By Emily Miller
For many, the Christmas season is the most wonderful time of the year. But how early is too early to whip out the jingle bells and mistletoe? Some Christmas fanatics would argue that the holiday never really ends and can be found listening to Christmas music in July. For others, Christmas begins the minute the clock strikes midnight after Halloween. But there’s another major holiday that makes people hesitant to put up the tree in November: Thanksgiving. Some feel that Thanksgiving is ruined when it is constantly being overshadowed by the Christmas spirit. But in reality, Thanksgiving is not overshadowed, but enhanced by its warmth and joy that truly makes family gatherings and turkey dinners magical.
The “Queen of Christmas” herself, Mariah Carey, opened the holiday season with her annual “ITS TIME” video on November 1. Each year, the video depicts the transition from Halloween into Christmas as soon as October is over, marking the start of the holiday season.
Carey is known for her festive songs that make her a Christmas trademark, such as those included in her 1994 Merry Christmas album, led by the famous single “All I Want for Christmas Is You”. As the esteemed Christmas ambassador, Carey holds the power to declare the beginning of the holiday season, and, as the video suggests, its time.
The joy of the weeks leading up to Christmas is arguably just as significant as the holiday itself, which is all the more reason to start celebrating it in November. For children and adults alike, wondering about presents and picking gifts for your loved ones will always bring a sense of cheer to your day. Despite the cold temperatures of winter, the excitement and anticipation that builds up to Christmas morning can make even the darkest days merry.
When people have a holiday to look forward to, it’s easier to fend off seasonal depression and escape the burnout from school or work. During the holiday season, you get to look forward to several days off from school or work, as well as spending time with friends and family.
In general, the holiday spirit improves happiness and the quality of life for many people, so why are so many against celebrating in November? Well, some believe that starting Christmas too early diminishes the spirit of the holiday. They think that the magic of the season isn’t as special if it is drawn out too much. While this may be true for those who start listening to Christmas music in summer, no such restrictions apply to November. Two months of holiday cheer is a perfectly acceptable amount of time, and those who can’t stomach the joy should probably look beyond Christmas for the root of their unhappiness.
Others claim that celebrating Christmas in November completely disregards Thanksgiving, and that people should wait until one holiday passes before starting another. But unlike Christmas, Thanksgiving is mostly focused on the day itself, so celebrating Christmas before it does nothing to diminish the holiday. Thanksgiving is all about spending time with family and being thankful for what you have, which goes hand in hand with the giving spirit of Christmas. These two holidays complement each other so perfectly that there is no reason to wait until December to begin the Christmas festivities.
By Andrew Cole
By the time December 20th rolls around, the constant playing of the 30th rendition of “Last Christmas” becomes tiring. It has the sound of nails on a chalkboard and the taste of canned cranberry sauce. Do you know the fastest solution to overplayed Christmas songs? Stop playing Christmas music before December. It’s undeniable that this crap only brings us joy for about a half of a month. There are only around five actually half decent songs all of which by the end of the holiday season are frustratingly overplayed. Also they play it everywhere: in the Supermarket. Christmas music. Holiday shopping. Christmas music. The dentist. Somehow Christmas music. It follows us around like the plague—sometimes until February—when people finally realize the holidays are over.
It may be possible to look past the music. After all that’s what earplugs are for. This issue pales in comparison to the stress the overall holiday season brings. Whether it’s mom’s freak outs over why the house needs to be cleaner or being two hours late to the extremely awkward family reunion because no one can figure out what to wear make the season more stressful than joyful. Also prepping for those awkward family discussions about college and your future that out unnecessary pressures on young people just trying to enjoy their break from school. It all gets tiresome, so why extend this already lengthy season of misery.
The holiday season is a truly beautiful time. Filled with countless memories with family friends. So why cheapen these memories by trying to artificially manufacture them before the season has arrived? The decorating of the Christmas tree, singing Christmas carols around a piano, and that feeling of a warm fire when a cozy Christmas movie is on are just a few fantastic memories I have from the holiday season. Although I love these things, I can’t help but feel the more I watch that one Christmas movie, the less magical the feeling is.
Don’t forget Thanksgiving either. It always seems for many that the building excitement for Christmas and our beloved winter break overshadows the awesomeness of Thanksgiving. Christmas dinner pales in comparison to the feast on Thanksgiving. Also who doesn’t love the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade? (The ending of which is a perfect segue into the Christmas holiday as it should be celebrated—after Thanksgiving.) There is just something magical about how they end with Santa Claus riding on his sleigh to ring in the holiday season.
Mom’s take on all the responsibility of making the season magical for their children, from baking cookies to buying that perfect present. Moms more often than not are also responsible for picking out the outfits and making everyone look presentable for family gatherings and holiday parties. The only thanks they get is the smile on their child’s face when they walk down the stairs on Christmas morning. Extending the Holiday season puts more pressure on moms to try and make a longer period of time feel just as magical.
So next time your friend asks you to turn off the music because it’s November please don’t call them a Grinch. The Christmas season is worth the wait because of all the fantastic memories we have spending time with friends and family. After all, this is the season of giving, so give the gift of patience and you will be rewarded.
