As the weather gets colder and the days get shorter and shorter, we all start to think about the holidays and what that has in store. What gifts am I gonna get? What gifts should I give to my friends and family? Should I make a gingerbread house? Why do parents tell their children that an old man breaks into their house, stalks you to see if you have been bad or good, drops off gifts by a tree if you’re good, and makes his way across the world in one night in a sleigh powered by magical reindeer? The holiday season is in full effect all across the globe, but there is one thing that has been bothering me. 

People think it’s fine to start their holiday joy as soon as the last kid knocks on their door and says “trick or treat”. They go grab their lights, put up their tree, make some hot chocolate, and go watch “Home Alone” as they roast chestnuts on an open fire. 

I enjoy the holidays like anyone else. It is the most wonderful time of the year, but celebrating this festive time a month early is too much for me. Do you see people hanging up their Fourth of July decorations because it’s 34 days away? Do people go around in excitement and joy just because there are only 31 days until the new year? If none of these holidays get to be celebrated a month early, then why does Christmas get special treatment? I get that the holidays are a time for being with family and friends, but this can wait a couple more days. This practice has also robbed a certain holiday of its intrigue. 

Now I know that some holidays are bigger and more recognized across the world, but that doesn’t mean that the smaller holidays can’t have some space in the limelight. Thanksgiving is all about being thankful for what we have, no matter the quantity or the quality. Then after we absolutely demolish all that food, we go fight hoards of people for a flatscreen TV or a pair of shoes that are 50% off at Target. Thanksgiving is a time for reflection, to look back on how far you have come. While not as beloved as December holidays, Thanksgiving deserves it’s time to shine.

December is a time for joy, happiness, and reunion. While it is a big holiday season, it should not invade earlier months to the point that it’s two months of celebration. It is only less than one more month you have to wait: be patient. The wait is not long, and you can do it. 

As a wise master once told young Mark Hamill, “patience you must have.”