Christmas starts in December

The debate over when it is appropriate to start celebrating Christmas has raged on for years. Some Christmas freaks begin their festivities the day after Halloween ends, while normal people wait until December. Although early enthusiasts may argue that extending the Christmas season is a joyful way to embrace the holiday spirit, there are a multitude of reasons to suggest that waiting until December is the better option. 

First of all, starting Christmas celebrations right after Halloween dilutes the magic and anticipation that makes the holiday season so special. Part of what makes Christmas so enchanting is the build up and excitement during the weeks prior to the day itself. By beginning the festivities too early into the season, we risk turning the month into just another holiday, overshadowed by the consumption that surrounds it. 

Waiting until December allows society to maintain the distinctiveness of Christmas. It gives Thanksgiving its respective time and attention on the calendar, allowing us to fully appreciate and savor the special month of December. Thanksgiving is a designated time for gratitude and reflection. Jumping straight into Christmas traditions bypasses the opportunity to give thanks and celebrate close family and beautiful friendships. 

Moreover, starting Christmas in December is much more sustainable. Delaying the festivities means less time for needless consumption of waste associated with the holiday season such as stressing about gift shopping and awkward family dinners. Although there are many reasons to be argued about why Christmas celebrations should be started earlier, pushing back the festivities keeps the unique sparkle of the holiday season shining, and ensures that the wonderful Thanksgiving and fall season is extended and retains the time and recognition that it deserves. So, let’s all savor each season to ensure that we are grateful for each holiday, and appreciate the fall season for what it is.

Christmas starts November

Many people believe that Christmas starts a little ways into December; however, these people are wrong. Although Christmas is a winter holiday, the correct time to begin the festivities is actually right after Halloween. Now before you get all worked up and try to rain on my red and green, peppermint scented parade, hear me out. 

One thing that most, if not all of us, can agree on is that it is the best time of the year. If you disagree with me, there’s a good chance that your name starts with a G and your heart is two sizes too small… Anyways, for a lot of people, Christmas is the best time of year so why delay it any more than necessary? If we are waiting until December to celebrate Christmas, we are only torturing ourselves into waiting for something that we are excited about. Contrary to popular belief, beginning the festivities earlier does not reduce the excitement around the holiday itself. Sure, anticipation is a big part of the holiday, but who’s to say that we can’t have a prolonged period of anticipation? No matter how long we celebrate for, Christmas day itself will never be overshadowed due to the pure joy and importance that comes with the holiday. 

And to those of you who just read that last paragraph and thought ‘but what about Thanksgiving?!’…Who said we had to forget about Thanksgiving? To me, Thanksgiving and Christmas go hand in hand. We can’t celebrate one without the other. Starting the Christmas festivities early doesn’t overshadow Thanksgiving, in fact, it gives the holiday more hype by forcing people to be excited about both days. 

As for the sustainability issue, many people reuse decorations from year to year, which is actually a good practice of sustainability anyways. Though buying our loved ones new gifts each year is something that is somewhat inevitable if you want to stay on the nice list, there are endless ways to purchase sustainable gifts or even to cut down on spending each year. 

To wrap everything up (get it? wrap), Christmas celebrations should begin the first of November in order to rid ourselves of the agony of waiting an extra few weeks and to get everyone excited for the upcoming holiday season.