As spooky masks are taken off shelves and candy corn goes on clearance, one wonders if the appearance of Christmas trees and Santa Claus is inappropriate this early in the year. Some people (such as myself) see November first as day one of Christmas, but others are slower to say goodbye to fall. Is it rude to have Christmas lights up in July or should the homeowner’s association get with the program?
I think that the choice of if/when to celebrate is a personal one, especially due to the religious roots of Christmas. I mean, a holiday with Christ in the name seems pretty denominational. But as a nonbeliever, I’ve always seen the holiday less as religious and more familial. Gift buying and dinners can be enjoyable for anyone, yet you can also choose to do religious activities if you believe in them.
Another factor to consider is the many different activities that come along with Christmas. Some are more wintery like snowball fights, snow angels, warm sweaters, and fireplaces. Others are more decoration-based like hanging stockings, trimming trees, and decking the halls. There are also more food-based traditions like Christmas cookies and big feasts, not to mention the process of ordering gifts, which definitely needs to be done in advance.
All in all, Christmas isn’t a one-day or even a one-month celebration, but rather a mindset that warms the cold, dismal winter days. You could do a different activity every day in December and still feel like you missed Christmas entirely. Thus the peppermint flavor of the holidays should be savored as long as possible.
The joys of singing Christmas songs and decorating shouldn’t be pushed into December and instead should be socially acceptable in November. Because other than less sunlight and (let’s face it) mid-tier food, November is bland and gray. If seeing your peers jolly and bright in the fall causes you annoyance, try playing “All I Want for Christmas is You” and open a colorfully wrapped gift. I promise your mood will improve, and you too will want the Christmas spirit year-round.
