Santa hats are the shit.

Christmas and the holiday season in general is a time in which spirits are high and certain eccentricities are accepted in the name of holiday cheer. Some strategically select their outfits to tastefully display flashes of red and green while others declare to anyone in earshot that they are, in fact, listening to Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” on repeat until December 26^th. Both statements of holiday cheer are commonly accepted and appreciated by all almost unanimously, and yet one anomaly remains: the Santa hat.

Santa hats are somewhat of a Christmas unicorn—that people for some strange reason will forever be vehemently against. Is it a step too far? Is there an upper limit on the amount of holiday spirit that one person can possess before others consider them an absolute freak? Or are others jealous that they simply lack either the self-confidence or merriness to rock that Santa hat even though they know deep down that they crave its fuzzy warmth more than they had ever thought possible.

Santa hats make people happy: potentially uncomfortable, but happy all the same. When people see that flash of red laced with white move through campus, they are reminded of the happy times ahead. They are reminded that even though finals are fast approaching and you are stressed out because of so many different things caused by so many different people, that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Wearing a Santa hat is, to me, heroic. You put yourself out their well-knowing that you are going to be judged and looked down on by your peers and, family, and closest friends and yet you do it time and time again because the end result of spreading holiday cheer and inspiring happiness is achieved.

Over-dramatic antics aside, Santa hats are, as I said earlier, the shit. Santa hats make people happy, and, frankly, the world could sincerely use a little more happiness.