It’s that time of the year again.
The air is getting colder, the days are getting shorter and Mariah Carey has defrosted, which can only mean one thing: the holiday season has arrived.
Although many follow the unwritten rule to wait until after Thanksgiving to start celebrating the holidays, I prefer to bring in the festive cheer early.
Now that Halloween is over, it’s time to put up those holiday decorations that have been sitting in the attic for the past 10 months.
Before you start to cry “Bah! Humbug!” give me a chance to explain why it should be socially acceptable to decorate before Thanksgiving.
Decorating your home after Thanksgiving does not give you enough time to fully embrace the holiday spirit. By the time you finish putting up the decorations, you only have four weeks to admire your hard work before you have to take it down. Why not enjoy your decorations a little longer?
The best time to start decorating for the holidays is during the first half of November, so you have enough time to participate in the festive activities that you enjoy before the holiday rush arrives.
In the weeks leading up to the holidays, gift shopping can be stressful. With packed streets and stores, it’s easy to find yourself overwhelmed. Now is the time to get ahead on your holiday shopping to avoid the holiday crowds.
According to the National Retail Federation, 43% of this year’s holiday shoppers said they start their holiday shopping before November. Of those surveyed, 60% wanted to spread out their budget, 46% wanted to avoid the stress of last-minute shopping and 45% wanted to avoid crowds.
So, ignore the voices in your head that are holding you back and start checking off those holiday items on your wishlist before they’re off the shelves.
And let’s not forget about one of the best parts of the holidays: cheerful music and heartwarming movies. Although holiday music might not start to play on the radio until after Thanksgiving, that shouldn’t stop you from “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” earlier. Instead of waiting for your local radio station, go ahead and break out the holiday playlist that’s been hiding in your music library. It’s time to get that Mariah Carey song back onto the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100.
With final exams and papers coming up, it’s difficult to find the right time to catch a holiday movie. But if you’re “Home Alone” and in the mood for “A Christmas Story,” now is the time to start your holiday movie marathon. So get that nice cup of hot chocolate, sink into your warm blanket and watch your favorite classic holiday movies early this year.
The opinion desk can be reached at opinion@ubspectrum.com
Jason Tsoi is an assistant features editor at The Spectrum. He is an English major with a certificate in journalism. During his free time, he can be found listening to music and watching films.
Photo: Ryan Hagen | UB Athletics
