In the wise words of Mariah Carey as she defrosts for another Christmas season, “It’s time!”
‘Tis the season for the annual argument regarding the “official start” of the Christmas season, with some maintaining that Christmas begins on Nov. 1 and others arguing that bells should not be jingling until after Thanksgiving.
I find myself on the side of people who believe that once the clock strikes midnight on Nov. 1 and Halloween has officially reached its end, the time has come to deck the halls.
While many will cry “Thanksgiving,” let’s be honest, Thanksgiving is just a day and Christmas is a season. I love to gather around the table with my family on the fourth Thursday of every November, eat some good food and remember what we are thankful for as much as the next person, but it is near impossible to make an entire month out of it.
There are too many Christmas movies, songs and activities to squeeze into just the month of December. I can hardly think of any notable Thanksgiving songs or movies that are a “must-watch” leading up to the holiday.
With stores putting out their Christmas merchandise at the end of October, radio stations playing holiday music and TV channels showing holiday movies, it is difficult for one to avoid the “Christmas creep,” as it is often referred to as.
Of course, there is always the “Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade,” which used to be called the “Macy’s Christmas Parade,” and numerous football games to catch on Thanksgiving day, but other than that it seems as though there is a lack of content that could make it possible for the Thanksgiving season to be extended.
There are so many holiday-related activities that one can partake in. Whether it be ice skating, early gift shopping, cookie decorating, going to see Christmas lights, picking out a Christmas tree or watching a holiday movie marathon; the opportunities are endless.
Once November hits and Thanksgiving rolls around, most fall-related activities like apple-picking, corn mazes and pumpkin patches are out of season.
Christmas is known for being the season of joy and giving. Wanting to prolong that feeling is not hurting anyone and does not mean that Thanksgiving day gets entirely overlooked. Sometimes, it is even beneficial to get an early start.
For example, leading up to the “season of giving,” there is a boom in service oriented activities such as clothing and toy drives, writing Christmas cards for the sick/elderly/deployed, “adopting” a family who needs help with gifts for their children, Christmas caroling at nursing homes, the Salvation Army, etc.
The holiday season can be a major source of joy for people as well. As it starts to get dark at 5 p.m., the weather grows cold and the effects of seasonal depression start to kick in. Sometimes a little holiday spirit is how a person chooses to alleviate some of those feelings.
Regardless of one’s reason for celebrating early or waiting until after Thanksgiving, it is important that a person does what makes them happy. For me, that means that once Nov. 1 hits, the tree is going up and stockings are being hung. Deal with it.
