is so much hate and despair in the world, and we owe it to ourselves to not steal our own happiness over silly little things. If you just adore Thanksgiving, make a turkey every weekend and go pretend Black Friday shopping once a month! There are no actual rules when it comes to holidays that we all must follow, instead we just conform to the norms that society sets for us. When I come home after a bad day at school and my Christmas tree is glimmering in my living room as soon as I walk in, it’s something I can smile about. Sometimes that little jolt of happiness is just what I need in that moment. We deal with so much and having even the simplest of delights in our lives can be our saving grace. So do what you want to do. Celebrate Christmas early. Dress up like a lephraucan and chase rainbows like its St. Patrick’s day. This is your life, and you should do with it what makes your soul the happiest it can be.