When midnight rolls around on the evening of Nov. 1, all holiday hell seems to break loose. The Halloween fanatics make their slow transition into November, the month of Thanksgiving in the United States, while those with peppermint and gingerbread pumping through their veins all 12 months of the year can finally shout “Fa-la-la-la-la” from the rooftops of every building in sight.
That’s right, folks. Christmas season is officially upon us. The weather is starting to get colder (sorry, west coast) and within a few weeks, our colorfully-leafed trees while soon be barren and the rolling green hills will be covered in a blanket of snow. Slowly but surely, shopping malls and homes will deck their halls with lights, wreaths, tinsel, and bulbs, and radio stations will begin to play Michael Buble’s Christmas album on an ever-repetitive loop.
So why are people getting so upset that Christmas is beginning already? They justify their scrooge-like comments with the idea that people are forgetting about Thanksgiving, when in reality it’s quite the opposite. As a self-diagnosed “Christmas-aholic”, I love all things related to the holidays, and want to begin celebrating as soon as possible. By Nov. 5th, my mini Christmas tree was up and decorated in my apartment, and I have Christmas lights strung in my room year-round. But that doesn’t mean that I choose to neglect Thanksgiving, I just don’t celebrate it for an entire month.
Like most of the human population would probably agree, decorating for Thanksgiving is quite rare. There’s no such thing as Thanksgiving music, unless you count that awful “It’s Thanksgiving” music video by Nicole Westbrook. For most of us, Thanksgiving is celebrated one day, with your family and close friends, eating way more food than you could possibly need and watching football (Go Pack, Go!).
So I’m writing this as a plea to those people: please stop Christmas shaming. Let me, and countless others, celebrate our favorite time of the year. Allow us the pleasure of singing “Joy to the World” and “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” whenever we wish, and don’t give us a side-eye for ordering a Peppermint Mocha and Instagramming that picture on the first red cup of the season in early November. It’s not hurting you, and we aren’t forcing you to celebrate with us either. Enjoy your countdown to Thanksgiving, and we shall do the same.
