A common question with the Holiday season coming up is when is the right time to start decorating? Is it right after Halloween, right after Thanksgiving, or sometime in December. This question comes up every year after Halloween when some people decide to start decorating and celebrating the Holidays. Others frown upon them because it is “too early” or “Thanksgiving needs appreciation too.” While these are all good points, is it ever too early to start celebrating the holidays?
When you look up the question, “When does the Holiday season begin?” It says that it begins in late November and ends in early January. Now, this may make the most reasonable sense, but there needs to be time to enjoy the holiday season, the lights, the food, the specialty Starbucks drinks, and more. Why only limit it to a month and a half when we could have two?
The answer I received the most was the day after Thanksgiving. I asked sophomore Maddi Bock, and she gave me a very thought out answer, “I believe that Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, is the appropriate time to start celebrating the holidays. I believe this, because Thanksgiving is still an important holiday and quite honestly one of my favorites because of the food. Therefore, by celebrating the day after Thanksgiving, it gives you the right amount of time to focus only on Christmas.”
Now, this is when my mother thinks it is a reasonable time to start celebrating, as well. And, in my house, mother knows best. But, sophomores James Goodwin and Greyson McSharry think that a few days before Thanksgiving is better. Goodwin says, “Right before Thanksgiving, because it is not too early…but, it is also not too late.” McSharry agreed, saying:“Right before Thanksgiving, because the leaves are orange and stuff.” Yet, if the leaves determine when we start celebrating, then we would start celebrating in October!
Then we have our holiday lovers who say the right time is the beginning of November. Sophomores Kayla Ishigami, Ella Lepis, and Ellie Hunter made it very clear that the Holiday season needs as much recognition as possible. Kayla stated, “November 1st. Because you need time to actually enjoy your decor, all the time you can get!” Ella said, “A few days after Halloween, the holiday season starts then and the holidays deserve more recognition than Thanksgiving” Bold statement! In a way, this makes the most sense. The United States is one of five countries that celebrates Thanksgiving, so other countries do not base their holiday celebration dates on when Thanksgiving is, like the United States and four other countries do. Due to this, other countries begin celebrating and putting decorations up earlier. This then supports Kayla, Ella, and Ellie’s points that the Holidays need more recognition than Thanksgiving and should be celebrated earlier.
Lastly, I asked sophomore Peter Suels and instead of giving me an opinion, he gave me his insight on the Holidays. He stated, “However a person celebrates holidays is up to them. Celebrations are subjective and beautiful things and people should do what is going to make them happy. If that means decoration for Christmas in October, that’s up to them.” He sums it up pretty well. At the end of the day, it is just some lights or wreaths hung on your door. It does not harm or affect anyone in any way. But, we should all think like Mr. Mclaughlin who said, “It is a
24/7, 366 thing for me. The holidays are a mindset, so I say celebrate them all the time.”
To conclude, when do you think the right time to start decorating is? Whether it is a week or two months before, the Holidays are a time for happiness and giving. So, if someone wants to sing Christmas songs or watch Rudolf the red-nosed reindeer in October, let them. And instead of judging them for it, listen and watch with them too. Be more like Mr. Mclaughlin!
